![warlike mycenaean art warlike mycenaean art](https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/intermediary/f/1f84151f-2e5e-449f-a0c4-768911abbb55/dctd9m8-05a61721-ea58-4d20-b3ba-2dff47b42e69.jpg)
The additional rooms are mainly square and the layout very geometrical, indicating a planned construction. The center of a Mycenaean palace was not a courtyard, like with Minoans, but a megaron, a large rectangular hall used for court functions and social or religious events. The Lion Gate, the main entrance of the citadel in Mycenae, via Joy of Museums The most recognizable example of Cyclopean construction is the Lion Gate at Mycenae. They got their name after mythological Cyclops, one-eyed giants who were, according to myths, the only beings strong enough to build such colossal walls. Militant Mycenaeans had to surround their palaces with massive walls, also known as Cyclopean. Minoans, settled on an island and oriented towards trading, not expansion, had no need for defensive structures. Mycenaean palaces are in fact citadels, built on a hill and fortified. Please check your inbox to activate your subscription Thank you! The difference from the Minoan style is very clear. The best-preserved palaces are those in Pylos and Tiryns. Mycenaean palaces, like their visual arts, reflect the militaristic character of their civilization that Homer so marvelously described in Iliad. The Throne Room with a Griffin Fresco from the palace at Knossos, via Made in Crete The frescoes are mainly of religious thematic, although many depict natural scenes, such as marine life, mythological animals and flowers. The North Entrance of the Knossos Palace, Theofanis Ampatzidis, 2018 Minoans decorated their palaces with wall paintings and used vibrant colors to paint the columns, balustrades, and pediments, which held the multiple stories of the palace. Historians consider that the maze-like structural complexity of the palace is probably what inspired the myth about the Minotaur and the Labyrinth. The center place in the palace is a large courtyard, with rooms, halls and small chambers dispersing from it in every direction. The most famous and largest Minoan work of architecture is a palace at Knossos, a mythological dwelling of king Minos. The maze-like layout of Minoan palace at Knossos (left) and a possible reconstruction (right), via Minoan Labyrinth Again, Mycenaeans borrowed many architectural features from Minoans but adapted them to fit their society’s beliefs and demands. Mycenaean Shield Fresco, Mycenae, Mark Cartwright, 2017 Palaces Architectureīoth civilizations are famous for building complex palaces, and archaeological evidence confirms that they were administrative, residential and religious centers. Unlike Minoans, known for their peaceful thalassocracy, the Mycenaean society was oriented towards war and expansion, and it showed in their art. The human figures are stylistic in Mycenaean wall paintings, and males are more common.Īnother important difference is the hunt and war scenes that we find in Mycenaean art. They preferred symmetry and geometrical motifs, unlike Minoans who did not like to leave empty, undecorated spaces. However, Mycenaeans were slightly more simplistic in their depictions.
![warlike mycenaean art warlike mycenaean art](https://i.pinimg.com/736x/c5/c3/1a/c5c31a64490a3f1dc9cb92ea07bba1a5--mycenaean-bronze-age.jpg)
The influence of the Minoans is clearly visible in female imagery and general style. The Minoan iconography strongly reflects their social matriarchal structure – the images of women dominate their visual arts, and female symbolism is present at almost every depiction.Įxperts on the Greek Bronze Age often state that the Mycenaean wall paintings, although seen as a continuation of Minoan, are of lesser quality. Common motifs are also processions and sacred rituals, such as bull-leaping. Minoans relied heavily on religious iconography, depicting the images of their gods and especially goddesses. The only differences are their iconographic elements.
![warlike mycenaean art warlike mycenaean art](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/d1/5c/38/d15c383a384601b4e4ee112d6cce92d5.png)
![warlike mycenaean art warlike mycenaean art](https://i.pinimg.com/474x/f1/ff/a3/f1ffa3a559aadf951781c5b251252996.jpg)
Wall Paintings Minoan Ladies in Blue Fresco from the palace of Knossos, via Ancient Originsīoth civilizations decorated their palaces and other structures with frescoes, using lime plaster and vibrant colors.