The civilization mycénienne is a Hellenic civilization of the recent Helladique (end of the Bronze Age). It draws its name from the town of Mycènes, located in the Peloponnese.

History of the discoveries

It was revealed at the end of the 19th century by the excavations of Heinrich Schliemann with Mycènes (1874) and Tirynthe (1886). This one believes to have found the world described by the epopee S of Homère, Iliade and the Odyssey . In a tomb of Mycènes, it finds a gold mask which it names the “Masque of Agamemnon”. In the same way, one baptizes “palate of Nestor” an excavated palate with Pylos. It is necessary to await the searchs for Arthur Evans, at the beginning of the 20th century, so that the world mycénien acquires a clean autonomy compared to the Minoan world of Schliemann, which precedes it chronologically.

While excavating with Cnossos (Crete), Evans discovers thousands of clay shelves, cooked accidentally in the fire of the palate, towards 1450 av. J. - C. It baptizes this writing “Linéaire B”, because it considers it more advanced than the Linéaire has. In 1952, the deciphering of linear B - identified like a form of Greek - by Michael Ventris and John Chadwick projects civilization mycénienne Protohistoire with the Histoire, and inserts it into its true place in the Bronze Age of the Aegean world.

However, the shelves in linear B remain a reduced documentary source. By adding the inscriptions to it on the vases, they represent only one corpus of 5000 texts, whereas one counts several hundreds of thousands of shelves sumériennes and akkad iennes. In addition, the texts are short and of administrative nature: they are countable inventories and other documents , which were not intended for filing. They have nevertheless the advantage of showing an objective vision of their world, without mark of royal propaganda.

Chronology

The chronology of civilization mycénienne was established by Arne Furumark, according to the typology of the objects discovered and the stratigraphic levels of the excavated sites. Although criticized, this chronology remains still used. One employs for these periods the term Helladique Récent (HR).

  • 1550-1500 : Recent Helladique I (circles of the tombs with pit has and B of Mycènes);

  • 1500-1450: Helladique Récent II has;
  • 1450-1425: Recent Helladique II B (arrived of Mycéniens at Cnossos?) ;
  • 1425-1380: Recent Helladique III A1 (destruction of Cnossos, beginning of the continental palates mycéniens);
  • 1380-1300: Recent Helladique III A2 (apogee of the construction of the palates mycéniens);
  • 1300-1250: Recent Helladique III B1;
  • 1250-1200: Recent Helladique III B2 (destruction of the continental palates mycéniens at the end of the period);
  • 1200-1125: Recent Helladique III C1;
  • 1125-1100: Recent Helladique III C2.

The HR I corresponds to the transition between Helladique Moyen and Helladique Récent. The cultural features of civilization mycénienne are constituted at this period.

The HR II sees a strong increase in the number of archeological sites. At the end of this period, the Minoan palates of Cnossos, Phaistos, Malia and Zakros are destroyed. Only the site of Cnossos is re-occupied, and takes again typology mycénienne. One supposed of it that it had been occupied by of the “Mycéniens” which invaded Crete and seized the power there. The files in Linéaire B of Pylos date approximately from the HR II B.

The HR III sees civilization mycénienne continuing its expansion. In addition to Crete, other islands of the Égée (as in the Cyclades and with Rhodos) comprise sites mycéniens then, as well as sites in Asia Mineure, while mycéniens objects are found in all the Mediterranean circumference, and even in Central Europe and until in the British Isles. Mycéniens establishments were found with Cyprus and the Raising.

In Greece even, the palate-fortresses, the tholoï become more monumental. For period HR III B1, the found treasures with Mycènes and Orchomène attest considerable richness that the sovereigns mycéniens constituted themselves. This period constitutes the apogee of civilization mycénienne. The files of Cnossos undoubtedly date from the HR III B (C. 1250).

Who were Mycéniens?

