24/7 Customer support here

Critically analyse this statement by referring to the available evidence. Assess and discuss the following claim “Bronze Age Theran is a mystery to the modern archaeologists”

   The important dates as to when the Bronze Age Theran was formed and its people existed are very hard to identify, as numerous scientific finds claim different things. There are only some aspects of their lives that allow us to judge what they were like and what their society represented. Trade with other islands is evident. Evidence of trade has been found through imported items such as pottery (which have the typology of Cretan pottery) and silver and lead (there have been no mines found), which are possibly from Attica or Siphonos. Lead balance weights and bronze have been found in Akrotiri. As we know the Therans traded with other civilizations, these could have been used to weigh fair quantities of goods. This is part of the few pieces of information known about Bronze Age Theran society not causing any disputes. The people with whom the Bronze Age Therans traded with is questionable but the fact that they did trade is not. We know that the Therans traded with people of the Aegean and lands surrounding the Mediterranean, but not how far they reached. We know they traded with the Egyptians as Egyptian containers have been found. Trade would’ve been important to such an island, as they wouldn’t have been able to advance technologically and culturally if no communication had been made with other civilizations, such as Egypt.

   Through pollen analysis and bones archaeologists have found the Therans diet was mainly vegetarian. Mills and small amounts of flour were found in every house, in Akrotiri. This shows Therans knew how to make bread and used barley to make bread. A tripod cooking pot and clay ‘barbeque’ were among kitchen artefacts, which have been uncovered. These would have been used for frying, boiling and stewing. A pestle and mortar found would have been used to crush herbs and spices such as garlic and almonds. The brested ewer found would have been used to store and pour drinks such as wine and grape juice. This information is quite certain to claim to be truthful.

   The architecture, frescos and artefacts seem to have a Minoan origin. This is believed to show the Therans’ had a Minoan origin. S. Marinatos believes this means the Minoans settled Thera. His evidence is the Admiral’s fresco, which he believed depicted a Minoan voyage to North Africa in search of treasure. Although there is still some debate over their origin, it is clear there is a strong Minoan influence.

   Frescos are a major feature in constructing features of Bronze Age Theran society. They can show clothing, textiles, the people themselves and their social physical environment. Frescos were usually found in the upper storeys of houses. This suggests there was either a crime problem, but the huge glass windows dissuade this idea, or there was a system of classes. The complexity and size of frescos could also indicate upper and lower social classes, as smaller and less detailed frescos have been found in small less luxurious houses. The presence of frescos could also indicate class, as frescos have not been found in all the houses.

   Although many frescos are fragmented when found, 41 frescos have been uncovered and restored to their former glory. They depict a wide variety ranging from everyday life to ceremony. What the frescos depict are under debate as they are the main source of archaeologist information and can be interpreted in a number of ways.

   There are many theories of what the Admirals fresco depicts. S. Marinatos and Benys Page believed it depicted a voyage to North Africa in search of treasure. They back this up by emphasising the flora and fauna, which seem to be African in appearance. Peter Warren agrees that the Admirals fresco depicts a voyage within the Aegean but he suggests the evidence of the town architecture is Theran and that the Therans wouldn’t have needed to sail all the way to Africa for “ booty”. N. Marinatos has another opinion. She believes the Admirals fresco depicts a religious festival, which is celebrating a military victory. Her evidence is the military stylised armour and the women and men standing on a balcony with religious decorations and young men leading cattle show religious significance. She also related this scene to the Harvesters Vase, which depicts rural ritual, as she believes there are similarities between the two. She also believes this is shown in the ships being paddled and not rowed and by the decorations of the fleet. Lastly she believes the festival took place in spring, as the flora and fauna indicates this. Thera are many more interpretations of the Admirals fresco. In fact there are also many names used for it, like the wall frieze and the miniature fresco.

