Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Mycenean'

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Cincinnati, 2006.
Advisor: Dr. Gisela Walberg. Title from electronic thesis title page (viewed Dec. 20, 2009). Keywords: Mycenae; Mycenaean Architecture; Mycenaean Palaces; Mycenaean State Formation; Mycenaean Tholos Tombs; Shaft Graves. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references.

Figures removed from thesis by author. The entire thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file; a non-technical public abstract appears in the public.pdf file. Title from PDF of title page (University of Missouri--Columbia, viewed on March 19, 2010). Thesis advisor: Dr. Susan Langdon. Includes bibliographical references.

Univ., Diss. u.d.T.: Muskett, Georgina: The representation of the individual in Mycenaean art--Liverpool.
Based on the author's thesis (PhD) -- University of Liverpool. Includes bibliographical references.

It is now widely acknowledged that the Greek epic tradition, best known from Homer, dates back into the Mycenaean Age, and that certain aspects of epic language point to an origin for this type of verse before the date of the extant Linear B tablets. This thesis argues that not only is this so, but that indeed before the end of the Mycenaean Age epic verse was composed in a distinctive literary language characterized by the presence of alternative forms used for metrical convenience. Such alternatives included dialectal variants and forms which were retained in epic once obsolete in everyday speech. Thus epic language in the 2nd millennium already possessed some of the most distinctive characteristics manifest in its Homeric incarnation, namely the presence of doublets and the retention of archaisms. It is argued here that the most probable source for accretions to epic language was at all times the spoken language familiar to the poets of the tradition. There is reason to believe that certain archaic forms, attested only in epic and its imitators, were obsolete in spoken Greek before 1200 B.C.; by examining formulae containing such forms it is possible to determine the likely subject-matter of 2nd millennium epic. Such a linguistic analysis leads to the conclusion that much of the thematic content of Homeric epic corresponds to that of 2nd millennium epic. Non-Homeric early dactylic verse (e.g. the Hesiodic corpus) provides examples of both non-Homeric dialect forms and of archaisms unknown from Homer. This fact, it is argued, points to the conclusion that the 2nd millennium linguistic heritage of epic is evident also from these poems, and that they are not simply imitations of Homer, but independent representatives of the same poetic tradition whose roots lie in the 2nd millennium epic.

This thesis is contains descriptions and definitions of the 2nd millennium BC tholos tomb architecture in Mainland Greece. The study area is divided into eight regions: Peloponnessos, Central Greece, Epirus, Attica, Euboea, Thessaly, Macedonia and Thrace. The time period of earliest tomb dated between 2000-1675 BC and the latest between 1320-1160 BC. Attention has been put on issues of typological characteristics, construction technique and stone materials of the tholos tombs.

The present research was conducted. with the aim of better understanding of Linear B texts through the help of the Near Eastern parallels. The method chosen was the comparison between individual texts and groups of texts and not between the 'models' reconstructed for this or that society. Several restrictions for such a comparison were set up. The comparison itself was limited to the problems of manpower (lists of personnel, ration lists, land-surveys). The best parallels for Mycenaean records of work-teams (male and female) were found among the Sumerian documents from the period of the Third Dynasty of Ur, for the quotas of conscripts from specific villages - in Ugarit, and for the texts dealing with the land tenure and the organisation of the cultic personnel - among the Hittite cuneiform texts and Luwian hieroglyphic Kululu lead strips. The attempt was made to reconstruct the structure of the productive population in Mycenaean Greece and to find its place among other societies of the Ancient World.

This thesis examines the production, exchange and consumption of pottery around the Saronic Gulf, Greece, during Late Mycenaean period, specifically Late Helladic IIIB1 to Late Helladic IIIC Phase 1, roughly 1300-1130 BC. While the focus of many studies of Mycenaean political economy has fallen on Messinia and the Argolid, the choice of the Saronic Gulf offers the chance to examine ceramic crafting, movement and use in an area which hosts no accepted ‘palatial’ centres. It aims to examine the role of pottery in everyday social and economic transaction, taking a ‘bottom-up’ approach to shedding light on Mycenaean society and economy. Pottery from a wide range of sites has been studied: urban centres such as Athens; harbours at Kanakia on Salamis and Kalamianos in coastal Corinthia; small settlements of Stiri in Corinthia, Myti Kommeni on Dokos and Lazarides on Aegina; sanctuary sites of Eleusis and Ayios Konstantinos, Methana; and finally the settlement and pottery production site of Kontopigado, Alimos near the Attic coast. Based on typological and macroscopic fabric studies, a large number of samples have been chosen for examination by an integrated programme of petrographic, chemical (by neutron activation analysis) and microstructural analysis (by scanning electron microscopy), in order to group and characterise to pottery according to composition, to reconstruct key aspects of ceramic manufacture and, where possible, to suggest the area or location of their production. Major production centres are identified, including Aegina, which is well-known from previous work, and those from the Corinthia and Kontopigado, Alimos. The reconstruction of the production technology of wide range of ceramic products at the latter centre provides a basis to examine contrasts in the history and organization of pottery production in closely neighbouring centres and to trace the overlapping distributions of their products. Patterns of choice in the use of pottery in different locations enable the exploration of consumption choices made on an everyday basis. It is suggested that the complex and widespread exchange of pottery and the choices made by communities carrying out differing activities make the correlation of pottery distribution and political boundaries problematic. Instead the wealth of information revealed by this approach for the first time offers basic information on the widespread movement of goods across clear geographical and, most likely, political boundaries.

