Re: Mycenean power?

Uwe Müller wrote:

"Abschließend bietet Sjöberg einen Überblick über die Entwicklung der wichtigsten Siedlungen in der Argolis im Späthelladikum III (131-145). Sie betont, dass die These von der Vorherrschaft der Herren von Mykene nicht zu verifizieren ist und bis zum Ende der Phase Späthelladikum III C offensichtlich überhaupt kein dominierendes Zentrum in der Argolis bestand (144). Vor allem in der Periode Späthelladikum III B sei ein gleichsam 'dezentralisierter' Austauschzusammenhang zu erkennen, in dem Mykene, Tiryns und Midea größere 'Märkte' in einem ökonomischen Netzwerk bildeten und kleinere Orte für einen Güteraustausch auf niedrigerem Niveau sorgten. Weder Mykene noch Tiryns hätten freilich größere Lagermöglichkeiten besessen. Die dortigen Vorratsräume hätten vielmehr nur zur Aufbewahrung landwirtschaftlicher Produkte für den Palasthaushalt gedient. Sjöberg bestreitet nicht, dass Mykene auch ein Tor für Kommunikation und Güteraustausch mit weiter nördlich liegenden Gebieten war. Diese Funktion sei aber nicht zu verwechseln mit der Herrschaft eines zentralen Zentrums in der gesamten Argolis."

Rezensiert von: Karl-Wilhelm Welwei
http://www.sehepunkte.de/2006/02/8481.html

(Sjoberg presents an overview on the development of the most important settlements on the Argolid during the Late helladikum III. She notes, that the theory about the dominance of the lords of Mycenea can't be verified. Quite to the contrary, there seems to have been no dominating centre at all up to the end of LH III C. Especially in LH III B a decentralised system of exchange was noted, with Mycenea, Tyrins and Midea as bigger markets in a network and with smaller villages exchanging products on a lower level. transl. UM)

Brigitta L. Sjöberg: Asine and the Argolid in the Late Helladic III Period. A socio-economic study (= BAR International Series; 1225), Oxford: Archaeopress 2004, 157 S., 11 fig., ISBN 1-84171-590-5, GBP 29,00

Does anyone know that book?

have fun

Uwe Mueller

a modest translation with errors. I used google to Anglosize it. my German is not up to the task.
josephus

Karl William Welwei
Faculty for science of history, Ruhr University, Bochum

After the deciphering for that far away linear B document applied the mykenischen palace rule as centralistic organized systems. Besides the mykenische world seemed to present itself altogether after its social and cultural appearance as it were as a Koiné. The mykenische civilization was not certainly by any means limited to the palaces and their direct rule range. Numerous finds suggest palace managing considerable activities on local and regional level outside of that. The principle of the Redistribution might have served particularly for the supply of the function carriers in the closer periphery of the palace gentlemen as well as for the maintenance of the craftsmen controlled by the center. The moreover one above all also the regional differences in the mykenischen environment are to be considered.

Sjöberg examines the economy and social structure Asines in the ceramic(s) phase Späthelladisch III with that in their 2001 thesis accepted at the University of Uppsala a far put goal to clarify whether the Argolis was integrated by Creatan in its whole into the rule of the Dynasten at that time. It describes first from J.L. the Bintliff and K. to Kilian compiled “models” of the settlement structures in the Argolis (3-19). While Bintliff believed to recognize a “supercenter” in Creatan with a system of second and drittrangigen settlements, Kilian stressed still more strongly the central position of the respective palace gentleman in Creatan. [1] Sjöberg wants to include in contrast to this the dramatic changes in the level of the Argolis during the Späthelladikums III more strongly into a theoretical model. Asine has special meaning for an analysis of the settlement system after its results due to the favorable situation of the place at the sea in the Argolis. Under this aspect it describes the archaeological indicators with priority to understand the problem whether and to what extent a kind settlement hierarchy existed there (21-25), in order to then show on the basis the still recognizable settlement activities that a settlement continuity in Asine from the Späthelladikum III A to III C existed and the place did not only flourish in the middle and late III C-phase, but also in the periods Submykenisch and Protogeometrisch was inhabited (29-43). It compares the findings in Create, Tiryns, Midea, Argos, Prosymna and at other places with the development in Asine in the Argolis and states that on the end of Späthelladikum a fall appeared clearly III in Asine, Creatan, Midea and Tiryns (45-78).

A valuable addition of these analyses is their recapitulatory evaluation of the grave finds (81-127). It wants to show hereby above all, as from the archaeological material criteria for the evaluation of the social structures and as also as possible the conception world of the different social classes to win is (81-127). The reference is important in this connection that in Asine and Argos as well as in further settlements continuity from the bronze is to be recognized to the Eisenzeit (127).

Finally Sjöberg offers an overview of the development of the most important settlements in the Argolis in the Späthelladikum III (131-145). It stresses that the thesis of the supremacy of the Mr. von Creatan is not to be verified and up to the end of the phase Späthelladikum III C obviously at all no dominating center in the Argolis existed (144). Particularly in the period Späthelladikum III B is to be recognized as it were “more decentralized” an exchange connection, in the Creatan, Tiryns and Midea larger “markets” in an economic network formed and smaller places for an exchange of goods on lower level ensured. Neither Creatan nor Tiryns would certainly have possessed larger camp possibilities. The there underground storages would have served rather only for the keeping of agricultural products for the palace household. Sjöberg does not deny that Creatan was also a gate for communication and exchange of goods also far areas lying north. This function is however not to confound with the rule of a central center in the entire Argolis.

One may congratulate to the author to this outstanding thesis. It connected and clarified the interpretation of the archaeological finds with an experienced criticism at economiceconomics theories that the mykenischen palace systems represented anyhow into the Argolis quite small-scale rule organizations. The fiction of a mykenischen region should be considered finally as obsolet.


Note:

[1] See J.L. Bintliff: Natural Environment and human Settlement in Prehistoric Greece, Oxford 1977, 115 f., 134-138, 689-702; K. Kilian: The Emergence OF Wanax Ideology into the Mycenaean Palaces, in: Oxford journal OF Archaeology 7 (1988), 291-302.

Editorial support: Mischa Meier

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