Recently, I did a poll on my Instagram (@kell_read), asking all of you what you would like to see more of on this blog other than my non-spoiler reviews. From this poll, the two most requested types of posts were book recommendations and Ancient History/Educational posts. So, here we are! This is going to be the first of many ‘Bite-Sized Ancient History with Kelly’ posts, starting with an introduction to one of my favourite cultures, the Mycenaeans. if you have any requests for cultures/ events/ art/ people from the ancient world then please let me know either in the comments below or on my Instagram!
Who were the Mycenaeans?
The Mycenaeans were a culture that flourished on mainland Greece between c. 1700 - 1100 BCE. They had numerous centres on Mainland Greece which appear to have functioned in both the religious sphere, and the administrative, due to the discovery of storage jars, rooms used as workshops and administrative records at these sites. The most famous of these sites are Mycenae, Tiryns and Pylos, with Mycenae and Tiryns being World Heritage Listed even though Pylos is the best-preserved site (don’t even get me started!). Many Mycenaean sites (excluding Pylos), were surrounded by Cyclopean walls which are so-called because they are so large that it was believed that only the race of giant, one-eyed cyclops could have possibly built them! The Mycenaeans constructed monumental palatial structures, with one of the most famous architectural feats being the Lions Gate at Mycenae, along with their tholos tombs made of corbelled roofs which were used for elite burials.
The texts that we have from the Mycenaean palatial sites are primarily administrative documents, and these texts, along with the archaeological evidence have informed a lot about our understanding of the function of the centres, and the trade which was taking place between each Mycenaean site and, to an extent, other cultures. The Mycenaeans are known as the more violent and war-driven predecessors of the initial Bronze Age Aegean influential power, the Minoans, who were (and still sometimes are) considered a more peaceful culture who lived on Crete and Santorini. This perception of the Mycenaeans being more inclined to partake in violence and warfare comes from both the remaining art and the archeological record uncovered in palatial sites and burials. They are known for their depiction of figures on pottery, often wearing boars teeth helmets (of which multiple have been uncovered intact or in fragments), and their frescoes showing figure of eight shields. Most famously recognisable is the so-called ‘Mask of Agamemnon,’ named by Heinrich Schliemann who was insistent upon his discovery of the burial of the legendary king of Mycenae, Agamemnon (he was wrong since the body doesn’t date to the period of Agamemnon and the Trojan War). They have also produced beautiful inlaid daggers which have hunting scenes decorating them, and it is now believed that one of the two Vaphio cups (the one decorated with the violent scene), was actually made by a Mycenaean craftsman.
Why do we care about the Mycenaeans?
Well, when it comes to the Mycenaeans, they are pretty much considered the first Greeks, and they were very influential on the people who lived during the time of Classical Greece. For one thing, their language known as Linear B is considered the earliest form of the Greek language which developed from the script of the Phoenicians. From the extant tablets found in a number of Mycenaean palatial sites, the names of a number of gods venerated during the Classical Greek period including Poseidon, Hermes, Zeus, Apollo, and Athena to name a few have been deciphered. So, although there is what is often considered a ‘dark age’ between c. 1100- c. 800 BCE when the palatial sites regressed to smaller villages and writing ceased in Greece, many of the gods continued to be worshipped into the Classical Greek period from the Mycenaean age.
Another reason the Mycenaeans are such an important culture which still generates so much interest is that the Greek heroes from Homer’s epic poems The Iliad and The Odyssey date not to the Classical Greek period but to the Bronze Age. That’s right, your favourite guys Achilles, Patroclus, Nestor, Menelaus etc. were all Mycenaeans! Agamemnon was the legendary king of Mycenae, and Nestor was the legendary king of Pylos (my favourite Mycenaean site). In Greek mythology, prior to Agamemnon being the king of Mycenae, the hero Perseus (son of Zeus and Danae) was the first king and founder of the city and the Perseid dynasty.
The Mycenaeans are a culture which is still providing new information and new archaeological finds. Most recently, the works on the mortuary landscape at Pylos in the last 6-7 years has provided a new shaft grave, two new tholos (or beehive) tombs, and hundreds of precious grave goods, two of which provide evidence for earlier contact with the Near East and Egypt than initially believed. Most interestingly is the shaft grave which was mere metres from Tholos III and Tholos IV, tombs which were excavated by Carl Blegen and his team in the 1950s and 60s. This single burial consists of one body, a male who died between the ages of 30-35 years and dates to c. 1500s BCE or LH IIA. This grave, excavated by Jack Davis and Sharon Stocker in May 2015, has provided us with the most amazing sealstone depicting a battle scene, known as the Combat Agate, four gold signet rings with Minoan religious iconography, a gold necklace and hundreds of sealstones. Preservation work is still being conducted on the finds of this burial, but its discovery has prompted some questions; who was this man? Why wasn’t he buried in the tholos tomb which was in use when he was interred and why was he buried with so many artefacts either made by a Minoan craftsman, influenced by the Minoan culture or depicting Minoan religious scenes? If you can’t already tell, I’m so obsessed with Pylos and the Griffin Warrior burial and I can’t wait for more information that the artefacts may provide! There is other evidence for cross-cultural transmission between the Minoans and Mycenaeans, but this being such a new discovery brings the conversation about the extent of the relationship and communication between these groups back to the forefront of discussions! I will never tire of writing about the Mycenaeans, but if you’re interested in reading a piece I’ve written comparing the Minoans and Mycenaeans, you can find it on World History Encyclopedia here.
Books I recommend to learn about the Mycenaeans!
There is SO much out there about the Mycenaeans, but here I’ll recommend some that I have used during my own research, and I’ll link each of the books to their Goodreads page if you wanted to have a better look at them! One of the best ones I have encountered has been The Mycenaeans by Louise Schofield, which gives a wonderful overview of the culture (with heaps of images). Along those same lines is Lord William Taylour’s book by the same name. I could never recommend a book more than I do The Oxford Handbook of the Aegean Bronze Age edited by Eric Cline. I love these handbooks because you get such a huge range of topics, and by a range of scholars. This one isn’t just the Mycenaeans but the Aegean Bronze Age in general, and I’m sure you’ll see me recommend this one again! One that I absolutely loved about the trade, commerce, and identity in Mycenaean Greece is Mycenaean Greece, Mediterranean Commerce, and the Formation of Identity by Bryan Burns. If you’re more interested in the art of the Mycenaeans (and also the Minoans) then I would definitely recommend Minoan and Mycenaean Art by Reynold Higgins. This one is another really easy-to-read book that has heaps of visual aids and also makes some great comparisons between the cultures. Obviously, our number one text about Mycenaean heroes is The Iliad by Homer, since the Greek heroes featuring in this epic tale are from the Mycenaean period, and I would highly recommend it! I read the translation by E.V. Rieu and I thought it was wonderful! If you’re more an online learner and want to learn more about the Mycenaeans without purchasing books, then I’d re commend checking out World History Encyclopedia, who I have been working for for a few years now! I have a super fun video on them which you can find here, and if you click here, you will be redirected to our main article on the culture!
Is there a specific part of the Mycenaeans you’d like to know more about, whether it be art, architecture, trade, burial practices or something else? Let me know! This is just a small snapshot of the fascinating culture of the Mycenaeans, I hope you enjoyed this post, and that you learnt something!