When looking at Dark Age Greece, one of the most important sites to consider is Athens. The Dark Age was a transitional period between the fall of Mycenaean Greece of the Bronze Age, and Archaic Greece of the Iron Age. This period is called the Dark Age because the palaces that ruled the Mycenaean age collapsed, and with them fell civilization in mainland Greece. Writing, fine art, massive architecture, trade, and luxury goods disappear from mainland Greece. But Athens survived the fall of the Mycenaeans. In order to understand the reason why Athens survived one must look at what the causes of the fall of the Mycenaeans were. Theories range from raiders and invasion, to natural disasters, such as earthquakes, droughts, and plagues. One must also examine Greece itself. The landscape and climate of Greece have a large impact on the settlement of the Greeks. The land of Greece also affects what Greek communities were able to do economically, whether a city would be rich or poor. It is because Athens is located in Attica that it survived. Attica had the poorest soil in the Mycenaean world, and was the poorest of the major cities, therefore, when looking at the collapse of the Mycenaeans being caused by people, there would be no reason for said people to raid or invade Athens and Attica. It is because Athens survives that it is such an important site. Athens survived the fall of the Mycenaeans and in doing so acts as a refugee center and a jumping off point for the remaining Mycenaeans to flee east, to the Aegean islands and Anatolia. Athens also stayed occupied during the Dark Age and because of this it was able to make some advancements. In particular Athens was a leader in mainland Greece in the development of iron. Not only this, but Athens became a cultural center during the Dark Age, inventing both proto-geometric and geometric pottery. These styles were adopted by the rest of the Greek world, and Athens was looked to as the influence for these styles. It is because Athens was the poorest city and Attica the poorest area during the Mycenaean age that it survived. Because it survived it was able to continue to develop and in turn influence the rest of mainland Greece.

DAMOS is an online annotated database (MySql) of all published texts of Mycenaean, the earliest attested Greek dialect. The texts are annotated for epigraphical and linguistic features (morphology, syntax, semantics) and provided with a rich set of metadata, which also include chronological and geographical data. Genre (administrative accounts) and physical features (brevity and often fragmentary state) of the Mycenaean texts, and especially their script (Linear B), not well suited for rendering the Greek language, pose challenges to the interpretation of the texts, which often result in multiple possible values of the data at all levels – epigraphical, linguistic, metadata. These may often be organized in competing sets of values, which form coherent different overarching hypotheses on e.g. the grammar of the language or the dating of an archive. These competing values need, thus, to be stored and meaningfully organized in the database. The presentation focuses on how chronological and geographical data (both about the texts and contained in the texts) and their often multiple possible values are dealt with in the arrangement of the database structure of DAMOS.

Thesis (M.A.)--Boston University
Located in Southwestern Arkadia (Greece) next to the Alpheios River, Palaiokastro (ancient Bouphagion) was first examined by Pierre Charnuex and Renee Ginouves of the French School at Athens in the mid-1950's. Their investigations recorded Classical fortification walls at Palaiokastro and a Mycenaean cemetery nearby. This thesis presents data acquired from an re-examination of the site of Palaiokastro and a survey of the surrounding landscape in the summer of 1992, in addition to a study of relevant historical documents. These archaeological and historical data are analysized to determine the socio-economic factors involved in the occupation of Palaiokastro in both the Mycenaean and Classical periods. In addition, studies on trade, transportation, and communication during both periods are employed to generate theoretical models of interaction between the site and its surrounding region. It is concluded that the Mycenaean and Classical occupation of Palaiokastro exploited the transportation route that existed along the Alpheios River, yet for different reasons. The Mycenaean settlement was established to protect an existing trade route vital to the Mycenaean exchange system. The Classical site was refortified as a frontier fortress of Megalopolis at a strategic location along the Alpheios River. The differences in settlement patterns were dictated by the socioeconomic context of each period. The kingdom of Pylos was a integrated society controlled by a hierarchical administration controlling regional interaction. Classical Arkadia was littered with self-sufficient communities trading as individual societies.

