National Museum of Archeology Athens - Bronze Age II

Although the Bronze Age was famous for warlike values and competing nobility, as Homer's "Iliad" tells us, also other cultural achievements were made in that time.

The Linear script on these clay tablets is the forerunner of the Greek alphabet, and as far as I know, the second part has not yet been deciphered. It was mostly used for civic registers and trade though. Traces of burning indicate that the tablets survived a war.

Some fragments of wall paintings have been found: In vivid colours, they show scenes of the aristocratic life in the archaic palace culture, such as hunting and war.

The archaic pantheon was unique: Still diverse from classical worlds, divine families also had complex genealogies ... here you see two goddesses weaning a young god or hero.

The insular culture was famous for their colourful and precious ornaments: They used not only gold, but also stone and pearls for their necklaces, bracelets and earrings.

Lastly, for the ladies (maybe not only): Polished bronze mirrors with ivory handles were used for cosmetics. Of course, they were artifacts possessed by the nobility ... we must keep the social background in mind. Let us continue with the Archaic Age!

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