Since the translation of the shelves in linear B, one knows that those which one improperly calls “Mycéniens” are Greeks. No written source coming from a site mycénien indicated to us how these people named itself (its autoethnonyme). With the reading of Iliade , where the Greeks are often called “Achaens”, and by taking of account the mention of Ahhiyawa in the sources Hittites of Recent Bronze, one wanted to give to Mycéniens the name Achaens. But the second argument is far from being allowed of all, whereas for the first, the Achaean term can have several significances in the texts of Homère.

The linguistic analysis of the texts in linear B attaches the language mycénienne to Greek dialects of the later times, but rather the Ionien, the Attique or the wind that the dialects Achaean of the traditional time. The first would be thus derivatives of the mycénien, while the seconds would be connected to him, but would belong to a group already distinct from that of the mycénien at the time of recent Bronze.

The linguistic question, being based on the comparison with the languages of the following periods, undoubtedly does not constitute a reasonable evidence to identify Mycéniens clearly. Remainder, nothing proves that those formed only one ethnic or linguistic community, and it is more probable to see in them a whole of people, ancestors of the Achaens, Ioniens, etc of the following periods rather than only one people.

Political organization

The world mycénien

In the absence of direct sources, the general political organization of the world mycénien cannot be known with certainty. According to Homère, one thinks that Greece is then divided into several States, those quoted in Iliade : Mycènes, Pylos, Orchomène which is known by archeology, but also perhaps Sparte or Ithaque. But archeology cannot confirm that. Only the States of Pylos and Cnossos are clearly attested by the texts in Linéaire B. That being known as, it is impossible to know which was the political center dominating in Argolide (if there were one well of it): Mycenes, Tirynthe or Argos? And what happenhappen did of Athens, Gla and Iolcos?

The mention of a “King of the Ahhiyawa” in the sources Hittites was brought closer to the “King of the Achaens” which de Mycènes Agamemnon in Iliade would be the king, but nothing proves that these Ahhiyawa are well the Achaens (although it is the most logical solution), and the localization of their kingdom remains discussed: Minor Asia, Rhodos, continental Greece? So certain researchers want to base themselves on the hittites sources and Homeric to make of Greece mycénienne a confederation of States dominated by a king, primus inter pares , undoubtedly king de Mycènes, until now nothing could not confirm it.

The States de Pylos and of Cnossos

On a more reduced scale, we are well informed on the interior organization of the kingdoms best known by the sources in linear b: Pylos and Cnossos. But there too, all is not certain.

The State appears to be a kingdom, directed by a King, the wa-Na-ka ( ϝάναξ / wánax ), whose role is undoubtedly soldier, legal and religious. It is identifiable with ἄναξ / anax Homeric (“lord divine, sovereign, host”). Last nine occurrences of the word appear in texts of offerings, which suggests that the sovereigns of Pylos or Cnossos receive a worship. However, as at Homère, the term can also designate a god.

The king is assisted by the ruffle-wa-ke-your ( lawagetas ), undoubtedly the chief of the army. Both have a clean land field, the you-me-No ( τέμενος / témenos ). Other dignitaries are the you-Re-your ( telestai ), which appear in the texts like landowners. Perhaps they exert a religious function. The E-qe-your ( equetai ), literally the “companions” (of the “knights”), train the entourage of the king. They are warriors.

Beside the members of the court, other dignitaries have in load the local government of the territory. The kingdom of Pylos is divided into two large provinces, the of-we-ruffle ka-ruffle-I-ja , the close province, around Pylos, and the EP-ruffle-KB-ruffle-I-ja , the remote province, around the town of Re-U-KB-to-ro . The kingdom is then subdivided in sixteen districts, then a whole of communes. To direct the districts, the king names a KB-Re-you ( koreter , “governor”) and a pro-KB-Re-you ( prokoreter , “deputy governor”). C-Mo-KB-ro ( damokoros , “that which deals with the damos”), deals with the communes, the da-Mo (literally “people”, cf. δῆμος / dễmos ), and a Pa-if-Re-U (cf the Greek βασιλεύς / basileús ) also exerts a load at the communal level, badly specified - it seems to direct a council of Old, the ke-ro-if-ja (cf γερουσία/ gerousía ). It is interesting besides to note that among traditional Greeks, the basileus will be the king, the monarch, like so between the disintegration of the company mycénienne and the traditional age had not survived like more high ranking authority, de facto then with the wire of the generations of swears , that the communal civil servant.