Fragments of hundreds of Mycenaean kylikes (a common Late Helladic ceramic, drinking vessel) have been found in the ash altar of the Sanctuary of Zeus at Mt. Lykaion. In this thesis, I conduct a distribution analysis of the Mycenaean kylix to gain a better understanding of Mt. Lykaion in the Late Helladic period and its association with/within the larger region. I look critically at the cache of kylix sherds recovered from the altar from 2007-2010 and compare it against assemblages of kylikes from other Late Helladic sites in the Peloponnese. To that end, I hope to start a discussion about who was consuming the pottery found at the site, where they were coming from, and whether or not they were bringing the vessels with them. This thesis will largely be dependent on a typological study of the Mycenaean kylix. As such, there are limitations as to how much can be gleaned from typology alone. I imagine though that my research could lend itself to subsequent work that would go on to encompass archaeometric methods of analysis, like zircon or clay sourcing, for the provenancing of ceramics from Mt. Lykaion.

The aim of this thesis is to examine the evidence for the performance of a cult of the dead in LH III Greece with emphasis placed mainly on the material evidence from the typical Mycenaean tombs in the central areas of the Mycenaean dominion, viz. the Argolid, Korinthia, Attica, Boeotia and Euboea during the acme of Mycenaean civilization, that is the LH IIIA-B period. Chapter I presents the rationale and the aim of the thesis as well as the regional and chronological boundaries. Chapter II covers the theoretical background of the thesis by investigating general questions on ritual recognition in the archaeological record and on definitions of ancestor worship. A detailed presentation of the previous arguments on the Mycenaean cult of the dead is given and the 'artificial landscapes' of LH IIIB Mycenae are discussed with focus on Grave Circle A. New approaches and perspectives are proposed, namely a new definition of the term `cult of the dead' and a series of indicators of cultic activity to be applied in the study of the Mycenaean ancestor worship. Chapter III deals with funerary art and the artistic expression of Mycenaean eschatological beliefs. The Mycenaean belief in the survival of the soul and the journey of the dead to the Underworld, and the multiple function of terracotta figurines in LH III funerary agenda are assessed with this framework. The possibility of new perspectives and approaches via detailed contextual exploration of Mycenaean symbolic systems is discussed in the final part of this chapter. Chapter IV combines three broad issues, namely the location of cemeteries, tomb design and eschatological symbolism. Special reference is made to the connection between cemeteries and the religious significance of water and the rites of passage. The metaphysical symbolism of the tripartite plan of the typical Mycenaean tombs is also examined. Chapter V investigates the ritual act of attributing sacred honours and offerings to the ancestors by drawing parallels from contemporary religious observances. The first part deals with the significance of libation and sacrifice in honour of the dead. The second part explores the religious significance of secondary burial treatment and suggests that the custom signaled the starting point in Mycenaean ancestor worship. The existence of places especially designed for the performance of a cult of the dead is investigated with emphasis placed on the `Cenotaph' at Dendra. The objective of Chapter VI, which presents the conclusions of the thesis, is to place the evidence for the performance of a Mycenaean cult of the dead into a `historical' narrative and to investigate the reasons behind the establishment and practice of this cult.

Les archives en lineaire b, issues exclusivement des administrations palatiales, constituent une documentation parfaitement adaptee a l'etude des mecanismes et des agents du controle economique dans le monde mycenien. Les recherches effectuees dans le cadre de cette these ont permis de montrer que l'extension, en particulier geographique, du controle economique exerce par les palais etait parfoisbeaucoup plus restreinte qu'on ne le suppose. Les agents du controle economique ont ete inventories, classes et etudies ; il s'agit, d'abord, des scribes, redacteurs anonymes des documents en lineaire b ; leur degre de specialisation dans le traitement des dossiers administratifs, ainsi que les elements qui permettent parfois de reconstituer leur hierarchie, ont ete presentes. Les palais ont aussi utilise, pour des operations de controle, non seulement des officiels designes par un titre, mais aussi des notables locaux, parfois simplement nommes, qui etaient probablement des producteurs ou des proprietaires a l'echelle locale, et qui se chargeaient de reunir et de verser les contributions en nature exigees par l'administration palatiale. Enfin ces recherches ont permis de reprendre l'ensemble du probleme des "collecteurs" ; une typologie des documents enregistrant ces personnages a ete presentee ; les methodes de gestion et d'elevage des ovins ont ete etudiees, en utilisant aussi l'apport des paralleles orientaux et ethnographiques. Bien que le role et le statut de ces notables reste, dans les details, assez obscur, il semble que certains d'entre eux, au moins, aient ete des personnages tres importants, impliques dans les operations de controle economique. Cette these presente les grands traits d'une synthese sur les mecanismes de l'economie palatiale telle qu'on peut la percevoir a travers les documents en lineaire b, en les combinant avec les donnees archeologiques et en les eclairant avec les paralleles orientaux pertinents (textes d'ur iii, d'ougarit, de nuzi).

