02 Aegean Worlds Before the Greek City-States Free Online FlashCards

Which local materials did Early Bronze Age Cycladic communities use?

Cycladic islanders worked with local copper, obsidian, and marble to make tools, vessels, and carefully shaped marble figures.

Which regions did Cycladic communities trade with by sea?

Cycladic communities took part in maritime exchange with Crete, mainland Greece, and the coast of Anatolia.

What does the archaeological term “Helladic” describe?

Helladic is the archaeological term for Bronze Age cultures on the Greek mainland. It is a modern framework, not necessarily a name used by people of that time.

What roles did Minoan palace complexes combine?

Minoan palaces combined administrative, economic, ceremonial, and artistic activities.

What did Minoan communities exchange through Mediterranean trade?

Minoan communities traded across the Mediterranean, exchanging pottery and crafted objects for metals and other resources.

What is known about Linear A?

Linear A was used for Minoan administrative records. Because it remains undeciphered, the Minoan language and many details of their government are uncertain.

What distinguished major Mycenaean citadels from many Cretan palace centers?

Unlike often-unfortified Cretan palace centers, major Mycenaean citadels were defended by massive stone walls.

What language does Linear B record?

Mycenaean scribes used Linear B, a deciphered script that records an early form of Greek.

What do Linear B tablets reveal about Mycenaean palaces?

Linear B tablets list goods and obligations, revealing palace management rather than providing narrative histories.

How did Mycenaean culture relate to Minoan culture?

Mycenaean rulers and administrators adopted elements of Minoan art and palace organization while developing their own political and military culture.

What is known about the Mycenaean palace collapse?

Mycenaean palace systems broke down around 1200 BCE amid widespread disruption. The causes remain debated; the evidence does not establish one certain event or invading people.

What does “Dark” mean in “Greek Dark Age”?

“Dark” refers chiefly to the scarcity of surviving written records, not to a complete absence of culture.