With the destruction of Knossos in approximately 1400 B.C. the chain of historical events is interrupted. But this does not constitute the end of the first epoch in European history - an epoch that lasts up to the time when metals found their way into the Aegean. This is already evident from the fact that the Bronze Age continues in this area for another three hundred years at least. In art history, too, the Minoan style is still predominant in this phase. The centre of development has shifted from Crete to the Greek mainland. Thus production now spreads to the whole Aegean - whereas in the Palace period it was concentrated in Crete. From the time of Schliemann onwards the term 'Mycenaean culture' has been common usage in regard to the developments to be dealt with here. It would also be possible to speak of a Late Bronze Age in the Aegean. But the decisive factor in determining the different character of these three centuries is not the shift in area but the fact that a different people has now taken over the lead.
This new people emerges into the limelight of Minoan culture from a prehistoric darkness which is still very obscure. From a cursory view it seems as though Minoan styles have been adopted without restraint. But a change can be noted in what appears to the superficial observer as stagnation. For this reason Mycenaean art has often been interpreted as a degenerate form of Minoan art. But a more thorough examination reveals the existence of links with Greek art. The development of the geometric style begins several obscure centuries after the catastrophe that struck Mycenaean culture. The most remarkable fact is that the un-Minoan features of Mycenaean works. i.e. those that exhibit signs of the degeneration of Minoan style, should be the ones that determine the structure of Greek style.
The continuous upward course of Minoan development breaks off in or about the year 1400. Mycenaean art has an uneven character. But in view of the nature of the world that gave it birth it would be wrong to describe it as decadent. From the point of view of the history of art, and of thought generally, the situation is surprisingly similar to that a thousand years later, during the transition from Greece to Rome. The latter transition naturally has much wider implications than the former. For the same reason in both cases greater attention must be paid to historical events which the student of art cannot afford to overlook.
At first we must cast our thoughts back from the beginning of the Late Bronze Age, which we reached in the last chapter, to the beginning of the Full Bronze Age on the mainland, since we have as yet to discuss the immediate circumstances in which Mycenaean art and culture emerged. From approximately the mid-20th century Early Helladic is superseded by the so-called Middle Helladic culture, which in turn gives way, in or about 1600 B.C., to the Early Mycenaean culture of the shaft-grave period.
The forms of settlement and architecture exhibit differences from the Early Helladic period, although there are many affinities between them as well. Even now megaron houses are still to be found. But oval-shaped houses, which may be of stately appearance, are also popular, as are apsidal buildings. The few residences known to us ( Malthi in Messenia, Asine in Argolis) and fortifications (e.g. Aegina, Brauron in Attica, Malthi) are less pretentious than before. At Malthi an entire walled settlement has been uncovered. The fortification walls, which are more or less oval, are about 135 metres in diameter. There are no bastions. The five gateways are simply passages in the walls. The residence is situated in the centre. Many small rooms, of approximately the same size, are arranged radially around the inside of the wall. Most of the walled area is taken up by rooms with common walls. Everything is more primitive and rustic than in Early Helladic settlements of equivalent size.

Essay Empire
Essay Empire

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