New study finds: Ancient Mycenaean civilization might have collapsed due to uprising or invasion

TornosNews.gr ^ | April 10, 2018 | unattributed

[SunkenCiv]

For many years, the prevailing theory on how the Mycenaean civilisation collapsed was that devastating earthquakes led to the destruction of its palaces in the Peloponnese, southern Greece around 1,200 BC. Nevertheless, new evidence suggests that some type of internal uprising or an external invasion might have brought about the downfall of the Mycenaean civilisation. From 2012, a team led by German archaeologist Joseph Maran of Heidelberg University and geophysicist Klaus-G. Hinzen has been conducting research in Tiryns and Midea. The findings of their research were published in the Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America. "Although some of the observations from the two investigated citadels could be explained by seismic loading, alternative nonseismic causes could equally explain most observed damage. In some cases, the structural damage was clearly not caused by earthquakes", they stressed in the study, adding that: "Our results indicate that the hypothesis of a destructive earthquake in Tiryns and Midea, which may have contributed to the end of the LBA Mycenaean palatial period, is unlikely".

[SunkenCiv]

The prevailing theory until now has been that Mycenaean palaces had been destroyed by devastating earthquakes

[SunkenCiv]

I bought this book in May 2004. Zangger discusses the long history (circa 1885, much earlier than I'd thought) of the "Thera was Atlantis" idea, and beginning on page 44 cuts it to ribbons. It should be noted that Zangger has his own book about what was and wasn't Atlantis. ;') Check out pp 48-49 for a summary of the problems with the idea, and an amusing catalog of other things attributed to the eruption.

"Even when, during the respective Thera Conferences, individual scientists had pointed out that the magnitude and significance of the Thera eruption must be estimated as less than previously thought, the conferences acted to strengthen the original hypothesis. The individual experts believed that the arguments advanced by their colleagues were sound, and that the facts of a natural catastrophe were not in doubt... All three factors reflect a fantasy world rather than cool detachment, which is why it so difficult to refute the theory with rational arguments." -- Eberhard Zangger, "The Future of the Past: Archaeology in the 21st Century", pp 49-50.

The Future of the Past Archaeology in the 21st Century by Eberhard Zangger

[SunkenCiv]

In "In Search of the Trojan War", documentarian Michael Wood noted that where archaeologists want damage to be caused by earthquakes, that's what they claim, despite there being no way to tell from that particular pile of rocks. OTOH, for a long while the onset of the so-called Greek Dark Age (and corresponding "dark ages" elsewhere in the Mediterranean basin) was attributed to widespread earthquakes. One of *those* topics.

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[SunkenCiv]

[SunkenCiv]

this could make a separate topic:

Archaeologists Find 6th Century BC Home, Red-Figure Pottery Krater Depicting Oedipus and the Sphinx from Apollonia Pontica in Bulgaria’s Sozopol
April 10, 2018
by Ivan Dikov (ouch!)

http://archaeologyinbulgaria.com/2018/04/10/archaeologists-find-6th-century-bc-home-red-figure-pottery-krater-depicting-oedipus-and-the-sphinx-from-apollonia-pontica-in-bulgarias-sozopol/

https://i0.wp.com/archaeologyinbulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Sozopol-Ancient-Greek-Home-Krater-4.jpg

[yarddog]

I have always been intrigued by Mycenae and Crete. They were active during and before the Trojan war.

Part of their decline may have been because of invasion by Doric Greeks (Spartans) and other similar people.

[marktwain]

Lawrence Keeley notes the same thing about archaeologists and pre-history ruins. There was a concerted effort to find explanations that did not involve obvious conflict and war.

http://gunwatch.blogspot.com.au/2018/04/book-review-war-before-civilization.html

[ClearCase_guy]

It won’t happen in my lifetime, I hope that someday historians will step back and look at what we really KNOW and just try to tell that story. But for over a century (at least), most historians have been telling whatever story they wanted to tell (usually to advance an ideology) and they have simply twisted evidence to help themselves along.

At some point, there will be a renaissance in the field that might get us closer to useful truth. This is also true in Psychology, which could be a good field, but which is largely today just political posturing.

