Mycenaean Gold Jewellery

This very modern looking piece is actually #mycenaeanjewellery

Note the contrast of the gold to darker material and the simple geometric shapes 

Yet Mycenaean Jewellery also includes pieces like this:

Simplicity and elegance appear before the classical era!

ASINE

#Asine #Mycenaeancitadels

If you decide to drive along the coast road from Nauplio when you pass Tolon you might spot an old stone wall and a flight of steps behind a gate and fence.

Asine is alas definitely one of those archaeologist only sites in that you'll need to know some archaeology to visualize how this site was once a small citadel and village.

Hopefully my selection of images might help.

Be careful if you use Google Maps or Earth, There is a modern town called Asini.
I suggest you google Tolon and scroll eastwards.

This is an OLD photo but it shows why this site was occupied for centuries before and after the Mycenaeans. Beaches on either side! A gentle slope up to cliffs and check out Google Earth and you'll see possibly the sea level has changed on one side.

This ones a bit blurry enlarged but I have used it cos you can see the topography plus a rough outline of where the walls were originally. Its the sort of rough triangular shape Mycenaean rulers loved to fortify plus landing beaches on both sides steep cliffs yet a gentle slope upwards on the land side and a view of the sea and the flat coastal strip the road runs along. Perfect for watching for signals from beacons or who's coming along the road or sailing along the southern coast. 

Asine today. The old path / track has been improved and widened.

This also demonstrates how the Greeks would call settlements we regard as villages a POLIS.

Note that shape and the preference which appears again and again on coastal or inland sites for one side to have a gentler slope allowing ramps. Remember the only draught animals were oxen or donkeys. Horses were for pulling chariots or riding not pulling carts.

More after Easter.

The Citadel at Tiryns

#Tiryns #MycenaeanCitadel  #mycenaean

For our first look at Mycenaean Citadels I want to take another look at Tiryns in the Argolid.

First a look in context. Note the distance bar on the bottom right. Nearly all of these sites could seen from each other or contacted using signal beacons or messengers. Was there a mutual defence pact?
The High Kings city which seems too distant from the coast is actually on what have been a major road up to Achaea Corinth and further north.

Note Tiryns and just how close it is to Nauplia still  famous harbour to this day. While the coast may have been closer to Tiryns in the Mycenaean era Nauplia is the better harbour.

Now Tiryns from the air.

If you have Google Earth you can see the citadel then and now was surrounded by fertile fields.
The steepest and highest part shelter the town which archaeologists believe spread to the east and north.

This second aerial shot makes this even more obvious.

Despite later damage obscuring the entry point excavations confirm it was on the city side allowing the citadel dwellers to both defend and CONTROL those below.

Please follow the next few posts as I try to figure out and reveal if theres a design philosophy or just a really good eye for using sites or other unique features of Mycenaean citadels.

You may see some maps and photos used over several blogs for the benefit of people who may have found a single post by a random search.

Next time Argos. If you get any of the weekend bible study posts please scroll onwards or backwards if you're not also interested in Koine Greek.

A Mycenaean Greek Ceramic Vessel

A #Mycenaean Stirrup Jar #Greek #ceramic 

While I'm planning the next mid week series here's a reminder of the tradition of symmetry and originality in Greek Ceramics.

Simplicity and Elegance appears BEFORE the Classical era of Red and Black wares.

WHAT'S HELLADIC our next topic sequence

What's Helladic?
 #helladic #mycenaean #Greekbronzeage

Heads UP the next sequence of  mid week / saturday posts will be discussing the #Helladic era!

Basically the #Helladic is the Bronze Age on Mainland Greece from about 3200 BCE to the Protogeometric.

What distinguishes the Helladic from the Neolithic and later eras?

The introduction of METAL  the potters wheel and in the Middle and especially the Late Helladic palaces hydroengineering and a warrior ethos.

Sundays will of course be Greek New Testament POST Day 

but watch next week onwards  for posts on Lake Copais the Minyans and the Mystery of GLA! 

I'm sorry this update is late but hassles this week and yesterday #Sydney was smouldering on #socialmedia about smog caused by hazard reduction burns.

I probably should have carried this laptop to the mall or library and used the free wifi but the smog was effecting me too much.

Minoan and Mycenaean Depictions of an Octopus

just reposting  a old favorite  anyone see the documentary on octopus intelligence the other night ? some people think a giant octopus might have been the partial inspiration for the Hydra. The first image is Minoan

This one was from a mainland potter  a more severe formal flatter depiction but still with rhythm and symmetry

what a difference though !

Steven Mithen THIRST

THIRST

Water and Power

in the Ancient World

Steven Mithen 2012


While this book deals with cultures other than Greece and Rome it has excellent chapters on water management systems created by the Mycenaeans, Greeks, Romans, and Byzantine cultures.

Ever wondered what happened to Lake Copais or about roman aquadects ?

Read this book!