What are Mycenaeans best known for?
The Greek Mycenaean civilization is known for its fortified cities like Mycenae, Tiryns, and Argos. The Mycenaeans controlled the Greek Peloponnese and the Aegean in general from Crete to the Cycladic islands. Famous Mycenaeans in mythology include King Agamemnon who won the Trojan War.
What was the culture of the Mycenaeans?
During the Mycenaean period, the Greek mainland enjoyed an era of prosperity centered in such strongholds as Mycenae, Tiryns, Thebes, and Athens. Local workshops produced utilitarian objects of pottery and bronze, as well as luxury items, such as carved gems, jewelry, vases in precious metals, and glass ornaments.
Where did Mycenaean people come from?
The Mycenaean civilization (c. 1700 to 1050 BC) originated in mainland Greece eventually controlling the nearby islands, including Crete. Their Linear B script represented an early form of Greek. Despite this rich archaeological and textual history, the origins of the Minoans have long puzzled researchers.
What did the mycenaeans look like?
Not surprisingly, the Minoans and Mycenaeans looked alike, both carrying genes for brown hair and brown eyes. Artists in both cultures painted dark-haired, dark-eyed people on frescoes and pottery who resemble each other, although the two cultures spoke and wrote different languages.
What was life like in Mycenae?
Like many things in the Mycenaean society, housing for the Mycenaeans was largely dependent on class. Since the Mycenaeans had a strict social hierarchy, the king and other leaders lived in elaborate palaces. The workers, however, lived in smaller homes closer to the fields where they worked.
What did the Mycenaeans wear?
The clothing of the Mycenaeans was similar to the Minoan civilization with women wearing bolero shirts and skirts and men wearing loin cloths or tunics. For leisure, Mycenaean upper-class men were involved in a variety of sports like wrestling, boxing, chariot racing, and bull-leaping.
How did Mycenaeans worship?
In general, Mycenaean religion was the same as classical Greek religion, including the distinction between heroes and gods, one of the most characteristic features of classical Greek religion. Heroes were immortals who received offerings, but were not considered gods in the strict sense.
What language did the mycenaeans speak?
the Greek language
Mycenaean language, the most ancient form of the Greek language that has been discovered. It was a chancellery language, used mainly for records and inventories of royal palaces and commercial establishments.
Who did the mycenaeans worship?
The major gods of classical Greece that were worshipped in Mycenaean Greece included Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Hermes, Artemis, Ares, Athena, and Dionysus.