[SunkenCiv]

The Mycenaeans keyword, sorted newest to oldest, and unedited (lots of Minoan topics in this list):

• Biblical Plagues and Parting of Red Sea caused by Volcano [2002]
• Who Really Discovered America? [2002]
• Dig Unearths Mycenaean 'Homeric Capital' [2002]
• New study finds: Ancient Mycenaean civilization might have collapsed due to uprising or invasion [2018]
• Mycenaean findings: Gigantic 1250 BC building project in northern Copais [2018]
• Throne of Homer's hero is unearthed [2016]
• Devastating 'World War ZERO' destroyed ancient civilisations and plunged Europe into a dark age [2016]
• World War Zero brought down mystery civilisation of 'sea people' [2016]
• Excavations at Idalion, Cyprus: Crossing Cultures in the Eastern Mediterranean [April 6, 2016] [2016]
• 4,000-Year-Old Necropolis with more than 100 Tombs Discovered Near Bethlehem [2016]
• Bronze-Age Cemetery Discovered Near Bethlehem [2016]
• The first inter-cultural 'party' in Europe? [2015]
• Grave of 'Griffin Warrior' at Pylos Could Be a Gateway to Civilizations [2015]
• Archaeologists making exciting discoveries in Laconia [2015]
• Ancient Greek palace unearthed near Sparta dates back to 17th century BC [2015]
• Last practitioner of Minoan rituals may have lived in Jerusalem's Old City till '48 [2015]
• Barley and wheat residues in Neolithic cemeteries of Central Sudan and Nubia [2015]
• Untouched Mycenaean Tomb Found in Central Greece [2015]
• Mycenean artifacts found in Bodrum [Halicarnassus] [2014]
• 2,800-Year-Old Zigzag Art Found in Greek Tomb [2014]
• Archaeologists Excavate Lower City of Mycenae [2014]
• The Greek Age of Bronze -- Middle Helmets [2014]
• Greek Island of Santorini Volcano Erupted in 16th Century [2014]
• Cultural connections with Europe found in ancient Jordanian settlement [2014]
• Ancient Palace's Painted Floors Display Bronze-Age Creativity [2014]
• Bride, Kosovo [2013]
• Pollen Study Points to Drought as Culprit in Bronze Age Mystery (Global Warming in Ancient Times) [2013]
• Mycenaean artifacts found in Bodrum [2013]
• Akrotiri, Santorini: the Minoan Pompeii - part 6 [2013]
• Akrotiri, Santorini: the Minoan Pompeii - part 5 [2013]
• Minoan Frescoes at Tel Kabri: Aegean Art in Bronze Age Israel [2013]
• Akrotiri, Santorini: the Minoan Pompeii -- part 4 [2013]
• Akrotiri, Santorini: the Minoan Pompeii - part 3 [2013]
• Akrotiri, Santorini: the Minoan Pompeii - part 2 [2013]
• Did an Earthquake Destroy Ancient Greece? [2013]
• Athenian 'Snake Goddess' Gets New Identity [2013]
• La Bastida unearths 4,200-year-old fortification, unique in continental Europe [2012]
• The Birth of Bureaucracy (Where Long Lines, Red Tape & Arcane Rules Began; 1650 to 1100 B.C.) [2012]
• Underwater archaeology: Hunt for the ancient mariner [2012]
• Rare Cuneiform Script Found on Island of Malta [2011]
• Rain unearths unknown Mycenaean cemetery [2011]
• Bulgarian Archaeology Finds Said to Rewrite History of Black Sea Sailing [2011]
• Ancient Tablet Found: Oldest Readable Writing in Europe [2011]
• Archaeologists On Crete Find Skeleton Covered With Gold Foil In 2,700-year-old Grave [2010]
• Greece. They found the palace belonging to one of the Heroes of the Iliad? [Egyptian artifact, 2006] [2010]
• Fortifications on Gournia Debunk Myth of Peaceful Minoan Society [2010]
• Dynasty of Priestesses [ Iron Age necropolis of Orthi Petra at Eleutherna on Crete ] [2010]
• First Minoan Shipwreck: An unprecedented find off the coast of Crete [2010]
• Remains of Minoan-style painting discovered during excavations of Canaanite palace [2009]
• Akrotiri, Santorini: the Minoan Pompeii - part 1 [of 6] [2009]
• "The Catastrophe" What the End of Bronze-Age Civilization Means for Modern Times [2009]
• Archaeology meets mythology in Mycenean Pylos (King Nestor) [2009]
• Phaistos Disk: Greek or Luwian? [2009]
• Making merry at Knossos [2009]
• Race to preserve the world's oldest submerged town [ Pavlopetri in Greece ] [2009]
• Ancient Greece's 'global warming' [2009]
• Mythic Birthplace of Zeus Said Found [2009]
• New Evidence From Excavations In Arcadia, Greece, Supports Theory Of 'Birth Of Zeus' [2009]
• Archaeology professor scrutinizes age-old mystery [ Uluburun wreck excavation] [2008]
• Grog of the Greeks [ barley beer, honey mead, retsina wine ] [2008]
• Mycenaean warrior used 'imported sword' [2008]
• Graves Found From Sahara's Green Period [2008]
• FSU classics professor exploring a 'lost' city of the Mycenaeans [2008]
• Ancient Tomb Found On Greek Island [2008]
• NEW DISCOVERIES AT THE ASH ALTAR OF ZEUS, MT LYKAION... ANCIENT GREECE'S MOST POWERFUL GOD [2008]
• A serving of Philistine culture: Boar, dog and fine wine [2007]
• Prehistoric Greek Water Works Found [ Mycenaean citadel of Midea ] [2007]
• Mycenaean and Hittite Diplomatic Correspondence: Fact and Fiction [ PDF file ] [2007]
• By Zeus! (Greeks return to paganism) [2007]
• Modern pagans honor Zeus in Athens [2007]
• Unique Mycenaean suit of armor due for conservation [2006]
• Greek Archaeologists Confirm Authenticity Of 'Theseus Ring' [2006]
• Explorer Ballard heads exploration of undersea volcano [2006]
• Virgil's Demi-God City 'Found' [2006]
• Archaeologist Links Ancient Palace, Ajax [2006]
• Old Egypt investigator identifies to mysterious Hyksos kings [sic] [2006]
• Palace Of Homer's Hero Rises Out Of Myths [2006]
• By the power of Zeus, ancient gods are back (Greeks allowed to worship pagan gods) [2006]
• Helen Of Troy Existed? [2005]
• Helen of Troy: Goddess, Princess, Whore [2005]
• Mycenaean Port of Athens Found? [2005]
• Mycenaean Port Of Athens Found [2005]
• In Search of the Real Troy [2005]
• Cretan Excavation Sheds New Light On Dark Ages Of Greek History [2004]
• The Linear B Tablets and Mycenaean Social, Political, and Economic Organization [2004]
• Pagans are reviving the polytheistic religions of the ancient Greeks,and other civilizations. [2004]
• Minoan ship to ply Greek seas for first time in 3,500 years [2004]
• 50 Ancient Tombs Uncovered (1400BC, Crete) [2004]
• Debate Erupts Anew: Did Thera's Explosion Doom Minoan Crete? [2003]

