The Aftermath of the Bronze Age Collapse: An Expert Q&A on the Migrations and Re-establishment of the World

Summary

This Q&A discusses the aftermath of the Bronze Age collapse, covering different regions affected and how they bounced back. The discussion includes mass movements of Greek-speaking people, the decline and transformation of Levantine societies, the emergence of a settlement system, and the shift to cremation and urn burials in middle Europe.

Table of Contents

• The Hittite State and the Mycenaean Kingdoms: Internal Problems and Analogies
• The Aftermath of the Trojan War: Mass Movements of Greek-Speaking Peoples
• The Transformation of Levantine Societies and the Emergence of a New Centre
• The Re-Establishment of a New Settlement System and the Ability to Move to Iron Production
• The Shift to Cremation and Urn Burials in Middle Europe

Q&A

1. The Hittite State and the Mycenaean Kingdoms: Internal Problems and Analogies

Q: What were the internal problems that the Hittite state faced?
A: The Hittite state faced opposition within the ruling elite, a decrease in royal authority, and disobedience from vassal rulers. Moreover, small groups of raiders disrupted trading networks in the Near East, and some people from southern Asia Minor became mercenaries.

Q: How did the fall of the Hittite empire serve as an analogy for the decline of the Mycenaean kingdoms in Crete and mainland Greece?
A: Although the palaces on Crete and the Greek mainland collapsed, the majority of settlements underwent some contraction, but others continued to flourish. Religious sites were still used, but religion was bound to change with the collapse of the palaces. The ruins of the old palaces were reused for religious purposes. On the Greek mainland, the fall of the Mycenaean palaces was gradual, and it was accompanied by an increase in cultural regionalism.

2. The Aftermath of the Trojan War: Mass Movements of Greek-Speaking Peoples

Q: What happened after the Trojan War?
A: The period after the Trojan War was characterized by mass movements of Greek-speaking peoples around the Aegean basin, and there were said to have been four major migrations in the Aegean. The historicity of these migrations is deeply controversial, but linguistic and archaeological evidence suggests that these later traditions were not invented out of thin air.

Q: What can you say about the uniformity of dialect in Ionia?
A: The relative uniformity of dialect in Ionia, for example, could be the result of later harmonization of different local dialects, and the linguistic map of central and northwestern Asia Minor was quite different by the classical period from what it had been in the Bronze Age. The linguistic and archaeological evidence suggests that there was a migration of the Dorians that led to a change in the dialect of Greek spoken.

3. The Transformation of Levantine Societies and the Emergence of a New Centre

Q: How were Levantine societies transformed after the Bronze Age collapse?
A: The Levantine situation was transformed by the emergence of a new centre at the powerful city of Tyre, and increasing quantities of Euboean pottery begin to appear at Tyre and other Levantine sites.

Q: Was there any technological development that aided in the re-establishment of societies after the collapse?
A: The invention of a new, stable settlement system was partly due to the ability of the islanders to move from bronze to iron production.

4. The Re-Establishment of a New Settlement System and the Ability to Move to Iron Production

Q: How did the re-establishment of a new settlement system happen?
A: The recovery of Greece was aided by the re-establishment of old external contacts, which were now made by a new class of people. Lefkandi was in contact with other settlements in the Aegean and by the tenth century was part of a Euboean hub with connections to other communities in central mainland Greece, the coast of Thessaly, and some of the Aegean islands.

Q: What was the major technological development that enabled the movement to a new settlement system?
A: The invention of a new, stable settlement system was partly due to the ability of the islanders to move from bronze to iron production.

5. The Shift to Cremation and Urn Burials in Middle Europe

Q: How did middle Europe transform from the Bronze to Iron Age?
A: In contrast to the Aegean, the Bronze to Iron Age transition in middle Europe was marked by a slow growth in settlements with regional unifying factors in burial practices, social organization of the living, weaponry, and technology. The middle European region saw a shift to cremation and urn burials, with prestige given to warrior leaders and their weaponry.

Q: What was the major technology that impacted middle Europe during the transition period?
A: The practice of faience glass making spread throughout temperate Europe due to its attractive nature, while bronze-making was the major technology of the period, seeing an increase in the scale of production and the invention of the lost-wax method of casting.

Conclusion

The Bronze Age collapse affected different regions in different ways. The Hittite state and the Mycenaean kingdoms in Crete and mainland Greece faced internal problems but still managed to survive in different capacities. After the Trojan War, there were mass movements of Greek-speaking peoples around the Aegean basin. Levantine societies transformed, and a new centre emerged in the powerful city of Tyre. The ability to move from bronze to iron production allowed for the re-establishment of a new settlement system. Lastly, the shift to cremation and urn burials in middle Europe marked a significant change in burial practices, with warrior leaders and their weaponry gaining prestige. The Bronze Age collapse opened up a new chapter for the world, with changes that would continue to shape and influence civilizations in significant ways.