The Minotaur to the Trojan war: Aegean archaeology

In this unit we examine the art, architecture, burials and beliefs of two important pre-classical Aegean cultures, the Minoans of Crete and the Mycenaeans of mainland Greece. We study the labyrinthine palaces of the Minoans, the frescos and houses of the island culture of ancient Thera, and the rich burials and city states of Mycenaean Greece to discover what this material evidence reveals about social and economic organisation, ritual practice and thriving trade and exchange. You are introduced to emerging techniques in archaeological research as we consider how these methods have influenced our interpretation of Minoan and Mycenaean culture. We explore the role of later Greek mythologies and epic poems, including Homer's Iliad, in shaping our interpretation of these Aegean societies and examine the reliability of their portrayal. Contemporary evidence from Egypt and the eastern Mediterranean is examined, to understand the wider world of the Minoans and Mycenaeans, alongside the study of the great city of Troy.