AEGEAN BRONZE AGE Risser, Seabury 44B
CLCV 311/AHIS 311
SCHEDULE
Week 1. Introduction and assignments. For a good concise overview
of the Aegean Bronze Age, read J.G. Pedley, Greek Art and
Archaeology, Chapters 1-3.
Week 2. Discussion of Paleolithic and Neolithic Greece. Read
Oliver Dickinson, The Aegean Bronze Age, Chapters 1-3.
Week 3. Discussion of Bronze Age settlement and economy. Read
Oliver Dickinson, The Aegean Bronze Age, Chapters 4-6.
Week 4. Discussion of Minoan Palaces. Read Warren, P., "Minoan
Palaces," Scientific American 253 (1985)94-103; Bernal, M., Black
Athena II, Chapter IV, Part 3, "The Cretan Palaces," Chapter IX,
Part 2, "The Cretan New Palaces," and Chapter X; Cadogan, G.,
Palaces of Minoan Crete, Chapters 1-4. New York: 1980; Lindgren,
M., "The Function of the Minoan Palaces - Myth and Reality." Pages
39-42 in The Function of the Minoan Palaces, edited by R. H?gg and
N. Marinatos. Stockholm: 1987. Review Oliver Dickinson, The Aegean
Bronze Age, Chapters 4-6.
Student Reports:
Knossos: Tom
Zakros: Nancy
Gournia: Jannine
Week 5. Discussion of Mycenean Palaces. Read Halstead, P., "On
Redistribution and the Origin of Minoan-Mycenean Palatial
Economies." Pages 519-530 in Problems in Greek Prehistory, edited
by E.B. French and K.A. Wardle. Bristol" 1988; Lawrence, A.W.,
Greek Architecture, Part I, Chapter 3. New York: 1983; Billigmeier,
J., and J.A. Turner, "The Socio-economic Roles of Women in Mycenean
Greece: A Brief Survey from Evidence of the Linear B Tablets."
Pages 1-18 in Reflections of Women in Antiquity, edited by H.
Foley. New York: 1981; Iakovidis, S., Late Helladic Citadels on
Mainland Greece. Leiden: 1983. Review Oliver Dickinson, The Aegean
Bronze Age, Chapters 4-6.
Student Reports:
Mycenae: Martin
Pylos: Meghan
Tiryns: Marco
PAPER 1 DUE: Discuss the origin of palaces on Crete. Were
these architectural forms developed locally? Or are they
evidence for foreign influence?
Week 6. Discussion of the "Period of Mycenean Domination." Read
Niemeier, W., "The Character of the Knossian Palace Society in the
Second Half of the Fifteenth Century B.C.: Mycenean or Minoan?"
Pages 217-236 in Minoan Society, edited by O. Krzyszkowska and L.
Nixon. Bristol: 1990; Bennet, J., "Knossos and LM III Crete: A
Post-Palatial Palace?" Pages 307-312 in The Function of the Minoan
Palaces, edited by R. H?gg and N. Marinatos. Stockholm: 1987;
Popham, M., "The Use of the Palace at Knossos at the time of its
Destruction, c. 1400 B.C." Pages 297-300 in The Function of the
Minoan Palaces, edited by R. H?gg and N. Marinatos. Stockholm:
1987; Doxey, D., "Causes and Effects of the Fall of Knossos in 1375
B.C." OJA 6.3 (1987)301-324. Review Oliver Dickinson, The Aegean
Bronze Age, Chapters 4-6.
Student Report:
Significance of Linear B at Knossos: Joe
Week 7. Discussion of Bronze Age Religion. Read Oliver Dickinson,
The Aegean Bronze Age, Chapters 5 and 8; Davis, E.N., "The Knossos
Miniature Frescoes and the Function of the Central Courts." Pages
157-161 in The Function of the Minoan Palaces, edited by R. H?gg
and N. Marinatos. Stockholm: 1987; Dietrich, B.C., "Minoan Religion
in the Context of the Aegean." Pages 55-60 in Minoan Society,
edited by O. Krzyszkowska and L. Nixon. Bristol: 1990; Gesell, G.,
"The Minoan Palace and Public Cult." Pages 123-128 in The Function
of the Minoan Palaces, edited by R. H?gg and N. Marinatos.
Stockholm: 1987; Hooker, J.T., "Minoan Religion in the Late Palace
Period." Pages 137-142 in Minoan Society, edited by O.
Krzyszkowska and L. Nixon. Bristol: 1990; Shaw, J., "Evidence for
the Minoan Tripartite Shrine." AJA 82 (1978)429-448.
Student Reports:
Great Goddess/Divine Mother: Karen
Bull games and bull cults: Cavan
Hairstyles and initiation rites: Rebecca
Lustral Basins: Gene
Harvest Festivals: Tom
PAPER 2 DUE: Compare and contrast the Bronze Age palaces of
Crete and Mainland Greece. Were the functions of these palaces
similar or different? What do they tell us about Minoan and
Mycenean society?
Week 8. Continued discussion of Bronze Age Religion. Review last
week's readings.
