CC 301 1st Edition Lecture 1Outline of Last Lecture I. Overview of class syllabus and office hours for the professor and the TAs.Outline of Current Lecture: Archaeology of the Bronze AgeII. Investigations and doubt surrounding Homer’s epic poems.A. Background information of the time period.III. Heinrich Schliemann, 1822-1890A. Relations between Schliemann’s findings and the Illiad, Act II.IV. Sir Arthur EvansA. ChronologyB. Minoan CultureC. Relations with Evan’s findings and the Illiad, Act III.V. Is it real or is it not?Current LectureJan 22, 2014Archaeology of the Bronze AgeInvestigations and doubt surrounding Homer’s epic poems…-The main idea was that Homer composed these poems based on personal experiences and that these things actually happened. But, maybe we aren’t just looking at one person; we are looking at an overall tradition.-Then some people took this information and wanted to match up topographic features with the landscape that Homer described.Lechevalier’s placement of tumulus of Achilles on a map of the Hellespont and the Troad,1791 (picture).-So, some people are questioning the existence of Homer altogether, whereas others are trying to prove what he said. -“An inquiry into the site of Troy is often referred to as a typical example of purely idle and useless questions.”These notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor’s lecture. GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes, not as a substitute.-They felt that although looking into Troy might prove futile, it was important because there was no other way to prove this stuff. -Digging down would lead to finding ancient artifacts…such as Roman antiquities and early excavations of Pompeii (79AD was when it was buried and it has nothing to do with Homer but some of the ancient homes had Homeristic artifacts and decorations).-Around the same time, Napolean (18th century) was invading Egypt. Heinrich Schliemann, 1822-1890Influence as to Birth of Gean-France age. He was initially a business man and he made a lot of money. He apparently taught himself Ancient Greek in approximately 6 months. Although this seems ridiculous one of his diaries prove that he did teach himself decent Greek quite quickly, and he learned other languages too. He mainly learned Ancient Greek so that he could read Homer.His father told him that the stories of Homer were only fiction, so then he set out to prove him wrong. (This entire story might be a fabrication). So, in his late twenties, he chose to become an archaeologist who would eventually find Troy.“Priam’s Treasure” and other objects appeared in Schliemann’s publication.There is a famous painting of Sophia Schliemann wearing the “Jewels of Helen”… What were the names of Heinrich and Sophia’s children? … Agamemnon and Andromache.The things are aged to be created a thousand years later than he said they were…So then he decided to go look for Mycenae, where he found the Grave Circle (Mask of Agamemnon from Shaft Grave IV)Schliemann gave us an entire unknown culture, he found something that predates written recordsfor Ancient Greece.12 cities one on top of another over a large period of time, Troy VI is the one that was the Troy of Homer because it matched the things described within the Iliad.-Act II, 1900-1950It opens with the last part of the Trojan saga. By 1950 Schliemann’s discoveries which had been displayed in a museum in Berlin disappeared. There is a problem with assigning absolute dates, but Egyptian and Mesopotamian dates were pretty accurate.Sir Arthur Evans (a later contemporary of Schliemann’s interested in the world that was opened up).He excavated at Knossos; “Minoan” culture. He makes a chronology for the Bronze age that harmonizes chronologies from other areas… three sections, early middle and late… three cultures, Minoan, Helladic, and Cycladic. Aegean Bronze Age relative chronology -Early Bronze Age (Early Cycladic, early Minoan, Early Helladic) ca: 3000-2000 BC -Middle Bronze Age: ca. 2000-1500 (?) BC…Minoan Culture, Evans stars excavating and finds an enormous building that is labyrinth themed and is very highly decorated. This palace is open and focuses on an enormous central courtyard.1) Minoans are figuring out how to make very complicated artwork, so they have a source ofgold and they are trying to create new things with it. So you need someone that is trained and someone that is going to use it. Social and wealth differences.2) Clear evidence of contact with other cultures that leads to the creation of objects that are Minoan religious artifacts. Made out of fiancé which has a relation to Egypt because this is something that they knew how to do. “Snake goddesses”.3) (A lot of the palace was actually rebuilt by Evans himself)4) There was a processional corridor with artwork that represented many of the things that people would probably do in the building itself. Evans called it a palace with king and queen quarters, but in actuality it was probably a centralized place where things were created to be redistributed to the community as a whole. A huge structure for communal gatherings.5) Writing emerges to keep track of stuff. 6) Some architecture was meant for large gatherings and others were to invite visitors… Minoans are really into bulls and some architecture represents Minoans doing some weirdstuff like bull-leaping.7) Very much contrast with Mycenaean yet the two were definitely in contact, so connections were made between the two groups using objects.Who are these people and how did they get so powerful? Hierarched society with access to goodsand tools to create products and with connections with other formulated groupings of people. -New powerful -Act III 1950-presentNew scientific tools such as Carbon 14 dating…Constant trade and environmental peace (usually)A period of Bronze Age prosperity brought to an end by the theorem…Stone block at Mycenae…. Monumental tombs for the rulers of these Mycenaean kingdomsImaginary wildlife that could kill you, like Griffins etc.Mycenaean is focused on single individuals and a hierarchy whereas the Minoans were more of acommunal group of people.Is it real or is it not?-People find proving these stories exciting because it makes stories concrete.….these people seemed to do great business in wine and olive oil, just