The Bronze Age covers a large swath of time. The exact dates depend on the region in question. For example, the Aegean Bronze Age is usually dated ca. 3000 to 1000 BC.
The “Treasury of Atreus”
A Late Bronze Age tomb near Mycenae
Very near the Bronze Age citadel of Mycenae (Greece) lies a monument that is referred to as the “Treasury of Atreus”. But it is not a treasury, and the name of its original owner is unknown.
Studies in Bronze Age Aegean Archaeology
A book celebrating the career of John G. Younger
On the occasion of his retirement, Brent Davis and Robert Laffineur have put together a Festschrift to honour the life and career of Aegean archaeologist John G. Younger. Josho discusses the book and highlights some of his favourite chapters.
A face from the past
A plaster head from Mycenae
From the Bronze Age citadel of Mycenae comes a plaster head of a figure with a penetrating gaze, white skin, and red rosettes on the forehead, cheeks, and chin. Who or what does this figure represent?
A survey of Mycenaean warfare
Evidence from the Late Bronze Age Aegean
There are a lot of bad takes with respect to what warfare was like in the Late Bronze Age Aegean. In this article, Josho Brouwers offers a comprehensive overview of Mycenaean warfare.
An Age of Heroes?
The setting of the ancient Greek myths
The ancient Greek stories about gods and heroes are set in a time long ago. Did the ancient Greeks believe that their tales were set during the period that we today refer to as the Bronze Age? The answer is no, but this requires some qualification.
The day an island was shattered
The eruption of Thera
The modern island of Thera is actually the rim of an old volcano. This volcano had erupted during the Bronze Age. What effect did this massive eruption have in the Aegean, and on nearby Crete in particular?
The cemetery at Armenoi
A Late-Minoan archaeological site
About 8 km south of Rethymno, along the road to Spili, lies the well-signposted archaeological site of Armenoi. It is a cemetery with more than 200 chamber tombs dated to the Late Bronze Age.
From blue boy to blue monkey
Reconstructing a fresco from Knossos
Our ideas of the past are often based on mere scraps of evidence. Nowhere is this more literally true than when it comes to reconstructing ancient wall-paintings, such as the “Saffron Gatherer” from Knossos.
Confronting “Collapse”
An anarchist perspective on the end of the Bronze Age
The publication of a new edition of Eric Cline’s book 1177 BC causes Josho to think about how we frame “collapse”, and whether the end of hierarchical societies is really as bad as many scholars seem to suggest.
An equid from Phaistos
A closer look at a terracotta figurine
The Archaeological Museum of Iraklion has a terracotta rhyton of an equid carrying two vessels. Over time, the interpretation and date for this object have changed. Let’s take a closer look.