Cyclopean masonry, used to construct the LH III fortifications on mainland Greece, has been broadly defined as being of large irregular-shaped blocks, commonly of local limestone, unworked or roughly dressed and assembled without mortar, but with small stones set in interstices. Unfortunately, this is the extent to which this masonry has been defined, leaving unanswered questions concerning building style, engineering techniques, and the amount of labour invested in the projects. The heavily fortified palatial/residential complexes of Mycenaean Greece have often been considered the result of an unsettled and aggressive society; however, an investigation into the types and location of the various structures suggest that the walls were designed to conspicuously display wealth. Cyclopean stonework is not confined to the citadels, but includes the elaborate drainage project of the Copais and a system of road networks, both which would suggest a high level of cooperation between communities. Indeed, calculations made in considering resource availability demonstrate that fortifications exceeded all defensive requirements and were probably constructed in then- initial form as part of a programme promoting and strengthening the status of the state through a display of its wealth in large scale building programmes. These monumental fortifications are often believed to have then- origins elsewhere in the Aegean, Cyprus, or the Near East; however, the evidence points to an independent development on mainland Greece. Features of the fortifications are analysed and compared to earlier and contemporary forms of Aegean, Cypriote, and Near Eastern structures in order to understand similarities and/or differences in construction, with a particular emphasis on those structures outside the Greek mainland that have been labelled as "Cyclopean". The conclusion reached is that in each geographical region the fortifications form a distinct group. In order to determine the origins of Cyclopean masonry on the Greek mainland, Cyclopean structures other than fortifications are studied and the masonry style is classified into a typology for an understanding of differences in regional work or date. This information is then used to understand Mycenaean social complexity, defined as the resultant behaviours of individuals or groups functioning within a larger collective assembly whose attitudes and actions, either directly or indirectly, affect the larger community, and to show how previous notions of an aggressive and warring society maybe inaccurate. Although the Mycenaean culture may have been competitive, its means for competition and displays of wealth could only have been achieved through cooperative measures.

Cette étude vise à analyser une série d’édifices connus sous le nom de « temples à foyer central » en Égée, à Chypre et au Levant, de la fin de l'Âge du Bronze à l'Archaïsme. Il s'agit essentiellement d' une étude architecturale et artefactuelle portant sur un type de construction souvent interprété comme l'habitat des élites durant la période dite des « Âges obscurs ». La présence d'un foyer-autel, comme point focal du culte, au sein de ces constructions, invite à considérer qu'ils ont un rôle non négligeable dans la genèse du temple grec. D’un bout à l’autre de notre cadre d’étude, ces édifices témoignent de salles de banquets destinées aux rituels des élites, dont l’action centrale réside dans la pratique du sacrifice animal. Ces pièces, souvent multifonctionnelles à plus d’un titre, donnent naissance aux premiers « temples des citoyens » dans le contexte des poleis crétoises. Ces testimonia se trouvent ici répertoriés dans un catalogue exhaustif, prenant en compte également les objets qui y étaient associés. La réflexion s’organise autour d’une première partie qui permet de remettre en question la nomenclature qui sert à l’analyse de ces monuments, avant de traiter la question des antécédents de cette forme architecturale à la fin de l’Âge du bronze pour chaque aire géographique concernée. Le chapitre suivant examine la dimension symbolique du feu dans ces civilisations, incarné dans l’Antiquité grecque par Hestia, la déesse du foyer, ainsi que son rôle sur le plan des institutions politiques (andreia, prytanées, etc.). La question des phénomènes d’influences, de syncrétismes religieux entre ces différentes régions de la Méditerranée est explorée dans le chapitre suivant, tant sur le plan de la culture matérielle (exotica, influences architecturales) que des croyances religieuses. Enfin un chapitre synthétise l’ensemble des données et des problématiques architecturales liées à ces édifices, auquel correspond une série de tableaux
The aim of this study is to investigate a series of edifices found in the Aegean, on Cyprus and in the East dating from the end of the Bronze Age through to the Archaic Period and collectively referred to as ‘Hearth Temples’. The study is centered on an evaluation of the architecture and artefacts relating to a type of building often thought to have constituted elite housing from the so- called Dark Ages. The presence of a hearth/altar in the centre of these constructions, which served as a religious focal point, suggests that they played a significant role in the genesis of the Greek temple. Within the timeframe of this study, these buildings display banquet halls designed for elite rituals and in which the main activity was the practice of animal sacrifice. These rooms, often serving multiple functions, gave rise to the first ‘citizen temples’ within the context of Cretan poleis. The relevant testimonia are listed here in an exhaustive catalogue that also takes into account relevant object finds. The first part of the study concerns itself with a re- evaluation of the nomenclature associated with these monuments, before analyzing the antecedents to this type of architecture at the end of the Bronze Age and for each of the geographical regions in question. The following chapter questions the symbolic dimension of fire in these civilizations, incarnated in Greek antiquity by Hestia, the goddess of the hearth, as well as by her role in political institutions (andreia, prytaneis etc.). In the next chapter, the mutual influence these different Mediterranean regions had on each other is explored, both in terms of material culture (exotica, architectural influence) and in terms of religious beliefs (religious syncretism). The final chapter brings together all of the findings and summarizes the architectural problems associated with these buildings, for which a series of tables is also included

The Late Bronze Age on the island of Crete saw a period of strong administrative and religious control by the palace at Knossos, which also controlled a vast trade network with the rest of the eastern Mediterranean. After the collapse of the palace of Knossos, the Final Palatial period (1490 - 1320 BCE), was a time of sociopolitical transition and change, witnessing an explosion in number and variety of mortuary practices used, even within the same cemetery. In this thesis I analyze Final Palatial burial practices in a more systematic method than has been previously attempted, in order to gain a better understanding of how the Minoans chose to use the mortuary sphere as a platform for constructing and negotiating their social and political identities in the dynamic socio-political climate of the Final Palatial period.