Company

The company mycénienne appears divided into two groups of free men: entourage of the king, who deals with the administration palatiale; and populates it, the da-Mo ( demonstrations ), which lives at the communal level. As one saw higher, this last is framed by royal agents; it must achieve Corvée S and pour Redevance S with the palate.

As for those which evolve/move within the framework of the palate, one finds tops Fonctionnaire S easy, those which probably live in the vast residences found near the palates mycéniens, but as of other people bound by their trade to the palates, but not inevitably easier as the members of the da-Mo : craftsmen, peasants, perhaps commercial. With low of the social scale the slaves, C-E-ro (male) are and C-E-ruffle (female) (cf Greek δούλος / doúlos ). Only are attested in the texts those working on behalf of the palate.

Economy

The economic organization of the kingdoms mycéniens known by the texts appears to be bipartite: a first group works in the orbit of the palate, while an other works for its own account. That reflects the social organization seen higher. But nothing nevertheless people working for the palate in parallel could not carry out their personal businesses.

The economy is controlled by the scribes which note the entries and the launches of products, gives work to be made, and takes care of the distribution of the rations. The appears of-my-you to be a kind of intendant supervising a field of the economy.

Agriculture

The soil of the kingdoms mycéniens of Pylos and Cnossos is divided into two units: the ki-Ti-me-Na , palatial field, and the ke-ke-me-Na , communal field, cultivated by those which the texts call ka-my-Na-E-we , undoubtedly the da-Mo . The grounds palatiales are those attested by the texts. A part composes the you-me-No of the wa-ka-Na and the ruffle-wa-Ge-your , as considering higher. The other part is granted in benefit ( O-Na-you-Re ) to the members of the administration of the palate. Those can make them exploit by slaves, or by free men with whom they lease the ground.

The agricultural production of these kingdoms follows traditional “the Mediterranean trilogy”: cereals, olive-trees, vine. The Céréale S cultivated are the Blé and the Orge. One also has plantations of olive-tree S, for the production of Olive oil. This one is not used inevitably for the food, but rather for the body care and the Parfum S. One also cultivates the Vigne, and one produces various varieties of Vin. Beside that, one makes push flax for clothing, of the Sésame for his oil and of the trees like the Figuier.

The breeding is dominated by the ovine and the caprine . The bovine and the porcine are rarer. The horses are primarily intended to tractor draw the tanks of war.

Craft industry

The organization of artisanal work is especially known within the framework palatial. The files of Pylos show a specialized work, each workman pertaining to a precise category, and having a specific place in the stages of the production, in particular in the textile.

The Textile industry is one of the principal sectors of the economy mycénienne. The shelves of Cnossos make it possible to follow all the line production, of the herds of sheep to the storage of the end products in the stores of the palate, while passing by shearing, the distribution of the Laine in the workshops and the work conditions in these workshops. The palate of Pylos counts thus approximately 550 workers of the textile. In Cnossos, they were up to 900. Fifteen different textile specialities could be identified. Behind wool, the flax is the most used fiber.

The metallurgical industry is well attested in Pylos, where 400 workmen are employed. One knows by the sources that metal is distributed to them so that they carry out work requested: on average 3,5  kg of Bronze by blacksmith. On the other hand, one does not know how they were remunerated: they are mysteriously absent from lists of distributions of rations. In Cnossos, some shelves testify to manufacture of swords, but without evoking true metallurgical industry.

The industry of the Parfumerie is also attested. The shelves thus describe the manufacture of scented oil: with the pink , the Sage, etc One also knows by archeology that the workshops dependant on the palate included/understood other types of craftsmen: goldsmiths, workers in ivory, lapicists, potters. One made there also olive oil. Certain fields were turned towards export.