Student Reports:
Peak and Cave sanctuaries: Nancy
Animal Sacrifices: Martin
Human Sacrifice: Jannine
Mycenean Cult Places and Figurines: Marco
Week 9. Discussion of cultural interconnections in the Bronze Age
Mediterrannean. Read Oliver Dickinson, The Aegean Bronze Age,
Chapter 7; Bernal, M., Black Athena II, Chapters IX - XI. Rutgers:
1991; Hooker, J.T., Mycenean Greece, Chapters 4 and 6. London:
1976; Sakellarakis, E. and F., "The Keftiu and the Minoan
Thalassocracy." Pages 197-203 in The Minoan Thalassocracy. Myth and
Reality, edited by R. H?gg and N. Marinatos. Stockholm: 1984;
Strom, I., "Aspects of Minoan Foreign Relations, LM I - LM II."
Pages 191-195 in The Minoan Thalassocracy. Myth and Reality, edited
by R. H?gg and N. Marinatos. Stockholm: 1984; Stubbings, F.H., "The
Expansion of the Mycenean Civilization."CAH (3rd edition) Volume 2,
Part 2, Chapter XXIIa; Wright, J.C., "Umpiring the Mycenean
Empire." Temple University Aegean Symposium 9 (1984)58-70.
Student Reports:
Egyptian influences on Aegean architecture: Karen
Egyptian Influences on Aegean Painting: Gene
Bronze Age Ships: Cavan
West House Paintings at Thera: Meghan
PAPER 3 DUE: Discuss any ONE type of artifact, structure or
motif cited as evidence for Bronze Age religion. Do you
consider it to be religious? Why or why not?
Week 10. Discussion of trade and traders. Read Betancourt, P., and
C. Davaras, "Haven for Minoan Mariners." Archaeology 44.3 (1991)32-35; Castleden, R.,
Minoans. Life in Bronze Age Crete, Chapter 5.
London: 1990; Gale, N.H., and Z.A. Stos-Gale, "Recent Evidence for
a Possible Bronze Age Metal Trade between Sardinia and the Aegean."
Pages 349-384 in Problems in Greek Prehistory, edited by E.B.
French and K.A. Wardle. Bristol: 1988; Hallager, B.P., "A New
Social Class in Late Bronze Age Crete: Foreign Traders in Khania."
Pages 111-119 in Minoan Society, edited by O. Krzyszkowska and L.
Nixon. Bristol: 1990; Knapp, A.B., "Ethnicity, Entrepreneurship,
and Exchange:Mediterranean Inter-Island Relations in the Late
Bronze Age." BSA 85(1990) 115-153; Macdonald, C., "Rhodes during
the Twelfth Century B.C. and its Role in the Aegean." In Problems
in Greek Prehistory, edited by E.B. French and K.A. Wardle.
Bristol: 1988. Review Oliver Dickinson, The Aegean Bronze Age,
Chapter 7.
Student Reports:
Mycenean Shaft Graves and their contents: Rebecca
Palaces and Trade: Nancy
The Ulu Burun Shipwreck: Marco
The Aegean and Europe: Jannine
The Ivory Trade: Joe
Week 11. Discussion of the Trojan War. Read Wood, M., In Search of
the Trojan War, Chapters 4-8; McDonald, W.A. and C.G. Thomas, "The
Trojan War," "The Collapse of Mycenean Power" and "The Final
Phases." Pages 442-465 in Progress Into the Past. Bloomington:
1990.
Student Reports:
How accurate was Homer?: Tom
Archaeological evidence at Troy: Gene
Ahhiyawa: Meghan
PAPER 4 DUE: Closely examine any ONE aspect of Bernal's
argument. Do you find it persuasive? Why or why not?
Week 12. Discussion of the end of the Bronze Age. Read Drews, R.,
The End of the Bronze Age, Chapters 1-2; Alin, P., "Mycenean
Decline - Some Problems and thoughts." Pages 31-39 in Greece and
the Eastern Mediterranean in Ancient History and Prehistory, edited
by K.H. Kinzl. Berlin: 1977; Bernal, M., Black Athena II, Chapter
XII. Rutgers: 1991; Bernal, M., Black Athena I, Appendix. Rutgers:
1987; Cadogan, G., Palaces of Minoan Crete, Chapter 10. New York:
1980; Desborough, V.R.D'A., "The End of Mycenean Civilization and
the Dark Age." CAH (3rd edition) Volume 2, Part 2, Chapter XXXVI;
Stubbings, F.H., "The Recession of Mycenean Civilization." CAH (3rd
edition) Volume 2, Part 2, Chapter XXVII; Vermeule, E.T., "The
Decline and End of Minoan and Mycenean Culture." Pages 81-106 in A
Land Called Crete. Northampton: 1967; Oliver Dickinson, The Aegean
Bronze Age, Chapter 9.
Student reports:
Invasions/ Migrations of Sea Peoples: Martin
Invasions/ Migrations of Dorians: Karen
Natural Disasters: Cavan
Internal social collapse: Rebecca
Advances in military tactics: Joseph
Week 13. Further discussion of the End of the Bronze Age. Wrap-up
and review.
PAPER 5 DUE: Which do you consider the strongest hypothesis
explaining the end of the Aegean Bronze Age? Why?
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