Greek Archaeology: A Thematic Approach

Christopher Mee presents an extensive examination of the material culture of the Greek world from its Neolithic roots in 7000 B.C. to the close of the Hellenistic period in 146 B.C. Features a unique thematic approach to the study of Greek archaeology Includes extensive use of illustrations, many of which are not commonly featured Allows for the study of a particular period of time by its chronological arrangement within each chapter

Table of Contents:
List of Figures xi List of Maps xxxiv List of Tables xxxv Acknowledgments xxxvi List of Abbreviations xxxvii 1 Introduction 1 Across the Great Divide 1 Chronology 3 2 Settlement and Settlements 8 Introduction 8 Neolithic Greece 9 Early Bronze Age 10 Palatial Crete 13 The Cyclades 16 Mycenaean Greece 17 The Early Iron Age 22 The Eighth Century 25 The Archaic Period 28 The Classical Period 31 The Hellenistic Period 36 Conclusions 40 3 The Architecture of Power 43 Introduction 43 Neolithic Dimini 43 Early Bronze Age Lerna 45 Neopalatial Knossos 47 Mycenaean Pylos 51 Early Iron Age Lefkandi 56 Classical Athens 58 Hellenistic Macedonia 64 Conclusions 66 4 Residential Space 69 Introduction 69 The Neolithic Period 69 The Early Bronze Age 72 Middle Bronze Age Greece 73 Neopalatial Crete 75 The Cyclades 79 Mycenaean Greece 82 The Early Iron Age 84 The Archaic and Classical Periods 88 The Later Fourth Century and the Hellenistic Period 97 Conclusions 104 5 The Countryside 107 Introduction 107 The First Farmers 108 The Secondary Products Revolution and Mediterranean Polyculture Revisited 110 Royal Estates 112 Early Iron Age Pastoralists? 114 Down on the Farm? 115 Works and Days 124 Conclusions 127 6 Technology and Production 129 Pottery 129 Neolithic pottery 129 Early Bronze Age pottery 132 Minoan and Mycenaean pottery 134 Early Iron Age pottery 139 Archaic, Classical, and Hellenistic pottery 141 Pottery production at Athens and Corinth 145 Metallurgy 149 The Neolithic and Early Bronze Age 149 Second-millennium metalwork 151 The age of iron 155 The silver mines at Lavrion 157 Conclusions 163 7 Trade and Colonization 166 Introduction 166 Neolithic 167 Early Bronze Age 168 The Thalassocracy of Minos 171 Mycenaeans Overseas? 175 Into the Iron Age 178 Magna Graecia 180 France and Spain 184 The Black Sea 186 The Eastern Mediterranean and Egypt 186 Ships and Cargoes 187 Conclusions 190 8 Warfare 192 Introduction 192 The Early Bronze Age Aegean 193 Pax Minoica 193 Well-greaved Achaeans 197 Well-built Mycenae 201 Warfare in Transition 207 Hoplite Warfare 210 Naval Warfare 213 Fortifications 216 The Rise of Macedon 220 Conclusions 221 9 Death and Burial 223 Introduction 223 Neolithic Greece 224 Early Bronze Age Greece 225 Middle Bronze Age Greece 230 Mycenaean Greece 233 Early Iron Age Greece 239 The Archaic Period 244 The Classical Period 245 Conclusions 252 10 Religion 255 Introduction 255 Neolithic and Early Bronze Age Figurines 255 Cretan Rural Sanctuaries 258 Religion in the Cretan Palaces and Towns 262 Cretan Converts? 265 Mycenaean Religion 266 Religion after the Palaces 272 Early Iron Age 273 The Eighth Century 274 The Archaic Period 278 The Fifth Century 286 The Fourth Century and the Hellenistic Period 290 Conclusions 295 Timeline 298 Glossary 300 References 302 Index 319