The Mycenaean Linear B documents are exclusively economic and administrative records and tell us little or nothing about the nature of Mycenaean religion. They do, however, yield economic information relating to the religious sphere. Mycenaean palaces provided economic support for cult through the presentation of offerings, state sponsorship of ceremonial feasts and religious festivals, and through typical Mycenaean elite maintenance systems such as the allocation of land tenure and produce from state-controlled industries. These economic aspects of religion are recorded in the Linear B tablets and can be used in conjunction with archaeological data to investigate the place of religion more generally in Mycenaean palace society. References to religion are very frequent in the tablets, creating the impression that cult activities consumed a large proportion of palatial resources. Moreover, some aspects of political structure (such as kingship) and economy (especially industrial manufacture) appear to be specially tied to religion, which has led some scholars to speak in terms of sacral-political syncretism and even a 'temple economy'. Detailed investigation of the Linear B evidence does not bear out such notions. A complete dataset of the relevant Linear B evidence is presented for the first time here. Following this, the study focuses on three main areas: the extent of resources allocated to the religious sphere, the long-standing issue of a special relationship between shrines and workshops, and the social significance of Mycenaean ceremonial banqueting, which had an important religious dimension. The thesis argues that religious activities consumed a very small proportion of the total resources of the palaces and that there was no special connection between religion and industry. Thus, there is no evidence that religion was itself economically significant or was tied to economically significant activities.

This thesis is an examination of monumental architecture on the mainland of Greece during the Mycenaean period. The phenomenon of monumentality has been largely neglected within the Mycenaean context. This thesis has derived inspiration from a variety of other architectural contexts, ranging from the European Neolithic to Mediaeval British Castles, as well as broader theoretical approaches which emphasise the active nature of material culture. Within the Mycenaean world three forms of monumental architecture are discussed: stone built tholos tombs, fortifications, and palatial complexes. These architectural forms occur over a period of several centuries, spanning the period of the growth and apogee of the palatial system. Several key observations were made. A new presentation of the distribution of tholoi led to a reassessment of the current interpretation of this form as a highly charged political symbol. Tholos architecture was instead interpreted as largely of local significance within the burial community, broadly defined. The traditional interpretation of enclosure architecture in overwhelming military terms (as ‘fortifications’) was found to impose a uniformity of form and function on what was in fact a more variable architectural phenomenon. Moreover, while the extreme visibility of circuit walls typically resulted in their significance being seen largely on a regional scale, an emphasis in this study on the process of construction has highlighted their role within the local community also. The architecture of palaces was analysed in terms of its ‘theatricality’, that is its impact on visitors from both within and beyond the local community. In particular the relationship between status and different access to architecture units was explored. In addition, several key themes cross-cut the analysis of specific architectural forms: the process of construction; changes through time in form, which may in turn relate to changes in function; the interplay between visibility and invisibility; differential access to architectural spaces; the relationship between architecture and social structure. This study emphasises the uniqueness of architecture as a form of material culture, and provides a new perspective on the Mycenaean koine.

Gender, particularly in regard to Mycenaean constructions of masculinity and male ideologies and identities, has affected and influenced Aegean Prehistory throughout its history as a discipline. The research aims to critically re-investigate the question of gender roles, status and ideology and to understand how expressions of gender in funerary behaviour varied among different groups across space and time during the Middle and Late Bronze Age (2100 BC-1100 BC) in the Aegean. To do this, statistical analysis of cemeteries in which human remains have been osteologically analysed was conducted using the gender attribution approach, and then results were extrapolated in an exploratory fashion to select cemeteries without sexed skeletal remains. The interpretation of results is informed by archaeological context, current discourses of gender archaeology and archaeological mortuary theory. Analyses revealed that: 1) in earlier Middle Helladic (2100-1800 BC) burial practice individual burials were distinguished but not overtly differentiated in terms of material expressions of identity, however at certain sites high-status female burials were accompanied by small but wealthy assemblages and were often linked to textile production; 2) during the transitional and Early Mycenaean phase (1800-1400 BC), elite mortuary ideology became highly masculinised though not necessarily male-exclusive, and in rare cases, weaponry could be associated with both male and female burials; 3) during the Palatial phase (1400-1100 BC), gendered practices became fixed, and male burials were exclusively associated with weaponry kits whilst female burials were linked often to objects of adornment. Throughout the epoch, there are indications that high status female burials linked to textile production activities were distinguished by gendered burial practices that stem from those observed during the Middle Helladic phase, and that the interplay of gender and other social ideologies was varied and complex.

