Art and craft
Glasses
Archeology has found a large quantity of ceramics from the Mycenaean period, of very varied shapes.[34].
In HR I, two types of decoration can be highlighted: that of those containers with geometric lines that form different compositions in each structure of the glass, which has been called "architectural style" and, on the other hand, other containers that have a decoration that covers the entire glass, which has been called "unitary style." In the HR II B, the so-called "efirean cup" was very common, consisting of two handles and a very stylized foot.
In HR III there are glasses that have been called "champagne glasses" because of their shape, small, with a handle and without decoration. Also in this period, kilices and stirrup jars abound, [Pi. 31] which consist of two handles at the top of the glass that is completely closed and provided only with a cylindrical and vertical pouring spout.[35].
In the peak phases of civilization, the models become standardized throughout the Mycenaean space and production increases considerably in quantity. Common decorative motifs include spirals, leaves, double axes, flowers and marine motifs, often influenced by Minoan ceramics. Another type of vessel decoration uses motifs present in wall paintings, such as warrior or animal themes, among others.[36].
In addition to ceramic vessels, abundant examples of metal vessels (mainly bronze, but also gold), as well as other luxurious materials such as ivory, have been found in Mycenaean archaeological sites.[Pi. 32].
Among the unique pieces of outstanding artistic value we can mention the "Vafio vessels", which are made of gold with a decoration that represents the capture of a bull and which belong to HR II; a gold rhyton in the shape of a lion's head found in Mycenae, a krater found in Enkomi, Cyprus, which represents a landscape with two people in a chariot in front of another person holding a scale and the "pyx "Pyx (ceramic)") of the lyre player", found in Crete, which belongs to MR III A and represents a man holding a lyre in one hand and what looks like an ear of wheat in the other.[Pi. 33].
• - Ephyrean cup found in Koraku "Korakou (Corinth)"), Archaeological Museum of Ancient Corinth.
• - Enkomi Crater, Cyprus Museum.
• - «Pyx of the lyre player», Chania Archaeological Museum.
• - Stirrup jug. Around 1200 BC. C. (HR IIIA-B).
Sculpture
The Mycenaean period did not produce large statues. Most of the sculpture of the period consists of fine baked earth statuettes, found mainly at the site of Philacopí, but also in Mycenae, Tiryns or Ásine.[37] Most of the statuettes represent anthropomorphic figures (although there are also zoomorphic ones), male or female. The figures are in different postures: arms extended, raised towards the sky; arms folded over the hips; sitting. They are painted, monochrome or polychrome. Their meaning is not clear, but it seems likely that they are votive objects, found in contexts that appear to be places of worship.
The most representative figure is the so-called Mycenaean Trio, which represents two women and a girl, whose interpretation could be that they are divinities or the same woman passing through three ages.[Pi. 34] An image of the mother goddess with her son on her lap also stands out.
Idols in psi, fi or tau are also common, so called because of their similarity to these letters of the Greek alphabet. It is mainly found in tombs and shrines.
The only stone bas-reliefs carved in Mycenaean Greece that are preserved come from the site of Mycenae, from the early Late Helladic period. These are thirteen steles found in the pit tombs of this site, which represent scenes of war, hunting or animal fighting in a rough style, decorated with spiral decorative motifs.[38][39] They have no known posterity. The only recent but later Helladic bas-relief comes from the same site: it is the decoration over the Lions Gate. It represents two headless animals, identified without certainty as lions, placed on both sides of a column and resting their front paws on a type of altar. The decoration has also disappeared. The style of this work is reminiscent of Cretan seals, unlike the previous funerary bas-reliefs which are properly Mycenaean.[40].
• - Trio of Mycenae. Athens, National Archaeological Museum of Athens.
• - Head of a woman, one of the rare examples of Mycenaean monumental plastic art. Athens, National Archaeological Museum of Athens.
• - The Lady of Filacopí; Handmade ceramic figurine of a goddess or priestess from the Western Sanctuary in Filacopí. Late Helladic Period III-A (century BC) in the Archaeological Museum of Milos.
• - Bronze figure of a man from the Sanctuary of Philacopí, from the Mycenaean culture, in the Archaeological Museum of Milos.
Paint
Some fragments of mural frescoes have been found in the palaces and in some other notable buildings that denote that Mycenaean painting was greatly influenced by Minoan painting, although differences can be seen in the themes represented since in addition to processions and religious figures, which also appear among the Minoans, activities more associated with the Mycenaeans such as war and hunting are represented.[Pi. 35] Other frescoes are made up of geometric motifs. On the other hand, there are paintings that are not only intended to decorate or represent religious figures, but are also useful to integrate viewers into a context related to a particular cult ritual.[41] Various paintings are also found on sarcophagi; In these cases the themes probably had different funerary symbols as their axis.[Pi. 36].
• - Fresco found in Pylos, around 1350 BC. C.).
• - Fresco from Tiryns (around 1300 BC).
• - Lárnax "Larnax (sarcophagus)") from Tanagra with the representation of a sphinx (centuries - BC).
Glyptic
Glypticism, an art that already had an important development in the Minoan civilization, was also prominent in the Mycenaean world, although it is often difficult to know whether the seals found in excavations in the Greek continental area were made by the Mycenaeans or were imports from the Minoans. "Seal (stamp)" stamps were made as personal amulets or to label objects. The materials in which these seals were carved were very diverse: glass, semi-precious stones, gold, among others. The themes represented were also very varied, such as hunting, hybrid beings, sacrificial rituals, processions and fights. One of the most outstanding unique seals was found in Pylos in 2015. It is the "Pylos combat agate", which represents a combat with great detail.[Pi. 37].
Arms
Military elements have been found among the treasures of the Mycenaean period. The most impressive find is Dendra's "Armor (Combat)") armor, the complete equipment of a warrior. The breastplate he wears is composed of bronze plates sewn onto a leather dress. The weight of the armor had to impede the warrior's mobility, so it is believed that he was a combatant on a chariot, although there are authors who believe that it could also be used standing in combat or in single duels.[Sa. 4].
In addition to armor, defensive weapons consisted of shields and helmets. Among the helmets, the model of wild boar tusks stands out, [Sa. 5] which is absent from the last levels of recent Helladic. Two types of shields were used: an 8-shaped model and another rectangular model, also called "tower".[Sa. 6].
Offensive weapons were mainly made of bronze. Spears and javelins have been found, as well as a set of swords of different sizes, which were initially made to hit with the rapier-like edge and in the final Mycenaean period were made to be used mainly in combat to cut. The rest of the weapons used by the Mycenaeans consisted of daggers, bows, arrows and slings.[Sa. 7].
• - Fresco from Mycenae representing a shield in the shape of an eight.
• - Helmet made of boar tusks found in a chamber tomb in Spata (Attica).
• - Dagger with representations of nautiluses.