Crete and the Cyclades in LM I: the Tale of The
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SKRIFTERSKRIFTER UTGIVNA UTGIVNA AV AV SVENSKASVENSKA INSTITUTETINSTITUTET II ATHEN, ATHEN, 4°, 4”, XXXII XXX11 ACTAACTA INSTITUTI INSTITUTI ATHENIENSIS REONIREGN1 SUECIAE. SUECIAE, SERIES SERIES IN IN 4°,4@, XXXII XXX11 OffprintOffprin t TheThe MinoanMinoan ThalassocracyThalksocracy MythMyth and and Reality Reality ProceedingsProceedings of the ThirdThird InInternational terna tional Symposium Symposium atat the the Swedish Swedish Institute Institute in in Athens, Athens, 31 31 May May-5-5 June,June, 19821982 EDITEDEDITED BYBY RobinRobin Hagg H&gg andand NannoNanno MarinatosMarinatos 1•11."". 01.41. -411.41P11.4111P"a - . • • " \•4, c I lg •• 4111111111111111111111rre STOCKHOLMSTOCKHOLM1984 1984 CreteCrete andand the Cyclades inin LMLM I: TheThe TaleTale ofof thethe ConicalConical Cups bybY MalcolmMalcolm H.H. Wiener TheThe nature of MinoanMinoan presencepresence andand influence influence in in the the Cy-CY- AA "Versailles“Versailles effect"effect ” is is mostmost likely to occur wherewhere thethe cladesclades inin LM I1 is my central topic.topic. Before Before turning turning to to the the ar- ar- culturalcultural prestige of one societysociety withinwithin an an interconnecting interconnecting set set chaeologicalchaeological evidence, letlet usus consider consider two two cautionary cautionary tales tales ofof societiessocieties isis great,great, as was surely the case in thethe BronzeBronze Age Age ofof historical interaction betweenbetween societies.societies. ForFor these these two two AegeanAegean with regard toto Crete Crete from from the the beginning beginning of ofthe theold old typestypes ofof interaction,interaction, whichwhich are are polar polar opposites opposites with with respect respect palacespalaces through through LM LM IB. IB. toto movementmovement ofof peoplepeople versusversus adoptionadoption of culture,culture, II shallshall KeepingKeeping in in mind mind thesethese cautionary cautionary tales,tales, let us begin our useuse thethe termsterms "karum “karum contact" contact ” and and "Versailles “Versailles effect". effect”. inquiryinquiry intointo thethe nature of MinoanMinoan impactimpact onon the the Cyclades Cyclades AsAs thethe obvious exampleexample ofof karum contact,contact, considerconsider thethe withwith aa brief reviewreview of thethe relevantrelevant historicalhistorical background. background. AssyrianAssyrian trading colony ofof Kultepe—KarumKttltepe-Karum Kanesh. FromFrom TheThe Minoan settlement on on Kythera Kythera beginning beginning in in EM EM II andII and thethe tabletstablets we know itit existedexisted for for 150-200 150-200 years years as aas trad- a trad- thethe appearanceappearance in Crete ofof gold,gold, silver,silver, tin,tin, ivory, ivory, ostrich ostrich inging centercenter where large quantitiesquantities of of goods goods including including metals metals eggs,eggs, EgyptianEgyptian stonestone vases and scarabsscarabs togethertogether with with the the andand textiles werewere exchanged.exchanged. The tablets showshow thethe karumkarum emergenceemergence ofof what seemseem toto be be harbor harbor towns towns in Easternin Eastern leviedlevied taxestaxes on passing caravans,caravans, offered offered storage storage facilities, facilities, CreteCrete at Mochlos.Mochlos, PalaikastroPalaikastro and and Zakros Zakros in EMin EM II or II EM or EM providedprovided creditcredit in the mannermanner ofof a abank bank and and operated operated a a IIIIII give the first evidenceevidence ofof MinoanMinoan overseas overseas interest. interest. With With complexcomplex judicial system.system. It It had had intensive intensive commercial commercial rela- rela- MMMM IA,IA. Minoan potterypottery begins begins to to appear appear at at various various sites sites in in tionstions withwith atat least one other karumkarum and and controlled controlled other other As- As- syriansyrian tradingtrading colonies. YetYet asas MachteldMachteld Mellink,Mellink, JamesJames Mellaart andand others others have have * observed,observed, had thethe tabletstablets not not survived survived little little else else would would sug- sug- gestgest thethe existence ofof an AssyrianAssyrian colony, colony, since since the the colonists colonists Acknowledgements.Acknow/cdgements. MyMy thanks thanks are are due due first first to to P. P.Betancourt. Betancourt, G.G. Cadogan. E. Davis,Davis, J. J. Davis, Davis, 0. Dickinson,0. Dickinson, E. French. E. French, V.Y. adoptedadopted local architecture andand pottery. pottery.' ’ Cadogan, Hankey,Hankey. S. Iakovidis.lakovidis, J.J. Ruttcr,Rutter, P.P. Warren, Warren, and and V.Y. WatrousW8trous for The situationsituation with regardregard toto Karum Karum Kanesh Kanesh is is not not unique. unique. theirtheir