[SunkenCiv]

One canned response has been that they collapsed due to “overspecialization”, a brainless concept if ever there was one.

[SunkenCiv]

Yup.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/bloggers/3646125/posts

[Some Fat Guy in L.A.]

I hope that someday historians will step back and look at what we really KNOW and just try to tell that story. But for over a century (at least), most historians have been telling whatever story they wanted to tell (usually to advance an ideology) and they have simply twisted evidence to help themselves along.

It's always seemed to me (an engineer, not an academic) that what we really KNOW about ancient times is mighty little. We know something about those civilizations that captured their history and thoughts in stone, but precious little, and often what the civilization in question wanted people to know. We have a little bit of ancient literature, not much and much of it in fragments or statements by later writers. I have often posed this question to students in Sunday School when discussing the Bible - In a thousand years, when some archaeologist digs up the ruins of your house, what will be left? Not a heck of a lot, I suspect. Could they determine much about us from this? Suspect not.

[cranked]

Might?! Is this sh*t passing for science these days?

I call BS.

The Mycenaean civilization largely ended due to the super volcano explosion of Thera/Santorini.

[Red Badger]

I thought it was a volcano did them in?.....................

[Red Badger]

Didn’t the Cretans evacuate and move and become the Philistines of the “Old Testament’?...........

[yarddog]

I have seen that before but have no idea if it is true.

I think they were called “the sea people”?

[KC Burke]

Cline has out 1177 B.C.: The Year Civilization Collapsed which has concepts in line with this post. I am on the last chapter now.

The “Sea Peoples” seem to have impacted all Mediterranean civilizations, not just Egypt.

[Red Badger]

Yes, the ancient Egyptians and others referred to them that way.....

[blam]

Santorini Eruption Much larger Than Originally Believed

[dsc]

“But for over a century (at least), most historians have been telling whatever story they wanted to tell (usually to advance an ideology) and they have simply twisted evidence to help themselves along.”

Leftists have been doing the same thing. Is this something else?