THE MYCENAEAN WORLDTHE HISTORY BEHIND THE ILIAD

1600 BC – 1100 BC

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES:

Aims : Introduce the Mycenaean world and the history of Homer.

Objectives:

1. Discuss the significance of a variety of bronze age finds.

2. Watch the DVD and answer the questions.

3. Demonstrate the Cornell note taking system.

4. Practice note taking whilst watching the video.

THE MYCENAEAN WORLD

•What deductions about the Mycenaean world can you make from the following objects?

• The mask of Agamemnon.

• Found by Heinrich Schliemann in 1876.

• Dated to 1500 BC

• Linear B

• Mycenaean Writing – an early Greek script.

• Used for bureaucracy rather than literature. So far…

• Mycenaean armour and reproduction swords.

• From around 1500 B.C.

• Note the boar tusk helmet.

• The Lion gate at Mycenae.

• Home of Agamemnon

• Probable centre of Bronze age Greece.

A SUMMARY OF THE MYCENAEAN WORLD

• Bronze age Greece from 1600 B.C. – 1100 B.C.

• The age of Heroes and palace based kingdoms. Mycenae, Pylos, Tiyrns.

• The historical setting of the Iliad and Odyssey.

• The historicity of the Iliad is hotly debated.

• Probably the source of myths like the Minotaur at Knossos.

• The world collapsed in about 1100 B.C. – shortly after the Iliad.

CORNELL NOTE TAKING SYSTEM

WATCH THE DVD (13 MINS) 1:49 -13:37

• Who excavated Mycenae?

• What were the beehive structures?

• Were the walls built before or after the Trojan war?

• What is just inside the Lion gate?

• What were on the palace frescos?

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2lHDUvKPsM