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MINOANISATION IN THE MIDDLE BRONZE AGE: EVALUATING THE ROLE OF CYCLADIC PRODUCERS AND CONSUMERS

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 April 2016

Natalie Abell
Natalie Abell*
Affiliation:
University of Michigan
*
ndabell@umich.edu
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Abstract

Minoanisation – the process by which Cretan ways of doing things spread throughout the Aegean – is a major focus of study in the Middle and Late Bronze Age Cycladic islands, but debate about the primary causes of the phenomenon has been concerned chiefly with its Late Bronze Age phases. In this article, the author considers the earliest phase of Minoanisation at Ayia Irini on Kea, Period V. The ceramic assemblage is considered holistically, including local and imported as well as Minoanising and non-Minoanising pottery. The Keian assemblage is compared with recently published discussions of Phase C at Akrotiri on Thera and City II-iii at Phylakopi on Melos. New, non-Minoanising features of the Keian assemblage in Period V, particularly in the form of new shapes and increased importation of Melian and/or Theran pottery, suggest that Melian and/or Theran communities engaged in new production and exchange strategies at this time. It is likely that these new intra-Cycladic relationships played an important role in changing local tastes and practices at Ayia Irini, spurring the adoption of new Minoanising as well as non-Minoanising forms of material culture and practice.

Ο εκμινωισμός κατά τη Μέση Εποχή του Χαλκού: μια αξιολόγηση του ρόλου των κυκλαδικών παραγωγών και καταναλωτών

Παρόλου που ο εκμινωισμός, η διαδικασία δηλαδή κατά την οποία τα Κρητικά έθιμα διαδόθηκαν στο Αιγαίο, είναι ένα βασικό θέμα έρευνας για τις Κυκλάδες κατά την Μέση και Ύστερη Εποχή του Χαλκού, η συζήτηση για τις πρωταρχικές αιτίες αυτού του φαινομένου έχει επικεντρωθεί βασικά στην Ύστερη Εποχή του Χαλκού. Σε αυτό το άρθρο εξετάζουμε την πρώιμη φάση του εκμινωισμού στην Αγία Ειρήνη της Κέας, κατά την περίοδο V. Εξετάζουμε τα κεραμεικά ευρήματα, συμπεριλαμβανομένης της τοπικής και εισαγώμενης κεραμεικής, καθώς και της Μινωικής και μη-Μινωικής κεραμεικής. Τα ευρήματα από την Κέα συγκρίνονται με τα προσφάτως δημοσιευμένα ευρήματα της φάσης C από το Ακρωτήρι στη Θήρα, και City II-iii από τη Φυλακωπή στη Μήλο. Τα νέα, μη-μινωικά χαρακτηριστικά της Κείας κεραμεικής κατά την περίοδο V, ειδικά οι νέες μορφές και η αυξημένη εισαγωγή Μήλιας και Θηραϊκής κεραμεικής, υποδεικνύουν ότι κοινότητες από τη Μήλο ή τη Θήρα συμμετείχαν ενεργά στην παραγωγή και διακίνηση προϊόντων αυτή την περίοδο. Είναι πιθανό ότι αυτές οι νέες Κυκλαδικές σχέσεις παίξαν ένα σημαντικό ρόλο στην διαμόρφωση τοπικών επιλογών και πρακτικών στην Αγία Ειρήνη, προωθώντας την υιοθέτηση νέων Μινωικών και μη-Μινωικών μορφών υλικού πολιτισμού και συνηθειών.

Μετάφραση: Χ. Κωνσταντακοπούλου

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Articles
Information
Annual of the British School at Athens , Volume 111 , November 2016 , pp. 71 - 93
Copyright
Copyright © The Council, British School at Athens 2016 

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