Paper Topics for the Early Bronze Age

Paper Guidelines and Topics

Paper 1: Early Bronze Age

Due Friday, February 23, no exceptions

Guidelines: Write and essay of about 5 typewritten pages, double-spaced (ca. 750 words). Give citations, either within text or as footnotes, and list them at the end in a separate bibliography. Cite only those sources you are using in your paper. When discussing an interpretation or a source of information, it is good form to mention the author in the text, as if you were having a conversation with her or him: “Magee, in his study of camel bones at Muweilah, argues . . .” If you think of the essay as a presentation of the evidence produced or views held by other authors, then you can have them present different perspectives, have them argue with each other, and leave the resolution of the problem to yourself, or you can stand aside and point out flaws in their arguments or inadequacies in their evidence. By constructing an argument you will help yourself to organize the evidence and your understanding of it. Other organizing principles are (1) the history of scholarship, (2) the chronological ordering of the evidence, (3) a geographical organization (sometimes also chronologically ordered), and (4) comparative evidence.

Archaeology is always centrally concerned with space and time, so you should keep these in mind as you read and assemble evidence and think about the issue at hand.

I am happy to discuss your paper as you work on it, including looking over outlines before the due date.

Grading: fter I have read the paper, I will return it with comments, and then I will ask you to schedule a meeting with me in my office to go over the paper. Some papers will be returned with a note asking you to re-write it, but in general my policy is to permit re-writes for any paper with a grade of 3.3 or lower.

Suggested topics: You are welcome to write on a subject of your own choosing, although I recommend you let me know beforehand, so that I can advise you on it.

§ figurines

§ architecture and fortifications

§ pottery

§ chronology

§ stone tools

§ sealings and administration

§ art and style

§ metallurgy

There follow some bibliographic introductions to these. You can find more bibliography on Rutter’s website and of course in the footnotes and bibliographies of your readings. You can pick and choose among these, but I have already culled them.

chronology

J. Coleman, "The Chronology and Interconnections of the Cycladic Islands in the Neolithic Period and Early Bronze Age," AJA 78(1974) 333-344.

R. L. N. Barber and J. A. MacGillivray, "The Early Cycladic Period: Matters of Definition and Terminology," AJA 84(1980) 141-157.

J. B. Rutter, "Some Observations on the Cyclades in the Later Third and Early Second Millennium B. C.," AJA 87(1983) 69-76.

J. Rutter, "The Early Cycladic III Gap: What It Is and How To Go About Filling It Without Making It Go Away," in J. A. MacGillivray and R. L. N. Barber (eds.), The Prehistoric Cyclades (Edinburgh 1984) 95-107.

J. A. MacGillivray, "The Relative Chronology of Early Cycladic III," in J. A. MacGillivray and R. L. N. Barber (eds.), The Prehistoric Cyclades (Edinburgh 1984) 70-77.

C. Renfrew, "From Pelos to Syros: Kapros Grave D and the Kampos Group," in J. A. MacGillivray and R. L. N. Barber (eds.), The Prehistoric Cyclades (Edinburgh 1984) 41-54.

C. Doumas, "EBA in the Cyclades: Continuity or Discontinuity?," in E. B. French and K. A. Wardle (eds.), Problems in Greek Prehistory (Bristol 1988) 21-29.

S. Manning, The Absolute Chronology of the Aegean Early Bronze Age: the Evidence of Archaeology, Cultural Interrelations and Radiocarbon (Sheffield 1995).

figurines

J. L. Fitton, Cycladic Art (London 1989).

P. Getz-Preziosi (ed.), Early Cycladic Art in North American Collections (Richmond 1987).

C. Renfrew, The Cycladic Spirit: Masterpieces from the Nicholas P. Goulandris Collection (London 1991).

J. F. Cherry, "Beazley in the Bronze Age? Reflections on Attribution Studies in Aegean Prehistory," in R. Laffineur and J. L. Crowley (eds.), EIKON: Aegean Bronze Age Iconography: Shaping a Methodology [Aegaeum 8] (Liège 1992) 123-144.

C. Chippindale and D. Gill, "Material and Intellectual Consequences of Esteem for Cycladic Figures," AJA 97(1993) 601-660.

C. Chippindale and D. Gill, "Cycladic Figurines: Art vs. Archaeology?," in K. W. Tubb (ed.), Antiquities: Trade or Betrayed. Legal, Ethical and Conservation Issues (London 1995) 131-142.

P. Getz-Preziosi, Early Cycladic Sculpture: an Introduction (Malibu 1985).

E. Hendrix, “Painted Ladies of the Early Bronze Age,” Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin 55 (1998) 4-15.

G. L. Hoffman, “Painted Ladies: Early Cycladic II Mourning Figures?,” AJA 106 (2002) 525-550.

C. Renfrew, "The Development and Chronology of the Early Cycladic Figurines," AJA 73(1969) 1-32.

A. C. Renfrew, "Speculations on the Use of Early Cycladic Sculpture," in J. L. Fitton, Cycladic Art (London 1989) 24-30.

pottery

J. E. Coleman, "'Frying Pans' of the Early Bronze Age Aegean," AJA 89(1985) 191-219.

J. B. Rutter, "Early Helladic Pottery: Inferences about Exchange and Production from Style and Clay Composition" in C. and P. Zerner and J. Winder (eds.), Wace and Blegen: Pottery as Evidence for Trade in the Aegean Bronze Age 1939-1989 (Amsterdam 1993) 19-37.

architecture and fortifications

C. Doumas, "Notes on Early Cycladic Architecture," AA 87 (1972) 151-170.

V. L. Aravantinos, "The EH II Fortified Building at Thebes: Notes on Its Architecture," in R. Hägg and D. Konsola (eds.), Early Helladic Architecture and Urbanization (Göteborg 1986) 57-63.

