Dark Age Greece

Dark Age GreeceDark Age Greece

1150-700 BC1150-700 BC

Part 1: 1150-900Part 1: 1150-900Collapse of Bronze age peoples across the Eastern Mediterranean (Myceneans)

Population decrease Fortified cities abandoned Strong government structures disappeared

Loss of written inscriptions

Art on vases become simplistic and geometric

Collapse of Bronze age peoples across the Eastern Mediterranean (Myceneans)

Population decrease Fortified cities abandoned Strong government structures disappeared

Loss of written inscriptions

Art on vases become simplistic and geometric

Not All Lost … Not All Lost …

Still farming, pottery, weaving, metal working, etc but on a smaller level

Some trade still existed People continued to speak Greek and pass down oral stories

Some technological innovations:Potters wheelGeometric compass Iron learned from the East

Still farming, pottery, weaving, metal working, etc but on a smaller level

Some trade still existed People continued to speak Greek and pass down oral stories

Some technological innovations:Potters wheelGeometric compass Iron learned from the East

ExpansionExpansion

Ionian Migration 1050-950 Ionians migrated from mainland Greece to Anatolian Coast (Turkey)

Ionian Migration 1050-950 Ionians migrated from mainland Greece to Anatolian Coast (Turkey)

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Geometric PeriodGeometric Period

Geometric designs on pottery

Becomes more elaborate over time

Eventually incorporates living creatures (birds, horses)

Human figures appear around 750

Geometric designs on pottery

Becomes more elaborate over time

Eventually incorporates living creatures (birds, horses)

Human figures appear around 750

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Oral Tradition Oral Tradition

Kept myths and legends going throughout the Dark Ages even without a writing system

Homer and HesiodWritten down between 750-700 BC

Kept myths and legends going throughout the Dark Ages even without a writing system

Homer and HesiodWritten down between 750-700 BC

Homer’s Age of Heroes

Homer’s Age of Heroes

Iliad and the OdysseyNot a real historical periodCombined memories of the bronze age with culture of dark ages

Can use as evidence for Dark Age Culture

Believed to be real by the Greeks

Heroes were models of good and bad behavior

Used to teach - didactic

Iliad and the OdysseyNot a real historical periodCombined memories of the bronze age with culture of dark ages

Can use as evidence for Dark Age Culture

Believed to be real by the Greeks

Heroes were models of good and bad behavior

Used to teach - didactic

HesiodHesiod

Didactic Poetry “Works and Days”

Lessons for daily life: man’s Ultimate purpose in life is to work, and if he is willing to work, he will get by

Agrarian in themeHonest labor, against idleness

Addressed to his brother

Didactic Poetry “Works and Days”

Lessons for daily life: man’s Ultimate purpose in life is to work, and if he is willing to work, he will get by

Agrarian in themeHonest labor, against idleness

Addressed to his brother

Religion Religion

Systematized during the Dark Ages by oral poetry

Homer’s gods in the Odyssey become the gods of the Greeks

Hesiod’s “Theogony” Creation myth, secession story Gaia and Uranus gave birth to the Titans (Kronos)

Kronos and Rhea have Zeus and Olympian gods who take over

Systematized during the Dark Ages by oral poetry

Homer’s gods in the Odyssey become the gods of the Greeks

Hesiod’s “Theogony” Creation myth, secession story Gaia and Uranus gave birth to the Titans (Kronos)

Kronos and Rhea have Zeus and Olympian gods who take over

Recovery (900-750) Recovery (900-750)

Material progress: gold jewelry, iron, bronze

Grave goods indicating increase in wealth

No major changes in building style

First freestanding temple built around 800

Olympics thought to have begun in 776 BC

New writing system Phoenicians

Material progress: gold jewelry, iron, bronze

Grave goods indicating increase in wealth

No major changes in building style

First freestanding temple built around 800

Olympics thought to have begun in 776 BC

New writing system Phoenicians