Mycenaean Greece and the Aegean World. Palace and Province in the Late Bronze Age

Margaretha Kramer-Hajos

City: New York

Year: 2016

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Description: Hardback, 218 p., 46 b/w figures, 8 b/w tables, 18.3×26.3 cm

Abstract

In this book, Kramer-Hajos examines the Euboean Gulf region in Central Greece to explain its flourishing during the post-palatial period. Providing a social and political history of the region in the Late Bronze Age, she focuses on the interactions between this ‘provincial’ coastal area and the core areas where the Mycenaean palaces were located. Drawing on network and agency theory, two current and highly effective methodologies in prehistoric Mediterranean archaeology, Kramer-Hajos argues that the Euboean Gulf region thrived when it was part of a decentralized coastal and maritime network, and declined when it was incorporated in a highly centralized mainland-looking network. Her research and analysis contributes new insights to our understanding of the mechanics and complexity of the Bronze Age Aegean collapse.

Contents

List of figures [vii-viii]

List of tables [ix]

Acknowledgments [xi]

1. Introduction to the region and theoretical approaches [1-32]

2. The ethos of the sword – the creation of early Mycenaean elite culture [33-55]

3. The role of elite networks in the Mycenaeanization of the provinces [56-69]

4. Seals and swords and changing ideologies [70-106]

5: Prehistoric politics – the creation of the periphery [107-127]

6. Palatial concerns – ships and exotica [128-148]

7. Reactions to collapse – the rise of a sailor-warrior culture [149-165]

8. Modeling collapse and revival [166-179]

9. Conclusions [180-185]

Bibliography [187-206]

Index [207-218]