Trade

The trade remains curiously absent from written sources. Thus, once the scented oil of Pylos stored in small earthenware jars, we are unaware of what it becomes. Large earthenware jars with clamp having contained oil were found with Thèbes, in Béotie. They carry inscriptions in linear B indicating their source, Western Crete. However, the shelves crétoises do not blow word of oil exports. We have little information on the distribution system textiles. It is known that the Minoans exported fine fabrics in Egypt; undoubtedly Mycéniens they made in the same way. Indeed, they probably took again on their account knowledge Minoans as regards navigation, as the fact attests it that their maritime trade takes his rise after the collapse of the Minoan Civilization. In spite of this absence of sources, it is thus probable that certain productions, in particular the metallurgical fabrics and oil, even objects, were intended to be past outside the kingdom, because they were too important in quantity for its only domestic consumption.

One can however turn to archeology as regards the exportation of products mycéniens out of Greece. Many vases were thus found in the Égée, in Anatolia, with the Raising, to Egypt, but also more in the west in Sicily, or even in Central Europe and until Great Britain. In a general way, the circulation of the goods mycéniens is traçable thanks to the “nodules”, ancestors of the modern labels. They are small pellets of Argile, worked between the fingers around a thin strap (probably of leather) which is used to attach the unit on the object. The nodule presents a print of seal and an ideogram representing the object. One adds to it sometimes other information: quality, origin, destination, etc

Thus, 55 nodules, found with Thèbes in 1982, carry an ideogram representing an ox. Thanks to them, one could reconstitute the route of these bovines: come from all Béotie, even of the Eubée, they are convoyed in Thèbes to be sacrificed. The nodules aim at proving that it is not a question of animals flights and to prove their source. Once the animals arrived on the spot, the nodules are removed and gathered to establish a countable shelf. The nodules are used for any kind of objects and explain how accountancy mycénienne could be also rigorous. The scribe does not have to count itself the objects, it is based on the nodules to draw up its tables.

Religion

The religious fact is rather difficult to identify in civilization mycénienne, in particular when they are archeological sites, where it remains complicated to locate with certainty a place of worship. As for the texts, only some lists of offerings give us names of gods, but nothing learns to us on the religious practices.

The Pantheon mycénien comprises already many divinities whom one finds in traditional Greece. Poséidon seems to occupy a privileged place, in particular in the texts of Cnossos. It probably acts at this period of a divinity chtonienne, related to the earthquakes. One finds also a whole of “Ladies” or “Madonna” ( Potnia ), related to places of worship, as a “Lady of the Labyrinth” in Crete - which points out the myth of the labyrinth mycénien, following the example presence of a god named Dédale. One finds also a “Goddess-Mother” named Diwia . Other divinities whom one finds at the following periods were identified, as the couple Zeus - Héra, Arès, Hermes, Athéna, Artémis, Dionysos, Érinya, etc One notes the absence of Apollon, of Aphrodite, Déméter (divinities of Eastern origin) and of Héphaïstos.

No large temple was identified for the time mycénienne. Certain masonries found in citadels and comprising a central part of oblong form surrounded by small parts one been able to be used as places of worship. One can of the remainder suppose the existence of a domestic worship. Certain sanctuaries could be located, as with Phylakopi, where one found a big number of statuettes undoubtedly acting as offerings, and one supposes that sites like Delphes, Dodone, Délos or Éleusis were already of important sanctuaries. But that remains difficult to prove in an obvious way.

Structure

Fortresses

The mycéniennes main cities all are strengthened. They can be located on Acropole S, like Athens or Tirynthe, leant with a large hill like Mycènes, or on the sea front, like Gla or Pylos. At sides of these citadels, one also found fortresses isolated, undoubtedly being used with military control as territories. The walls mycéniennes are often of “cyclopean” type: they are made up large blocks being able to be up to eight meters thickness, piled up the ones on the others without clay to weld them, or, when one does not have large blocks, of large embedded stones the ones in the others. Various types of entries or exits can be employed: carry monumental, ramp approach, hidden doors or galleries arched to leave in the event of seat. The fear of an attack also makes that the selected site has of a cistern or a well.

