Sesklo- The first Greek Settlement

SESKLO

The first GREEK settlement?

Well probably not since other Neolithic settlements like Nea Nikomedia have also since been found in Thessaly in Northern Greece but its one of the oldest dating occupied for over a thousand years.

Why do I consider this Neolithic settlement to be Greek ?

Note the use of slip and the symmetrical  arrangement of the cord used to  create a geometric pattern rather than spirals and the overall symmetry.

Now here's a reconstruction of what archaeologists think Sesklo looked like.

MMM terraced hillside and is it a central plaza / agora next to the main building?

Why do I say terrace rather than wall? This is Greece well their ancestors ... the houses are close but separate on a hill to leave slopes and flatter land free for farming and grazing and while many archaeologists believe walls were for defence ... remember there were still four legged predators back then and a need maybe to shelter garden plants from storms and rain and wandering stock .

Perhaps Sesklo should be called a proto polis?

Arithmoi Greek Numbers Post 2 1 to 10

ARITHMOI GREEK NUMBERS ONE TO TEN

Here are the Numbers One to TEN in Greek

1 ONE M. εἱς F. μία N. ἕν

(see the previous post for the full declension of the first 4 numbers).

2 TWO All genders follow this declension pattern

Nominative Accusative δύο Genitive Dative δυοῖν

3 THREE M. F. τρεῖς N. τρία

4 FOUR M. F. τέτταρες N. τέτταρα

5 FIVE πέντε

6 SIX ἕξ

7 SEVEN ἑπτά

8 EIGHT ὀκτώ

9 NINE ἐννέα

10 TEN δέκα

The modern Greek forms are ένα δύο τρία τέσσερα πέντε ἕξι ἑφτὰ ὀχτὼ ἐννιὰ δέκα

The number One is also used as the indefinite article in Modern Greek.

Next post a look at the origins of Greek culture in the Neolithic and then we return to numbers and the Ordinals First ... Second .. third . 

Arithmoi Greek Numbers Post One in a Series

ARITHMOI GREEK NUMBERS

Arithmetic is a word of Greek origins coming from ἀριθμοι

Here are the First Four Cardinal Numbers in Greek

I have given them a separate post because the other cardinal numerals are indeclinable.

ONE

Masculine εἱς Feminine μία Neuter ἕν

Masculine Nominative εἱς Accusative ἕνα Genitive ἑνός Dative ἑνί

Feminine Nominative μία Accusative μίαν Genitive μιᾶς Dative μιᾷ

Neuter Nominative ἕν Accusative ἕν Genitive ἑνός Dative ἑνί

TWO

There are no differences. All genders follow this declension pattern

Nominative and Accusative δύο Genitive and Dative δυοῖν

THREE

Masculine Nominative τρεῖς Accusative τρεῖς Genitive τριῶν Dative τρισί(ν)

Feminine Nominative τρεῖς Accusative τρεῖς Genitive τριῶν Dative τρισί(ν)

Neuter Nominative τρία Accusative τρία Genitive τριῶν Dative τρισί(ν)

FOUR

Masculine Nominative τέτταρες Accusative τέτταρας Genitive τεττάρων Dative τέτταρσι(ν)

τέτταρες τέτταρες τέτταρες

Feminine Nominative τέτταρες Accusative τέτταρας Genitive τεττάρων Dative τέτταρσι(ν)

Neuter Nominative τέτταρα Accusative τέτταρα Genitive τεττάρων Dative τέτταρσι(ν)

Check out the next post for the complete set from 1 to 10 along with their modern Greek Demotic equivalents!

Greek Diphthongs

DIPHTHONGS

The Double Vowel Sounds of Greek

Δίφθογγοι

αι Classical high aisle height Demotic e as in ten

αυ Classical how law house Demotic af or av

ει Classical fiancee fete they feign Demotic i

ευ Classical met moon new Demotic ef or ev

ηυ Classical ee + ou

οι Classical foil boy Demotic i

ου Classical moon Demotic u

υι Classical we why French oui lui

For more on the modern pronunciation keep following this blog!

(pre) Classical Cephalopods

Here's two images that say a lot about the differences between Minoan and Mycenaean culture and maybe also  about what some scholars call Apollonian and Dionysiac tendencies in Hellenic culture ?

One A Minoan ceramic vessel decorated with a octopus.

something like a brush was used with a rich ink like iron slip

It's a full round sensous vessel embraced by the cephalopod's tentacles.

Now scroll down and check out this Mycenaean vessel.

Very symmetrical and classical and balanced and orderly.

Personally I like the Minoan one better but there's something Greek about both of them!

A Celebration of Life and the Sea?

Next time back to Phonology with an explanation of diphthongs!