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Aegean Art

  A. THE AEGEAN WORLD

  B. THE CYCLADIC ISLANDS IN THE BRONZE AGE

  C. CRETE AND THE MINOAN CIVILIZATION
    1. The Old Palace Period (c. 1900 - 1700 BCE)
    2.The Second Palace Period (c. 1700 - 1450 BCE)
    3.The Late Minoan Period (c. 1450 -1375 BCE)

  D. MAINLAND GREECE AND THE MYCENAEAN CIVILIZATION
    1. Architecture
    2. Sculpture
    3. Metalwork
    4. Ceramics

Aegean Art

A. THE AEGEAN WORLD   top

    - The Date Debate

An article from Cornell University's Laboratory for Aegean and Near Eastern Dendrochronology -- the science of tree-ring dating


B. THE CYCLADIC ISLANDS IN THE BRONZE AGE   top

Fig. 4-3
Two figures of women, from the Cyclades. c. 2500 - 2200 BCE. Marble, heights 13" (33 cm) and 25" (63.4 cm). Museum of Cycladic Art, Athens Courtesy of the N. P. Goulandris Foundation

Fig. 4-4
Seated Harp Player, from Keros, Cyclades. 3rd millennium BCE. Marble, height 11 1/2" (29.2 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York Rogers Fund, 1947, 47, 100.1

Tour Naxos, the largest of the Cycladic Islands; scroll down for a stunning blue and white island-water-sky photograph

See the following general information and more beautiful photographs; the Cyclades, according to the description provided, have "exerted a powerful charm since ancient times"

C. CRETE AND THE MINOAN CIVILIZATION   top

From the Iraklion Museum, the beautifully-colored Blue Bird fresco from Knossos; scroll down the side frame to view all the objects from Crete

    - The Legend of the Minotaur

    1. The Old Palace Period (c. 1900 - 1700 BCE)   top

Take a quick tour of Minos' Palace at Knossos and read the story of the Minotaur; extensive information is presented on the site and the excavation; many images are presented --all worth viewing

Fig. 4-5
Plan and reconstruction of the palace complex, Knossos, Crete. Site occupied 2000 - 1375 BCE; complex begun in Old Palace period (c. 1900 - 1700 BCE); complex rebuilt after earthquakes and fires during Second Palace period (c. 1700 - 1450 BCE); final destruction c. 1375 BCE; site continued to be occupied.

Excellent images of the Palace of Knossos

Fig. 4-6
Kamares Ware jug, from Phaistos, Crete. Old Palace period, c. 2000 - 1900 BCE. Ceramic, height 105/8" (27 cm). Archaeological Museum, Iraklion, Crete

Fig. 4-7
Pendant of gold bees, from Chryssolakkos, near Mallia, Crete. Old Palace period, c. 1700 BCE. Gold, height approx. 1 13/16" (4.6 cm). Archaeological Museum, Iraklion, Crete

Fig. 4-8
Court with staircase reconstructed by Sir Arthur Evans, leading to the southeast residential quarter, palace complex, Knossos, Crete

Fig. 4-9
Woman or Goddess with Snakes, from the palace complex, Knossos, Crete. Second Palace period, c. 1600–1550 BCE. Faience, height 11 5/8" (29.5 cm). Archaeological Museum, Iraklion, Crete

Fig. 4-10
Harvester Vase, from Hagia Triada, Crete. Second Palace period, c. 1650 - 1450 BCE. Steatite, diameter 4 1/2" (11.3 cm). Archaeological Museum, Iraklion, Crete

Fig. 4-11
Bull's-head rhyton, from the palace complex, Knossos, Crete. Second Palace period, c. 1550 - 1450 BCE. Steatite with shell, rock crystal, and red jasper, the gilt-wood horns restored, height 12" (30.5 cm). Archaeological Museum, Iraklion, Crete

Fig. 4-13
Young Girl Gathering Crocus Flowers, detail of wall painting, Room 3 of House Xeste 3, Akrotiri, Thera. Second Palace period, c. 1700 - 1450 BCE

Fig. 4-15
Bull Leaping, wall painting with areas of modern reconstruction, from the palace complex, Knossos, Crete. Late Minoan period, c. 1450 - 1375 BCE. Height approx. 24 1/2" (62.3 cm). Archaeological Museum, Iraklion, Crete

Fig. 4-16
Vapheio Cup found near Sparta, Greece. c. 1650 - 1450 BCE. Gold, height 3 1/2" (8.9 cm). National Archaeological Museum, Athens

Citadel, Mycenae, Greece, aerial view

D. MAINLAND GREECE AND THE MYCENEAN CIVILIZATION   top

Agamemnon's Citadel at Mycenae is a quick tour with extensive information and photographs; there is much to see, give it time to load

Fig. 4-17
Citadel, Mycenae, Greece. Site occupied c. 1600 - 1200 BCE; walls built c. 1340, 1250, 1200 BCE

Fig. 4-18
Lion Gate, Mycenae. c. 1250 BCE. Limestone relief, height of sculpture approx. 9'6" (2.9 m)

Fig. 4-19
Mask of Agamemnon, funerary mask from the royal tombs, Grave Circle A, at Mycenae, Greece. c. 1600 - 1550 BCE. Gold, height approx. 12" (35 cm.). National Archaeological Museum, Athens

Fig. 4-20
Tholos, the so-called Treasury of Atreus, Mycenae, Greece. c. 1300 - 1200 BCE

Fig. 4-21
Corbeled vault, interior of the so-called Treasury of Atreus. Limestone, height of vault approx. 43' (13 m), diameter 47'6" (14.48 m)

Fig. 4-23
Corbel-vaulted casement inside the ring wall of the citadel at Tiryns. c. 1365 BCE

    2. Sculpture   top

Fig. 4-26
Dagger blade, from Shaft Grave IV, Grave Circle A, Mycenae, Greece. c. 1600 - 1550 BCE. Bronze inlaid with gold, silver, and copper, length 9 3/8" (23.8 cm). National Archaeological Museum, Athens

Fig. 4-27
Warrior Vase from Mycenae, Greece. c. 1300–1100 BCE. Ceramic, height 16" (41 cm). National Archaeological Museum, Athens