minoans mycenaeans
DESCRIPTION
A slideshow designed to teach the basics of narrative writing and introduce some visual elements of Greek culture.TRANSCRIPT
MYCENAEAN GREECENarrative Sentences
HOMEWORK
1. Read textbook pages on Mycenaeans & Minoans
Incorporate some of your sentences from today’s writing exercise into a 2-3 paragraph narrative/descriptive essay:
Topic: “Who were the Minoans and the Mycenaeans, and what were their contributions to Greek culture?”
NARRATIVE WRITING
Tells a story.
uses framing words like...
before, after, then, next, first, second, third...
in 1450 BC, about 10 a.m., Next Tuesday, last May
is written in the appropriate tense (past, present, future)
explains a series of events.
FOR EACH SLIDE...
Write one descriptive sentence and one narrative sentence
OR...
write two descriptive sentences.
OR
write two narrative sentences.
THE MINOANS
A.D. 1905 — Sir Arthur Evans finds a palace on the island of Crete.
beautiful pottery, lovely wall paintings
existed about 2000 BC-14500 BC
KNOSSOS
Palace of Minoan Kings
built c. 1600 BC, used for c. 400 years
No walls, no fortifications
Minoans relied on navy
“Labyrinth” of Minotaur?
F R E S C O F R O M T H E PA L A C E O F K N O S S O S Religious or political ceremony? c. 1550 BC?
MINOAN SNAKE GODDESS
Minoan Great Goddess
Snakes, bird on head
this figure, c. 1500 BC
terra cotta covered in glazes made from oxides
evidence of worldwide trade
MYCENAEAN KINGSHIP
Mycenaeans have a warrior-king
Honor and wealth are very important —
judged by what you can afford to give away.
sources of wealth = many followers
WEALTH=PRESTIGE
Previous slide: Lion Gate of Mycenae, c. 1380 BC.
Solid rocks, assembled without mortar
This slide: Mask of Agamemnon, c. 1350 BC
Solid gold, hammered into a sheet
R O YA L G R AV E C I R C L E “ A ” AT M Y C E N A Einside the fortress walls, just inside the Lion Gate. c. 1540 BC
MYCENAE, THEN & NOW
Hilltop fort
Walls 11+’ w, 20+’ h
Royal palace: Megaron
Royal grave circle: mask of Agamemnon
Castle & Palace, c. 1300 BC = wealth & power
MINOANS MEET MYCENAEANS
About 2000 BC, folk we call “Mycenaeans” settle in mainland Greece.
They like Minoan style
but they don’t copy well
Culture at height, 1600 BC to 1100 BC.
BORROWINGS
About 1450 BC, Crete gets hit by a tidal wave and some earthquakes.
Minoan society fails.
c. 1400 BC, Mycenaeans invade.
Take country, writing system
T R E A S U RY O F AT R E U S“beehive tomb” built by the Mycenaeans c. 1280 BC
T H E T R O J A N H O R S EThe Trojan War, fought between Mycenaeans & Hittites, probably 1250 BC-1210 BC
THE DORIAN INVASION
c. 1100 BC, Myceanean fortresses and palaces destroyed by fire & war in a 10-year window
Historians call this the “Dorian Invasion”
Writing disappeared.
The Greek Dark Ages