generous responsesresponses toto manymany requestsrequests forfor information information and and Tablets tell us of manymany Assyrian Assyrian trading trading colonies colonies in in Anato- Anato- advice.advice. E. Bennett,Bennett, N. N. Coldstream. Coldstream, K. K.Demakopoulou, Demakopoulou, K. Erim. K. Erim, S. S. lia.lia. At otherother major major excavated excavated sites suchsuch asas BogazkayBogazkOy and Hood, V.V. Lambrinudakis. Lambrinudakis, J. J. Lloyd, Lloyd, Y. Y. Lobos,Lolos. S. Martin.Martin. J. J. Alishar, again only thethe tabletstablets givegive anyany clearclear indicationindication ofof Mellaart,Mellaart. M. Mellink,Mellink. L. Morgan,Morgan, J.J. Muhly, Muhly, P. P. Muhly, Muhly, T. T. Pa- laima,Iaima. andand T.T. StechStech have have provided provided comments comments on on aa draft ofof the the mo- mo- the presence of an Assyrian trading colony.colony. the presence of an Assyrian nograph fromfrom which which this this paper paper is taken,is taken, or givenor given other other significantsignificmt Whereas trading colonies maymay leaveleave littlelittle or or no no trace, trace, assistance.assistance. My apologies apologies go go to anyoneto anyone also alsodeserving deserving of thanks of thanks conversely close similarity inin architecture,architecture, furniture, furniture, paint- paint- whose name I have omittedomitted inadvertently. inadvertently. ing,ing, decorativedecorative arts,arts, clothing, clothing, jewelry, jewelry, the the pastimes pastimes of of ’ PersonalPersonal communications.communications. See,Sec. however, thethe paperpaper byby K.K. Bra- youth andand even the language of thethe upperupper classesclasses maymay ap-ap- nigan at thisthis SymposiumSymposium (infra)(infro) and thethe references references there there cited cited sug-sug- pear in two or moremore societies societies without without political political control, control, eco- cco- gesting thatthat intramuralintramural burials burials at at the the site site might might indicate indicate the the pres-prcs- ence of Assyrians.Assyrians. Lacking Lacking a cemeterycemetery or or burials burials of ofa knowna known date date nomic domination or a major movementmovement of of people people from from the the nomic domination or a major we do notnot knowknow what what the the standard standard burial burial practice practice was, was, and and it is it is culturally dominant society.society. I I have termed thisthis typetype of of possible thatthat some of thethe burials burials encountered encountered may may have have beenbeen extra- interactioninteraction thethe "Versailles“Versailles effect",effect ”, after thethe widespreadwidespread mural before expansionexpansion ofof thethe site.site. WithoutWithout the the tablets tablets it seemsit seems imitation of thethe courtcourt of of Versailles Versailles in in the the 18th 18th Century. Century. doubtful therethere would would be be any any suggestion suggestion that that these these burials burials were were spe-spc- French influence beganbegan to to rework rework the the style style of ofpolite polite life lifein in cifically Assyrian.Assyrian. ForFor the the Assyrian Assyrian colonies colonies in in general, general, seesee M.M. T. Larsen, 'The‘The old AssyrianAssyrian coloniescolonies in Anatolia',Anrtolia ’, JAOS 94,94, 1974.1974, Germany duringduring andand after thethe ThirtyThirty Years Years' ’War War (1618-(1618- pp. 468-475. Of Of course course the the Assyrian Assyrian karum karum was was but but one one type type of of 48),48). sparked in partpart byby the the arrival arrival of of Huguenot Huguenot emigres,imigr&, trading colony, andand notnot all all trading trading colonies colonies lack lack distinctive distinctive arti-mi- during the periodperiod knownknown asas the the Alamode. WithWith thethe 18th 18th facts. RelevantRelevant factorsfactors include include easecase of transport,transport, whether whether the the Century came aa second.second, greater greater wave wave of of cultural cultural influence, influence, settlers includeinclude womenwomen oror artisans, andand the acceptabilityacceptability ofof local local pottery bothboth forfor daily daily use use and and ritual. ritual. as minimini-Versailles-Versailles' sprang ’ sprang up up in in Gotha, Gotha, Kassel Kassel andand Berlin. 2* H.H. and and R. R. Kahanc. Kahane, ‘Decline 'Decline and and survival survival of ofwestern western prestige prestige Voltaire, whilewhile in inBerlin Berlin in 1750, in 1750,commented: commented: "Je“Jc meme languages',languages ’, LanguageLsnguage55. 55, 1979.1979, p. p. 188. 188. This This article article was was brought brought to to trouve iciici en en France. France. On On ne ne parlepark que notrcnoire langue."languc.“’2 my attention by by J. J. Davis. Davis. 18IS Malcolm H. H. Wiener Wiener