Habitat

The sites mycéniens comprise various types of residences. Smallest are of quadrangular form and measure between 5 and 20  meters on side. They is that resident there the lowest social layers. They can be made up of one or more rooms. It is noted that this last case is more widespread at the recent periods. On a more elaborate level residences of bigger size are, measuring between 20 and 35  meters on side approximately, and made up of several rooms and even of course power stations. They are organized according to a model close to that of the palate. One is however not sure that they are many residences the aristocrats mycéniens, because another assumption wants to see there dependences of the palate, often located near these masonries.

The palates mycéniens

The palates mycéniens have for more good examples those excavated with Mycènes, Tirynthe or Pylos. They are the centers of the administration of the states mycéniens, like showed it the files which they provided. From the architectural point of view, they are the heirs to the Minoan palates, but also to other large residences built in continental Greece with the Helladique Moyen. They are organized around a whole of course opening on several rooms of various dimensions, of which stores, and workshops, in addition to the zones of reception and residence. The heart of the palate is the Mégaron: it is the throne room, organized around a circular hearth surrounded by four columns, the throne generally being on the left side when one returns in the room. It seems that these buildings comprised only one stage. The palates mycéniens also delivered an important furniture, as well as painted frescos.

Artistic and artisanal productions

Vases

Archeology found a great quantity of potteries for the time mycénienne, of very diverse styles: earthenware jars with clamp, jugs, crater S, vases known as “champagne cuts” because of their form, etc the sizes of the vases can vary. The models are very homogeneous in all space mycénien with the HR III B, where the production increases considerably in quantity, in particular in Argolide from which come a great number of the vases exported out of Greece. The production intended for export was generally more luxurious, and had very worked painted decorations, taking again mythological, warlike or animalist reasons. Another type of crockery, out of metal (primarily the Bronze) was found in notable quantity on the sites mycéniens. The forms are here rather tripods, basins or lamps. One still knows some examples of vases in Faïence or Ivoire.

Sculptor

The period mycénienne did not deliver statues of big size. The essence of the statuary of this period consists of fine terra cotta statuettes, found in particular on the site of Phylakopi, but also with Mycènes, Tirynthe or Asinè. The majority of these statuettes represents anthropomorphic figurines (but there are also zoomorphes), male or female. They have various postures: tended arms, raised towards the sky; arms folded up on the hips; sat. They are painted, monochromic or polychrome. Their vocation is not certain, but it seems extremely probable that they are votive objects, found in contexts which appear to be places of worship.

Painting

The painting of the time mycénienne is very influenced by that of the Minoan time. One found some Fresque S mural in the palates mycéniens. The topics represented are varied: Hunting S (of which Bullfighting mythological S), combat, processions, accounts. Other frescos consist of geometrical reasons. Part of ceramics was it also painted (see above), with identical topics.

Armament

Military parts were found in treasures of the period mycénienne. The most impressive lucky find is that of the armor of Dendra. It is about the complete equipment of a warrior. The armor which it door is made up of bronze plates bent on a leather clothing. The heaviness of this armor was to obstruct the mobility of the warrior, and therefore it was supposed that it was about a combatant assembled on a tank. The defensive armament found on the sites mycéniens consists of some helmets, in particular a model in the shape of head of Sanglier, which is absent from last levels of recent Helladique. Two types of shield S were employed: a model in form of 8 (known as “gripped profile”, to see photography opposite), and another rectangular model, rounded on the top. They were made out of wood and leather.

The offensive weapons are especially out of bronze. One found lances and small swaths, and also a whole of swords of various sizes, made to strike of size like tuck. Daggers and arrows, attesting the existence of a archery, compose the remainder of the armament found for this period.