F. Felten, "Early Urban History and Architecture of Ancient Aigina," in R. Hägg and D. Konsola (eds.), Early Helladic Architecture and Urbanization (Göteborg 1986) 21-28.

S. Harrison, "Domestic Architecture in Early Helladic II: Some Observations on the Form of Non-monumental Houses," BSA 90(1995) 23-40.

K. Kilian, "The Circular Building at Tiryns," in R. Hägg and D. Konsola (eds.), Early Helladic Architecture and Urbanization (Göteborg 1986) 65-71.

D. Konsola, "Stages of Urban Transformation in the Early Helladic Period," in R. Hägg and D. Konsola (eds.), Early Helladic Architecture and Urbanization (Göteborg 1986) 9-19.

D. Konsola, "Settlement Size and the Beginning of Urbanization," in P. Darcque and R. Treuil (eds.), L'habitat égéen préhistorique (Athens 1990) 463-471.

J. W. Shaw, "The Early Helladic II Corridor House: Development and Form," AJA 91(1987) 59-79.

J. W. Shaw, "The Early Helladic II Corridor House: Problems and Possibilities," in P. Darcque and R. Treuil (eds.), L'habitat égéen préhistorique (Paris 1990) 183-194.

D. J. Pullen, "A 'House of Tiles' at Zygouries? The Function of Monumental Early Helladic Architecture," in R. Hägg and D. Konsola (eds.), Early Helladic Architecture and Urbanization (Göteborg 1986) 79-84.

M. H. Wiencke, "Building BG at Lerna," in R. Hägg and D. Konsola (eds.), Early Helladic Architecture and Urbanization (Göteborg 1986) 41-45.

stone vessels

P. Getz-Gentle, Stone Vessels of the Cyclades in the Early Bronze Age (University Park 1996).

sealings and administration

J. Crouwel, "A Recently Discovered Early Helladic Pendant from Geraki, Lakonia," in P. P. Betancourt, V. Karageorghis, R. Laffineur, and W.-D. Niemeier (eds.), MELETEMATA: Studies in Aegean Archaeology Presented to Malcolm H. Wiener as He Enters His 65th Year [Aegaeum 20] (Liège/Austin 1999) 149-154.

J. H. Crouwel, M. Prent, G. Vogelsang-Eastwood, and J. Weingarten, "Early Helladic II Sealings from Geraki in Lakonia: Evidence for Property, Textile Manufacture, and Trade," OJA [forthcoming].

M. C. Heath, "Early Helladic Clay Sealings from the House of the Tiles at Lerna," Hesperia 27(1958) 81-120.

D. J. Pullen, "A Lead Seal from Tsoungiza, Ancient Nemea, and Early Bronze Age Aegean Sealing Systems," AJA 98(1994) 35-52.

J. Weingarten, "Another Look at Lerna: An EH IIB Trading Post?," OJA 16(1997) 147-166.

J. Weingarten, J. H. Crouwel, M. Prent, and G. Vogelsang-Eastwood, "Early Helladic Sealings from Geraki in Lakonia, Greece," OJA 18(1999) 357-376.

M. H. Wiencke, "Further Seals and Sealings from Lerna," Hesperia 38(1969) 500-521.

M. H. Wiencke, "The Lerna Sealings," in Die kretisch-mykenische Glyptik und ihre gegenwärtige Probleme [CMS Beiheft] (Marburg 1974) 149-172.

art and style

M. H. Wiencke, "Art and the World of the Early Bronze Age," in G. Cadogan (ed.), The End of the Early Bronze Age in the Aegean (Leiden 1986) 69-92.

trade and exchange

C. Agourides, "Sea Routes and Navigation in the Third Millennium Aegean," OJA 16(1997) 1-24.

C. Broodbank, "The Longboat and Society in the Cyclades during the Keros-Syros Culture," AJA 93(1989) 319-337.

C. Broodbank, "Ulysses without Sails: Trade, Distance, Knowledge and Power in the Early Cyclades," WA 24:3(1993) 315-331.

metallurgy

N. H. Gale and Z. A. Stos-Gale, "Cycladic Lead and Silver Metallurgy," BSA 76(1981) 169-224.

N. H. Gale and Z. A. Stos-Gale, "Cycladic Metallurgy," in J. A. MacGillivray and R. L. N. Barber (eds.), The Prehistoric Cyclades (Edinburgh 1984) 255-276.

G. Nakou, "The Cutting Edge: A New Look at Early Aegean Metallurgy," JMA 8:2(1995) 1-32.

C. Renfrew, "Cycladic Metallurgy and the Aegean Early Bronze Age," AJA 71(1967) 1-20.

Z. A. Stos-Gale, "Cycladic Copper Metallurgy," in A. Hauptman, E. Pernicka, and G. A. Wagner (eds.), Old World Archaeometallurgy [Die Anschnitt, Beiheft 7] (Bochum 1989) 279-292.

Z. A. Stos-Gale, N. H. Gale, and G. R. Gilmore, "Early Bronze Age Trojan Metal Sources and Anatolians in the Cyclades," OJA 3:3(1984) 23-43.

Z. A. Stos-Gale, "The Role of Kythnos and Other Cycladic Islands in the Origins of Early Minoan Metallurgy," in L. G. Mendoni and A. J. Mazarakis Ainian (eds.), Kea - Kythnos. History and Archaeology (Athens 1998) 717-735.