How Long is a Century?

Late Minoan IIIB Pottery. Relative Chronology and Regional Differences

Charlotte Langohr

• Publisher: Presses universitaires de Louvain
• Year: 2021
• Topic: Social Sciences
• eBook ISBN:
  9782390610403
• Subtopic: African American Studies
• Index: Social Sciences

Covering approximately the century between 1300 and 1200 BC, the Late Minoan IIIB phase remains a blurred episode of Minoan civilisation. Archaeological data present a contradictory picture: on the one hand, they suggest a time of prosperity. with favourable conditions of subsistence and growth; on the other hand, there are signs of trouble illustrated by a series of abandonments of century-old occupied settlements. Did these processes take place simultaneously, in succession or were they punctual? Can we make sense of the various hale Minoan IIIB developments from a chronological perspective? How can a region-by region analysis inform us about the various island communities and their histories during the 13th century BC? The international workshop which the present volume reflects took place at the UCLouvainin Belgium on the 24th and 25th of October 2013. It specifically addressed these questions and focused on the gradual transformation of Cretan society throughout the 13th century BC by concentrating on a single aspect of its material culture: the pottery. It was our infention to bring together a number of ceramic experts in charge of the study of Late Minoan IIIB pottery deposits in a selection of Cretan sites. We wanted them to discuss, confront and contextualise their respective assemblages. The gathering was successful in many ways and not in the least because not only we managed to progress on a variety of thorny issues but it was also a real treat to assist in the thrilling exchanges between the inspiring personalities who compose the 'family' of Minoan (and Mycenaean) pottery specialists.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Bibliographic informations
• First pages
• Table of contents
• Dedication
• 1. The Late Minoan IIIB Phase on Crete
• 2. The LM IIIB Settlements at Khania, West Crete
• 3. To Be or not to Be in LM IIIB Knossos
• 4. Historical Pointers from New Evidence
• 5. The Late Minoan IIIB Pottery of the Gouves Potters’ Quarter and Workshops
• 6. Sherds of a Century: the LM IIIB Pottery from the Pediada Survey Project
• 7. Late Minoan IIIB Pottery at Sissi and Malia
• 8. Late Minoan IIIB at Kommos
• 9. Haghia Triada in Late Minoan IIIB
• 10. LM IIIB Pottery at Phaistos
• 11. Preliminary Observations on LM IIIB Pottery from Kannia
• 12. Late Minoan IIIB Pottery from the Cemetery at Myrsini-Aspropilia
• 13. Postpalatial Palaikastro
• 14. Chronological table
• 15. Map of Crete
• List of Illustrations