Funerary practices

The mode of burial more running during Helladique Récent is the burial. One buries under the ground even houses, or outside the residential zones, in cemeteries, sometimes in tumulus ( θόλος / thólos ). This form goes back to the oldest periods of Indo-European settlement in Greece, and their roots are to be sought in the Balkan cultures of the OJ, and until the culture of the Kourganes. The individual tombs are in form of cistus, with a stone facing. A funerary furniture appears with the HR I, whereas it was absent at the previous periods. One also notes the presence of tombs common to the beginning of Helladique Récent, which are of rectangular form. There remains difficult to establish if the various forms of burial represent a social hierarchisation, as one sometimes thought, by making tholoï the tombs of the leading elites, the individual tombs those of the easy classes, and the common tombs that of the people. The cremation increases of number during the period, until Perhaps becoming very important with the HR III C. is there this the proof of the arrival of a new population in Greece.

The most impressive tombs of the time mycénienne are the monumental royal tombs of Mycènes, undoubtedly intended for the royal family of the city. Most famous is it “fall from Agamemnon” (the “Treasury of Atrée”) in Mycènes, which is in form of tholos . In the vicinity other tombs are (known as “circle has”), those called “of Clytemnestre” and “Égisthe”. They delivered all of impressive treasures, exhumed by Schliemann at the time of the excavations of Mycènes.

End of civilization mycénienne

The end of the period mycénienne poses a whole of problems which are still not solved, as well from the point of view of the chronology as of the interpretation of the events.

The end of the HR III B1 is marked by some destruction, in particular in Mycènes. With the HR III B2, one notices an increase in the defense systems of the sites mycéniens, sign which the insecurity increases. But it is not a question one crisis period, because these levels provided an archaeological material which testifies to a level of richness which does not have anything to envy that of the precedents. The end of this period nevertheless is marked by many destruction on most of the sites mycéniens of continental Greece.

The HR III C sees a fall of the number of sites in Greece, which can be very important in certain areas (9/10e of the sites of Béotie disappears, 2/3 of those of Argolide). But certain sites like Mycènes or Tirynthe are always inhabited, and the material culture that one finds there always presents features mycéniens, which make that the HR III C is regarded as a level of civilization mycénienne. One however notes the appearance of a new type of ceramics, known as “barbarian” because it formerly was allotted to external invaders, and also a continuation of the increase in the practice of the cremation.

Which are the causes of the decline of civilization mycénienne at this period? Several explanations were advanced. Those concerning of the natural factors (climate change, earthquakes) are rejected today. Remain two great theories: those of the shifts in population and that of the internal conflicts. The first allots the destruction of the sites mycéniens to invaders. One calls upon sometimes the Doriens, sometimes the Peuples of the Sea. It is known from now on that the first were already present before in continental Greece, and it is thus not very probable to accept the old theory of a “invasion dorienne” cutting down the civilization of the Achaens. The movements of people occurring since the Balkans until the the Middle East at this period, mentioned in the Egyptian inscriptions designating the invaders under the name of “People of the Sea”, are they a reality. It is known that these people are responsible for many destruction in Anatolia or with the Raising. The mention of people named Eqwesh (which points out the “Achaean” term) in an Egyptian text of made suppose with specialists that of Mycéniens would have taken part in these invasions (what is not certain). It does not remain about it less than that does not give us any certainty for what occurs in the Greek world.

Remain the second theory, which makes choir civilization mycénienne during internal social conflicts, pulled by a rejection of the system palatial by the most underprivileged social layers, which would be impoverished at the end of Helladique Récent. This assumption joined sometimes the preceding one, when one tries to mingle social divisions with ethnic divisions.

Whatever are the causes, civilization mycénienne disappears definitively after the HR III C, when the sites of Mycènes and Tirynthe are destroyed again, and lose their importance. This end, from the last years of, occurs after a slow decline of the civilization mycénienne, which spent many years before dying out. The beginning of opens a new context, that of proto-geometrical, beginning of the geometrical period, the “obscure Siècles” of the historiographic tradition.

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