This thesis deals with the origins of the architectural forms as expressed in the Homeric Mycenaean citadel. The Genesis of the Mycenaean Citadel is a philosophical quest which reveals the poetic dimension of the Mycenaean architecture. The Introduction deals with general theories on the subject of space, which converge into one, forming the spinal idea of the thesis. The ‘process of individuation’, the process by which a person becomes ‘in-dividual’ that is a separate, indivisible unity or ‘whole’, is a process of transformation and renewal which at collective level takes place within the citadel. This is built on the archetype which expresses both the nature of the soul as a microcosm and of the divinely ordered Cosmos. The confrontation of the rational ‘ego’ with the unconscious is the process which brings us to the ‘self’, that organising center of the human psyche which is symbolised through the centre of the citadel. . Chapter I refers to ‘the Archetype of the Mycenaean citadel’. The Mycenaean citadel, which is built on a certain pattern of placement and orientation in relation to landscape formations, reproduces images which belong to the category of the ‘archetypal mother’. On the other hand, its adjustment to a central point with ‘high’ significance, recalls the archetypal image of Shiva-Shakti. The citadel realises the concept of a Kantian ‘One-all embracing space’; it is a cosmogonic symbol but also a philosophical one. Chapter II examines the column in its dual meaning, which is expressed in one structure; column and capital unite within their symbolism the conscious and unconscious contents of the human psyche and express the archetype of wholeness and goal of the individuation process. 33 Chapter III is a philosophical research into the ‘symbolism of the triangle’, the sacred Pythagorean symbol which expresses certain cosmological beliefs about the relation between human nature and the divinely ordered Cosmos. The triangular slab over the Lion Gate is a representation of the Dionysiac ‘palingenesia’, that is the continuity of One life, which was central to the Mycenaean religion. Chapter IV deals with the tripartite ‘megaron’. The circular hearth within the four-columned hall expresses the ‘quaternity of the One’, one of the oldest religious symbols of humanity. Zeus is revealed in the ‘fiery monadic unit-cubit’ as an all-embracing god next to goddess Hestia, symbolised by the circular hearth. The ‘megaron’ expresses the alchemical quaternity and the triad but also the psychological stages of development in the process towards wholeness. In the Conclusions it is emphasised that the Mycenaean citadel was created as if in a repetition of a cosmogony. It is a ‘mandala’, the universal image which is identified with God-image in man. Moreover it is built in order to be experienced by its citizen in the process of his psychological transformation towards the ‘self’, the divine element within the psyche which unites with the divinely ordered Cosmos.

The principle aim of this thesis is to develop a better understanding of social organisation in Greece after the collapse of the palace system c.1190 BCE. This is achieved through a multi-level analysis of burial practices, focussing specifically on the post-palatial cemetery at Perati, burial practices before and after the collapse in the Argolid, and the custom of burial with weapons, from the Shaft Grave period to the post-palatial period in Greece. The main theoretical basis for focussing on burial practices is the argument that social change is reflected and enacted in burial practices, so studying changes in burial practices (including the shift from chamber tombs to simple graves, the change from collective to single burials, the introduction of cremation, and the use of high status grave goods) has the potential to inform us about the nature of social change. This basic premise is challenged in the course of the thesis, when it is shown that burial practices in Attica changed before the collapse, whilst the custom of placing weapons in graves did not change when the palace system collapsed, and burial practices in the Argolid remained recognisably Mycenaean despite the destruction of the region’s two palaces. In explaining why burial practices did not change in response to the collapse of the palace system, the thesis develops a new theory. Burial practices do change, but this is in response to changes in kinship structures, rather than the nature of the state or the level of social complexity. Furthermore, this thesis argues that burials with weapons do not represent the burials or warriors or chiefs, but are used more broadly to reflect status achieved for a variety of reasons. These burials should not be regarded as “warrior graves”, since there was, in fact, no warrior class at any time in Bronze Age Greece. This study challenges a number of traditional interpretations of the post-palatial period in Greece. In particular, it is argued that this period should no longer be regarded as the start of the so-called Dark Age. The people who survived the destructions and went on to re-organise their lives during this troubled period should not be thought of as the victims of disaster, but active participants in the shaping of post-palatial Greece. They deserve to have their story told, and this thesis represents a chapter in that story.

