ATHENS – A groundbreaking archaeological discovery is rewriting the history of ancient Greece, suggesting its cultural resurgence began a century earlier than previously believed. New research, focusing on pottery styles, reveals a shorter “Dark Age” and a significantly longer Greek Renaissance.
For decades, the timeline of ancient Greece relied heavily on Athenian pottery. This placed the start of the Iron Age, and the end of the Mycenaean era, around 1025 BC. However, a protogeometric vessel unearthed at Eleon in central Greece is challenging this established narrative.
The vessel, adorned with distinctive concentric circles, dates back to the late 12th century BC – a full century earlier than such a style was thought to exist. Scientific analysis traces its origins to northern Greece, indicating a flourishing artistic tradition outside of Athens much earlier than previously imagined.
“This discovery is a game-changer,” explains the Protogeometric amphora . “It not only pushes back the start of the protogeometric period but also suggests a period of stylistic overlap between Mycenaean and protogeometric pottery.”
This overlap significantly shortens the so-called “Dark Age,” the period following the collapse of Mycenaean civilization. Instead of an abrupt cultural break, the findings point to a more gradual transition and a more resilient Greek society.
Source: https://phys.org/news/2024-11-ancient-greece-cultural-century-earlier.html
