5 Cultural Life
1. Architecture of Palaces at Mycenae, Pylos and Tiryns
Mycenae: the court was attached to the Megaron, and could have acted as a waiting room for visitors of the king. The Megaron was the principal room of the palace or the Throne room. There were frescoes of women, horses and chariots on the walls. The floor was painted stucco with blue, red and yellow squares. From the entrance to the Megaron, the throne was on the right, and in the centre was a circular hearth with four pillars around it. There was no full wall behind the throne, so the king sat in front of a view of his whole kingdom.
Tiryns: there were three sets of gates to enter the palace. It was maze-like inside, with various courts or waiting rooms to receive guests before entering the Megaron.
Pylos: more square and rectangular than other palaces.
The three palaces were so similar that Mylonas believed there was a traveling band of builders.
2. Significance of Fortifications
The centre of Mycenae was so heavily fortified, that Pomeroy believes that it was too much, because there was no attacking force strong enough to be able to breach the walls, and warrant that amount of defence. So it is seen as a display of wealth and power. Around the middle of the thirteenth century BC, additions were made to the citadel of Mycenae that significantly increased its level of protection. A bastion was added to the Lion Gate, which would funnel attackers into a small area. The strong Cyclopean walls were built around the city using ashlar construction and were 8-10 metres high and 6 metres thick. There was an extension of the walls to include the cistern or water supply. These alterations added to the natural protection offered by Mycenae’s geographical position.
Tiryns was also well fortified by walls, with a ramp being the only entrance to the citadel. As attackers would walk up the ramp with their shield in their left hand, their right side would be exposed to the defenders from above. An outer, middle and inner gate, and the maze-like design of the citadel add to Tiryns’ protection as well.
Pylos had protection from its position on a steep hill, but did not have walls like the other two centres. There is a ramp, which may have had a similar function to that in Tiryns. There are however numerous sentry stands at entrances to main parts of the citadel.
3. Art (Frescoes, Pottery, Jewellery, Weapons)
Frescoes are paintings on damp plaster walls. Frescoes with heraldic animals, war and hunting scenes and a focus on people instead of nature show a developing Mycenaean fresco style. There were many frescoes found including:
- Priestess Fresco- with sheaves of wheat (RWTF, Citadel House)
- Grave Stele- hunting and chariot (Grave Circle A)
- Women in Chariot (Tiryns)
- Wild Boar Hunt Fresco (Tiryns)
- Battle Scene Fresco (Tiryns)
- 2 Bare-breasted women with fancy dresses and curled black hair (Pylos)
- Fresco of dogs (Pylos)
- Fresco with hunters (Pylos)
- Orpheus Fresco – lyre player (Pylos)
- Admiral’s Fresco (Thera)
Pottery types included large pithoi, stirrup jars. Mycenaean pottery was exported all over the Mediterranean and was one of Mycenae’s major exports. Mycenaean decorations include chariot scenes, armed groups of soldiers and stylized flora and fauna.
Jewellery included a lot of gold, seal rings, diadems and ivory jewellery as well. Rings and precious gems were found in the tomb at Dendra. In Grave Circle A, women wore gold diadems and bands on their heads.
Weapons- were mainly bronze, but some were very elaborate- e.g. gold breastplate and greaves. Also, a bronze dagger with gold, silver and niello (black compound of S and Ag, Pb or Cu used to incise a design on metal) inlay of a hunting scene with tower and figure of 8 shields and hunter hunting a lion with spears found in Circle A.
4. Writing- Linear B
Linear B was carved onto tablets used for record keeping. Linear B was the Greek language, as opposed to the non-Greek script of the Minoans (Linear A). A thousand Linear B tablets were found at Pylos, the earliest dating from c.1400BC. The tablets were an advanced system of records of accounts and goods and services. Some signs on Linear B are ideograms and others are words. It was deciphered in the 50s by Michael Ventris.
hope this helps.