   In the frescos there are many different hairstyles. Ellen N. Davis believes the hairstyles differentiate status and maturity. She believes that there are six stages between youth and old age. Also that the early stages apply to males. J. V Luce and N. Marinatos thought this wasn’t true and that hairstyles were for religious ritual, especially the female hairstyles. As many frescos have been found in places believed to have been religious. Blue paint on the heads in frescos, were first believed to be a kind of head cover. This was later withdrawn and S. Marinatos decided it was shaven heads after excavating West house. As no headcovers or haircutting implements have been found we cannot be certain which was true. It is debatable which opinion is true, as more evidence is needed to prove any theory.

   Akrotiri is the only town of the Theran culture, which has been uncovered. It is the only place where Theran architecture can be found and archaeologists no architecture to compare Akrotirian architecture with. C. Doumas believes there is no common architecture of any of the houses uncovered. All of the houses have similar features, such as toilets, bathe and kitchens. Evidence of this is the toilet in room 4a, in the West house, the toilet and the outlines of where a bathtub would have stood. Mills encrusted with flour indicate kitchens.

   There were large open rooms on the ground floors of many houses, these had large windows and are believed by S. Marinatos to have been workshops. Loom weights have been found in one such room in the West house. This indicates the Therans could weave and wove by hand on a loom. There were also pottery and stone containers found on the ground level of many houses, such as in the West house. S. Marinatos believed this showed this part of the house was used for food preparation and storage. Mills were found on this level as well. This further proves the ground floor was used for food preparation and storage.

   One of the greatest debated about Bronze Age Theran society is about the houses. The houses range from building blocks to commercial living quarters. There are also large multistorey houses and extravagant mansions. Although these mansions have many similarities to the Minoan architecture, there is still too little evidence to argue religious activities were held in these mansions. The mansions may have been able to open partitions to hold social gatherings and public meetings totally unrelated to religion. There is not enough evidence to support this theory either. That is why the role these mansions played in society is under debate. As every theory needs more evidence to prove them, no theory can be proven.

   N. Marinatos believes most houses have private shrines and that there are public shrines scattered through the village. She also believes the mansions had a religious purpose as they had partitions which could be opened to accommodate large audiences and contained lustral basins. S. Marinatos also believed these Adyta (small rooms for religious purposes) which contained lustral basins, were used for religious purposes such as ritual cleansing. As the lustral basins have no drains these conclusions cannot be proven.

   The Therans had an extensive sewage system under paved streets. C. Doumas believed room 4a, in the west house, was used as a bathroom. He believed a toilet and bathroom, to have presided in the room. N. Marinatos argued that it wasn’t a bathroom and was a preparatory room for religious purposes. Her evidence is that room 5 was the main shrine, and room 4 was the preparation room. This made room 4a a part of this. “The architecture and the finds suggest [room 4a] was a preparatory room… [An offering] table… and a lion’s head rhyton, as well as cup were among the finds which suggest offerings [were prepared there].” Doumas believed there wasn’t enough evidence to support that specific rooms were used as shrines.

   N. Marinatos feel the Therans had a very religious culture and that specific rooms had religious purpose. She believed that frescos and artefacts were involved in this religious context too, such as the nude fisherman in room, in the West house. N. Marinatos believes these naked fishermen are “young odorants…. offering (to the Gods)” N. Marinatos. She also believes their nudity and shaved heads are a sign of them belonging to a special religious group. The placing of the frescos in the southwest and northeast corners of the room, facing the corner, where an offering table was found, thereby perpetuating (their offering) forever. N. Marinatos.

   The crocus gatherers and the Room of the Ladies frescos show a major role, played by the women of Bronze Age Theran society. N. Marinatos believes religion revolved around women in Bronze Age Theran society. Her evidence of this is in the Crocus gathers and the room of the Ladies frescos, which she believes are placed in houses of religious importance.

   What is known about Thera is taken from Frescos, architecture and the few artefacts there are. This includes trade was evident and what the Therans ate. The little evidence which has been found, can prove some things and not others, because of this most theories are being debated. Each archaeologist and historian has his or her own theories of Bronze Age Theran Society. It is debatable which opinion is true, as more evidence is needed to prove any theory. As little evidence has been found, hardly any theories of Bronze Age Theran Society can be proven.

BACK TO ANTHROPOLOGY