Aquesta tesi presenta un estudi comparatiu de les dones treballadores a partir de l’anàlisi dels primers testimonis escrits en llengua grega: les inscripcions micèniques i les fonts literàries de la Ilíada i l’Odissea. Des d’un inici, les tauletes en Lineal B han revelat la presència de nombrosos grups de treball formats per dones que depenen del palau i que es distingeixen d’altres dones que semblen ocupar un lloc privilegiat. Els poemes homèrics sovint distingeixen, en general, dues categories de dones: dones aristocràtiques, `senyores’ o reines, i el col·lectiu de serventes o esclaves que apareixent generalment en grup realitzant les tasques que els són assignades. Aquesta recerca se centra en l’anàlisi de les dones treballadores sense tenir en consideració el personal de culte ni altres categories de dones que podrien formar part de l’elit política i religiosa, com les sacerdotesses i reines. L’objectiu principal d’aquest estudi és fer una anàlisi comparativa de les característiques d’aquestes dones treballadores deduïbles dels textos micènics i els poemes homèrics. Aquesta recerca busca respondre si hi ha continuïtat o ruptura en el paper que aquestes dones tenien en el món del treball, en l’economia i, en definitiva, en la societat de l’antiga Grècia del segon i primer mil·lenni a.C. Amb aquesta finalitat, s’examina per separat el lèxic i el context que pot aportar informació sobre els sectors econòmics en què estan presents les dones treballadores, els seus oficis, el grau d’especialització, els ètnics que poden ser indicatius dels seus possibles orígens geogràfics i socials, i alguns aspectes importants de l’organització del treball, com el nombre de dones, la jerarquia del treball i la composició dels grups per raó d’edat i de gènere. Només després, s’intenta comparar les dades obtingudes per identificar, si escau, característiques afins o divergents en ambdues fonts. El segon objectiu aborda el grau de dependència d’aquestes dones. Aspectes com el nivell de control del seu treball, l’assignació de racions, productes o béns, o el temps de la prestació de serveis, durant tot o part de l’any, podrien indicar diferents nivells de dependència laboral i econòmica i que algunes dones treballadores poguessin tenir mitjans alternatius o complementaris de subsistència. El tercer objectiu es proposa observar l’estatus i la condició d’aquestes dones en el teixit social del segon i primer mil·lenni a.C. Una anàlisi comparativa d’aquest tipus implica afrontar problemes de diferents magnituds, alguns de caràcter interpretatiu o lèxic, altres relacionats amb el diferent àmbit palatial i la diversitat de contextos polítics i econòmics dels regnes micènics i homèrics, o la diferent naturalesa de les fonts escrites i la informació limitada que proporcionen. No obstant això, aquests són els primers documents que tenim. Amb aquestes limitacions, l’anàlisi comparativa mostra notables coincidències en ambdues fonts, destacant la importància que tenen com a agents econòmics en alguns sectors productius, l’organització de grups de treball ben estructurats i la continuïtat d’un estatus social que no és tan uniforme com podria semblar inicialment. Dins d’aquesta continuïtat, també es poden observar certes diferències que revelen en el primer mil·lenni una major divisió sexual del treball, una reducció de la seva presència en determinats oficis i sectors econòmics, i una tendència a situar la seva activitat laboral permanentment dins de l’οἶκος, fet que, en la nostra opinió, fa probable un major control laboral i social d’aquestes dones i anuncia un canvi en el paper que jugaran en l’economia i la societat del primer mil·lenni.
Esta tesis presenta un estudio comparado de las mujeres trabajadoras a partir del análisis de los primeros testimonios escritos en lengua griega: las inscripciones micénicas y las fuentes literarias de la Ilíada y la Odisea. Desde un inicio, las tablillas en Lineal B han revelado la presencia de numerosos grupos de trabajo formados por mujeres que dependen de la administración palaciega y que se distinguen de otras mujeres que parecen ocupar un lugar privilegiado. Los poemas homéricos suelen distinguir, a grandes rasgos, dos categorías de mujeres: las mujeres aristocráticas, `señoras’ o reinas, y el colectivo de sirvientas o esclavas que aparecen generalmente en grupo realizando las tareas que les son asignadas. Esta investigación se centra en el análisis de las mujeres trabajadoras sin considerar el personal de culto ni otras categorías de mujeres que podrían formar parte de la élite política y religiosa, como las sacerdotisas y las reinas. El objetivo principal de este estudio es hacer un análisis comparativo de las características de esas mujeres trabajadoras deducibles de los textos micénicos y de los poemas homéricos. Esta investigación trata de responder si hay continuidad o ruptura en el rol que estas mujeres tenían en el mundo laboral, en la economía y, en definitiva, en la sociedad de la Grecia antigua del segundo y del primer milenio a.C. Para ello, se examina, de forma separada en cada fuente, el léxico y el contexto que puede aportar información sobre los sectores económicos en los que están presentes, sus oficios, el grado de especialización, los étnicos que pueden ser indicativos de sus posibles orígenes geográficos y sociales, y algunos aspectos importantes de la organización del trabajo, como el número de mujeres, la jerarquía laboral y la composición de los grupos de trabajo por razón de edad y sexo. Sólo después, se intenta comparar los datos obtenidos para identificar, en su caso, características afines o divergentes en ambas fuentes. El segundo objetivo aborda el grado de dependencia de estas mujeres. El nivel de control de su trabajo, la asignación de raciones, productos o bienes, o la duración de la prestación de servicios, durante todo o parte del año, pueden ser indicativos de que entre estos equipos de trabajadoras podría haber distintos niveles de dependencia laboral y económica, y que algunas mujeres podrían tener medios alternativos o complementarios de subsistencia. El tercer objetivo se propone observar el estatus y la condición de estas mujeres en el