Introduction: The Age of Heroes: Treasures of Ancient Greece (02:40)

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This film presents the earliest known Greek art and follows the evolution of technique, including Eastern influences.

City of Knossos (04:02)

In 1900, Evans traveled to Crete Island. An archaeological dig uncovered the city of Knossos. He reconstructed sections to bring the Minoan world alive.

Minoan Culture (03:11)

Bulls played a major role in the ceremonial lives of the Minoans. The big picture pieced together by Evans of Knossos was of a people at one with nature.

City of Pompeii (02:59)

In 1967, a team of Greek archaeologists discovered a "ghost town" buried underneath layers of volcanic ash. Named Pompeii, this preserved structure offers visual evidence of what life was like on Santorini before the island was obliterated.

Akrotiri Frescoes (03:28)

Minoan art depicts a lush and sunny world. Akrotiri frescoes unleash visual energy by exhibiting straight forward elements.

Mycenaean Colonization (01:33)

In 1600 B.C., the island of Santorini was blown apart by a volcanic eruption. Preserved frescoes depict fighting men, Mycenaeans, taking over Knossos and Crete. Mycenaean art offered a contrast from the paradise imagined in the art of the Minoans.

Mycenae Treasures (05:49)

Mycenae was a fortress built by warriors for warriors. To enter you had to pass through a lion gate. Underneath shaft graves, Schliemann discovered hundreds of golden objects.

Greek Art & Identity (02:48)

Raised designs on golden cups reveal a political story of a docile civilization dominated by another's fiercer way of life. Legends left-over from the Mycenaean mythical era would inform Greek art and shape Greek identity.

Greek Dark Ages (02:10)

During the Greek Dark Ages, Mycenae and other kingdoms across the Mediterranean fell apart. The human figure vanished from Greek art for centuries.

Mythology in Sculptures (03:30)

Evidence on Euboea Island reveal that life in the Dark Ages wasn't quite as dark as once thought. A small centaur offers the first depiction of mythology in Greek sculpture.

Human Figure Returns (04:38)

In 750 B.C., the human figure returns to Greek art. This marked the start of the Greek obsession with human form. Vases depict grotesque animals and free-flowing geometric patterns.

Black Figure Technique (04:06)

At a studio in Athens, artists spend years learning how to faithfully reproduce the black figure technique. Its bold graphic approach opened up possibilities for story telling.

Eastern Influences (03:55)

Greek identity was stimulated by foreign influences. At Heraion of Samos, a hoard of treasures showing distinct Eastern influence was discovered.

Divine Delphi (04:22)

Delphi, Greece was a place to come together to share poetry and religion or compete in athletics. It later became a sanctuary.

Siphnian Treasury (03:08)

The Siphnian treasury had an elaborate frieze depicting the human form coming to life. The frieze presents a war between gods and giants to rule the world.

Relaxed Form (02:40)

Art, a catalyst for competition, began to bind Greeks together. Artists relaxed into a technique that was unmistakably Greek, an expressive attempt to understand how human anatomy works.

Tyrant Slayers (03:14)

By the end of the 6th century B.C., Athens was emerging as the dominant city state in Greece. Two Athenian citizens murdered the brother of the cities tyrant ruler. Athens commissioned statues of these "tyrant slayers."

Credits: The Age of Heroes: Treasures of Ancient Greece (00:50)

Credits: The Age of Heroes: Treasures of Ancient Greece