Which are the significant changes we can observe archaeologically Essay

Which are the significant changes we can observe archaeologically between the Late Bronze Age and the Iron Age and when would you place them in absolute chronological terms - Essay Example rich Schliemann excavated Mycenae, with Homer as his guide, uncovering traces of a powerful warrior society—with sites like Tiryns, Gla, and Orchomenos, surrounded by massive walls. Connecting these two civilizations was a series of tablets, written in so-called Linear B, which was translated by Michael Ventris in 1954. It is now clear that mainland Greeks occupied Cnossos, rebuilding it and residing there long enough to recreate the great palatial society. However, after the collapse of Minoa, Mycenaean power declined rapidly; a short time after 1,200 b.c., a series of events occurred which have been hotly contested in Ancient Greek archaeology. What caused the collapse of this great Bronze Age civilization? Some have suggested that it was a natural disaster, such as a volcanic eruption, or even a tidal wave. Others have suggested that invasions and military conquests brought an end to Mycenae. And yet another proposal is that internal revolts destroyed societies too fragile to resist. Answering this question of what happened to Mycenae is essential to answering the larger question of how we differentiate the Late Bronze Age from the Early Iron Age, or, what shall hereafter be called the â€Å"Dark Ages† of Ancient Greece. An examination of the passage of the Bronze Age will require a detailed examination of the vastly profound changes in Greek culture which occurred between 1,200 and 700 b.c. These changes concern a multitude of different aspects of such a culture, including political, religious, artistic, and philosophical changes brought on by the unknown disaster which occurred and launched Ancient Greece into dark times. It would also be instructive, in examining this transition, to look at the speed of recovery; that is, the time it took for Ancient Greece to return to a state of political and cultural stability. In doing so, we will draw a connection between the Early and later portions of the Iron Age: the birth of panhellenism. Nevertheless, it is the