entramado social del segundo y el primer milenio a.C. Un análisis comparativo de esta clase supone afrontar problemas de distintas magnitudes, algunos de naturaleza interpretativa o léxica, otros relacionados con el distinto ámbito palacial y los diferentes contextos políticos y económicos de los reinos micénicos y homéricos, o la diferente naturaleza de ambas fuentes escritas y la información limitada que proporcionan. Sin embargo, éstos son los primeros testimonios que tenemos. Con estas limitaciones, el análisis comparativo muestra notables coincidencias en ambas fuentes, destacando la importancia que tienen como agentes económicos en algunos sectores productivos, la organización de grupos de trabajo estructurados, y la continuidad de un estatus social que no es tan uniforme como podría inicialmente parecer. Dentro de esta continuidad, se pueden observar también ciertas diferencias que revelan en el primer milenio una mayor división sexual del trabajo, una reducción de su presencia en determinados oficios y sectores económicos, y una tendencia a localizar su actividad laboral permanentemente en el οἶκος lo que, en nuestra opinión, hace probable un mayor control laboral y social de estas mujeres y anuncia un cambio en el papel que tendrán en la economía y la sociedad del primer milenio.
This dissertation presents a comparative study of working women based on the analysis of the first documents written in Greek: Mycenaean inscriptions and literary sources of the Iliad and the Odyssey. From the outset, Mycenaean tablets revealed the presence of numerous working groups formed by women who depend on the palatial administration, and who differ from other women who seem to occupy a privileged place. Homeric poems often distinguish, in general, two categories of women: aristocratic women, `ladies’ or queens, and the collective of maids or slaves who usually appear in group performing the tasks assigned to them. This research focuses on the analysis of working women without considering cult personnel or other categories of women who form part of the political and religious elite, such as priestesses and queens. The main aim of this study is to make a comparative analysis of the characteristics of these women, which could be deduced from Mycenaean texts and Homeric poems. This research intends to answer whether there is continuity or rupture in the role that these women played in the working world, in the economy and, ultimately, in the society of Ancient Greece of the second and first millennium B.C. To this end, it has been separately examined the terms and the context documented in each source that provides information on the economic sectors in which they are present, their occupations, the degree of specialization, some ethnics that may be indicative of their possible geographical and social origins, and some important aspects of work organization, such as the number of women, hierarchy relationship, and the composition of working groups by age and gender. Only then, we attempt to compare the data obtained to identify, if possible, the related or divergent characteristics in both sources. The second objective is to examine the degree of dependence of these women. The level of control over their work, the allocation of rations, products or goods, or the extent to which services are provided during all or part of the year, may indicate that there could be different levels of labour and economic dependence, and that some women might have complementary or alternative livelihoods. The third objective is to observe the status and condition of these women in the social fabric of the second and first millennium B.C. A comparative analysis of the first documents involves facing problems of different magnitudes, some of an interpretative or lexical nature, others related to the different palatial scope and the diverse political and economic contexts of the Mycenaean and Homeric realms, or the different nature of both written sources and the limited information they provide. Nevertheless, these are the first written sources we have. With these limitations, the comparative analysis uncovers remarkable coincidences, highlighting the importance that they have as economic agents in some productive sectors, the organization of structured working groups, and the continuity of a social status that is not as uniform as it might initially appear. Within this continuity, certain differences can also be observed that reveal on the first millennium a greater sexual division of labour, a reduction in their presence in certain trades and economic sectors, and a tendency to locate their work permanently in the οἶκος, what, in our opinion, makes probable a greater labour and social control of these women and heralds a change in the role they will play in the economy and the society of the first millennium.
Universitat Autònomad de Barcelona. Programa de Doctorat en Cultures en Contacte a la Mediterrània

Art History
M.A.
This study presents a preliminary examination of the pottery from Building Kappa, a recently excavated building on the citadel of Mycenae. Resulting from a formal detailed analysis of a portion of the recovered ceramic assemblage, this research corrects several errors recorded in notebooks at the time of excavation before the pottery was washed and studied. The excavated area of Building Kappa contained three different levels: Stratum 4/6, a deposit associated with the structure that shows it went out of use in the LH IIIB period; Level 3, a deposit consisting of baulks left unexcavated by early expeditions in the 1890's, which consists of an LH IIIC level from habitation near this area after the building went out of use; and Deposit 2beta, a modern backfill containing both Bronze Age and Hellenistic pottery that was spread across the site in modern times. The importance of the study is that it clarifies the stratigraphy of the area of Building Kappa and allows preliminary observations about the nature of the occupation at this location. More importantly, this research indicates the need for a more detailed examination of the remainder of the unstudied ceramic assemblage.
Temple University--Theses