Obscure Centuries

The modern Historiographie calls obscure centuries ( Dark Ages , “dark Âges” according to the Anglo-Saxon expression of origin), in ancient Greece, the time which goes approximately from the {{XIIe}} at eighth century BC

The invasions which lead to the destruction of the Civilization mycénienne mark the beginning of the period. The submycénien starts in 1200 av. J. - C. to the maximum and extends until worms 1015. It is followed by the proto-geometrical . This one finishes with the emergence of Athens like cultural hearth, towards 875, characterized by the success of a new form of Céramique known as geometrical, and the advent of the age of the quoted S.

The Greek Middle Ages?

The expression “centuries obscure” was popularized by The Dark Age (1971) of Anthony Snodgrass and The Greek Dark Ages (1972) of R. A. Desborough. At that time, the end of appeared as the irremediable fall of civilization mycénienne. It is called “the Catastrophe”. On the other hand, seemed to it a true Rebirth of Greece. According to Desborough, this retreat was explained by great invasions. Snodgrass was shown more careful. Both agreed to draw an apocalyptic picture of the period: fall dramatic of the Démographie, loss of the architectural writing and technical, poverty, etc

In fact, the large palaces mycéniens succumbed to the fires with Mycènes itself, Tirynthe, Pylos and Thèbes. In Crete excluded, no great stone construction was undertaken. The large collective tombs were replaced by individual tombs, much more modest, or by the incineration. The work of the Bronze died out, fault of the necessary contacts with outside to import the Cuivre and the tin. Only ceramics remained like traces material culture of the time. The Linéaire B disappeared, except with Cyprus. Lastly, of great areas were depopulated, as in Laconie and Messénie. Certain populations ceased cultivating their fields and were devoted exclusively to the breeding.

The revival historiographic

Nevertheless, since the time of Snodgrass and Desborough, the historians show themselves much more careful compared to a table which is not without pointing out a long time negative image of the Western Moyen-âge.

Sources

The recent Archéologie examined with more attention the vestiges of the obscure centuries. First of all, it more explored the layers of the ground and the structures of the monuments. Traces of temples thus appeared. Then, she undertook to excavate the places located at the variation of the large palaces mycéniens, which remained badly known even for the Achaean era . Lastly, of the important sites were put at the day. In the first chief appears that of the hérôon of Lefkandi, in Eubée. It is about a large building with stone substruction, surmounted by raw bricks and an external colonnade out of wooden. The whole, length of more than forty meters, constitutes the burial of a rich man, incinerated according to rites close to those described by Homère. It is dated from the end from. The hérôon itself is surrounded by a whole cemetery, with which the majority of the tombs are richly decorated. Among the other sites, can be quoted that of Kalapodi (religious sanctuary of outdoor), of Isthmie, close to Corinthe, Assiros Toumba in Macedonia, Nichoria in Messénie, etc

The Ethnographie also compensated for a deficit of vestiges. To include/understand the Greek evolutions of the company at the time, of the comparisons were established with known companies. Thus, the example of the Sarakatsani shepherds, in Épire, was used like model for the pastoral company of the end of the period. In the same way, the hierarchical structure of tribes mélanésiennes was used to clarify the relations to be able shown by the Homeric texts. An archaeological confirmation must then confirm the relevance of the bringing together.

Lastly, the example of Athens slices with the remainder. According to the Greek Mythology, Athens escaped the regression post-mycénienne because it was the place where took refuge Néléides, descendants of Nélée, driven out Pylos. In fact, Athens preserved an agriculture and an artistic activity of foreground, with in particular its proto-geometrical ceramics.

Conclusions

The “obscure centuries” appear today more a period of change of decline. New worships, different ritual practices (in particular for the burial) appear. The Greek quoted does not seem any more to appear of a blow at the 8th front century J. - C.: it appears already makes in filigree some in the Homeric texts.

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