Mainland Greece

Abstract

AbstractThis article traces the geographical scope of mainland Greece bordered by Albania, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and Bulgaria to the north and the Cyclades and Crete to the south. The period is the Early Bronze Age, or Early Helladic (EH) denoting the mainland, during the time span between the preceding Final Neolithic period and the ensuing Middle Bronze Age. In close to ninety years of archaeology on mainland Greece, little has altered Carl Blegen's main outline of the EH period. Admittedly, the historical conclusions were modified since Blegen believed that a dramatic and complete cultural break could be seen at the end of the EH III period, whereas John Caskey reached the conclusion that a notable break in southern Greece occurred between EH II and EH III, while a second break took place in central Greece at the end of EH III.