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One of the great paradoxes of history is that the next hesitant advance of European civilization - the development of the first citystates - took place not on the fertile open central European

plains, but in a remote island to

the south of the Aegean Sea

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This was followed by a period of wars and invasions, known as the

Dark Ages.
In about 1100 BC, a people called the Dorians invaded from the north and spread down the west coast. In the period from 500-336 BC Greece was divided into small city states, each of which consisted of a city and its surrounding countryside.

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While the glittering mounted warrior-princes of central

Europe dissipated their

creative energy in warfare, a highly cultured yet peaceful society, built on trade and an agricultural surplus, emerged on Crete. Later came early farmers and the civilizations of the Minoan and Mycenaean kings.

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Pre-classical 7th-1st BCE

Aegean art reached its peak 1650-1450 BCE First dominated by the Minoans, based on Crete. Minoan civilization fell at the height of its influence.

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Pre-classical 7th-1st BCE It is named for the legendary King Minos of Crete. The culture and development of MINOAN civilization can be divided into three periods

The Bronze Age: Early Minoan

(c.3000 B.C.2200 B.C.) Early Minoan had a slow rise of the culture from a Neolithic state with the importation of metals, the tentative use of bronze, and the appearance of a hieroglyphic writing.
MINOAN PALACE - PICTURES - CRETE ISLAND

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Middle Minoan (c.2200 B.C.1500 B.C.)

In the Middle Minoan period the great palaces appeared at Knossos and Phaestus; a pictographic script was used; ceramics, ivory carving, and metalworking reached their peak. Minoan power extended across the

Mediterranean.
Toward the end of the period an earthquake, and possibly an invasion, destroyed Knossos, but the palace was rebuilt. During this period there is evidence of a new script at Knossos, which argues the presence of Mycenaean Greeks.
Fighting warrior

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Knossos was again destroyed c.1500 B.C., probably as a result of an earthquake and subsequent invasion from the Mycenaean mainland. The palace at Knossos was finally destroyed c.1400 B.C.

Late Minoan (c.1500 B.C.1000 B.C.)

Late Minoan period faded out in
poverty and obscurity. After the final destruction of Knossos, the cultural center of the Aegean passed to the

Greek mainland.

Minoan palace (Knossos)

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Knossos: Aerial of the Palace

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Knossos: Ground Plan of Palace

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The Throne Room as excavated

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Plan of the Throne Room Suite

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Knossos: Plan of the Domestic Apartments

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The position of Minoan civilization was quickly inherited by the Mycenaeans Mycenaeans were the warriors who flourished in Greece from 1600 to 1200 BCE. After the violent destruction of Knossos c.1400 B.C., Mycenae achieved supremacy, and much of the Minoan cultural tradition was transferred to the mainland. The Mycenaean commercial empire and consequent cultural influence lasted from 1400 to 1200 B.C. Mycenaean drew much of their cultural inspiration from the Minoans.

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Mycenae: Plan of the Site

The great Mycenaean cities Mycenae Tiryns Pylos Orchomenos Cities were noted for their heavy, complex fortifications and the

massive, cyclopean quality of their masonry.

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Mycenaean palaces were built around great halls called megara rather than around an open space

as in Crete.
Unlike the Cretans, Mycenaeans were bearded and wore armor in battle. Their written language, preserved on numerous clay tablets from Pylos, Mycenae, and Knossos, Mycenae. Mask of Agamemnon

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The Fortifications (Lion Gate) The Lion Gate was built c. 1250 BC.

The fortification walls at Mycenae are

best preserved along the northern side where they are up to 7.5 metres thick stand nearly 12 metres high in places Citadels were entered via these type of monumental gate ways. It consists of two vertical stones carrying a vast lintels, in the form of reliving triangle.

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The Fortifications (Lion Gate) On the lintel there are limestone

relief work of two lions.

The heads (now missing) were of a different material and fastened to the bodies by.

The door way closed by

wooden double-doors decorated by bronze ornaments.

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Most splendid monuments are the tholos or beehive tombs. Developed gradually from 1210-1220 BCE.

Treasuries of Atreus or
Agamemnon
The Treasure of Atreus or Treasury of Atreus is an impressive "tholos" tomb at Mycenae, Constructed around 1250 BCE. It was the tallest dome in the world until the Pantheon, with an interior height of 13.5m.

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The Elements in the plan The droman : A horizontal passageway

The stomion : A deep

entrance
Additional burial chamber

fronted by a door way

The tholos : The principal

round chamber Additional burial chamber opens off the tholos

The stomion The tholos The droman

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Droman :

20 ft wide, 118 ft long. In side maximum hight was 45 ft.

The tholos:

The chamber was 47 ft6 in. in diameter.

Madeup of thirty-four circular courses of masonry. The corbeled dome capped with a single stone.

Interior was probably decorated with metal and paints. The lintel stone above the doorway weighs 120 tons.

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Methods of walling

Rectangular

Inclined blocks

Cyclopean

Polyconal