Product Description

The discoveries in Crete, Greece, and the Aegean islands that began a century ago were nothing less than stunning, and seemed to give shape and substance to tales of the Minotaur and the Labyrinth, of Theseus and Ariadne, of Minos and Icarus. Ancient Aegean Art is the first comprehensive historical introduction to the art and architecture Crete, mainland Greece, and the Cycladic islands in the Aegean, beginning with the Neolithic period, before 3000 BCE, and ending at the close of the Bronze Age and the transition to the Iron Age of Hellenic Greece (c.1000 BCE).

Covering a broad range of objects and artefacts, from sealstones to pots to buildings and settlements, Preziosi and Hitchcock discuss both the historiography of the field of ancient art history and explain the artefacts original intentions and functions. In chronologically organized chapters, the authors emphasize the more widely known images and structures, with a glimpse at the lesser-known but important discoveries, explaining their design, uses, meanings, and formal developments. Ancient Aegean Art incorporates the latest archeological discoveries and theoretical and methodological developments, in the only volume to examine both Crete and the mainland.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #253628 in Books
• Published on: 2000-02-24
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 264 pages

Review
`a compact and attractive introduction to the subject' John Bennet, THES, 9/6/00

`This powerful account of 2,000 years of Aegean culture is a must for pilgrims and sun-worshippers' The Observer, 24.10.99

About the Author

Donald Preziosi is Professor of Art History at UCLA, where he developed and directs the art history critical theory program, as well as the UCLA museum studies program.
Louise Hitchcock is a Research Associate of the Institute of Archaeology at UCLA. She received the prestigious Edward A. Dickson Fellowship on several occasions prior to completing her Ph.D., and was a Fellow of the American School of Classical Studies, Athens.

Customer Reviews

A little Biased but what book isn't?
It is a little biased but a critical reader will have no problem discerning what is fact and what is opinion. It is certainly more factual than many "archaeological" magazines out there. Definitely worth a read for anyone interested in Bronze Age Crete (Minoan Crete). Mycenae is spoken of (as our other Aegean sites) but the Minoans are the definitive focus of this book (as well as the Therans)