already wrote 7.5 pages I just need 2.5 in order to make it 10, and i need the rest proof read. I really need this paper by Thursday morning. 12/10/15

AEGEAN ART:
THE CYCLADIC PERIOD
CYCLADIC ART
It is in Greece where the western tradition really finds its roots. For this reason it is crucial to study Greece in order to understand the influence behind much of modern western culture. Amongst the many influences of ancient Greece, art is truly one of the most prominent. The ancient Greeks were the first to develop the standards of esthetic beauty that we still use today. Studying the art produced in ancient Greece is fundamental to the art produced to this day. Aegean art, is a term often used to describe the works that flourished in the Greek islands of the Aegean Sea. Aegean art is composed of a vast and rich history, and it is commonly broken into a few major civilizations: Cycladic, Minoan, and the Mycenaeans. They are known as the Bronze Age cultures of the Aegean (stockstad). Monumental sculpture and art began to flourish in the sixth century. Attica and the Cyclades, areas with good marble resources, developed in Artich times (Palagia 32). The Cycladic people were once a thriving group of people, who were later subsumed by the Minoan and Mycenaean cultures. Therefore it is of great importance to study their art as it most likely had a great deal of influence with the following art – like the classical.
WHO WERE THE CYCLADIC
They would have been called the Klyklades in ancient Greece. This word is derived from the word Klyklos, which in Greek means cycle. They were evidently given this name due to the arrangement of the islands, for they were arranged in a circle around the island of Delos. Prosperous in approximately 3200 BC, the Cycladic civilization marks the transition from the Neolithic period to the Bronze Age. The location of the Cycladic people is vital. The cluster of about 30 small islands in which the Cycladic civilization resided is more or less in the center of the Mediterranean and Aegean Sea. It can be concluded that these islands saw heavy traffic in terms of trade. With all the trade taking place it is not unlikely that the art produced in the Cycladic islands, was influential to the art produced in Crete and even in the mainland. Scholars have traditionally viewed Cycladic sculpture as a rather self-contained phenomenon because of the works gradual evolution. It began with a rather primitive look and then evolved to a more naturalistic esthetic.

ARCHEOLOGY
James Theodore Bent is widely recognized to be the first archeologist to conduct research on the Cyclades. The British explorer traveled to the Aegean region in the 1890s ( James). While James Theodore Bent focused his work on the gravesites of Antiparos, his successors U. Kholer, and Christos Tsountas, explored “Syros, Paros, Despotiko, Siphnos, Amorgos (and) Kastri…(Campus)”. It is without a doubt that the research performed in these islands was hindered in the 1960s due to looters. The reasons behind these lootings will later be discussed. Through their work these archeologist, along with the Greek Archaeological Services, found that the Cyclades were an important culture in the Bronze Age. They also found that these islands were rich in materials such as: iron ores, copper, lead ores, gold, silver, emery, obsidian, and marble. “The marble of Paros and Naxos among the finest in the world (Department)” It is no wonder that most of the art that was discovered was predominantly carved in marble.
GEOMETRIC INFLUENCE
Many Scholars including Pat Gentz-Gentle, noticed that the models of the Cycladic are were not primitive as some people argued. Rather they were designed according to geometric principles and proportions. The figures are carved using a method/device that would be equivalent to that of a compass today. This means that the artist had an artistic process of putting time and effort in the pieces rather than inducing them spontaneously. “There is no other phase of prehistoric Greek art in which scholarship has discerned an equally significant degree of artistic and mathematical conjunction. This combination makes a very prominent reappearance, however, in the art that began to take shape about ooo B.C., especially in Attica, and is called Geometric ( Mertens)”. Deeming the Cycladic art as primitive is just too simple and just plain wrong. Yes, Cycladic art differs from that of the later Greek classical whom are recognized for their realism. However, this type of art was most likely not supposed to be realistic. The nonconforming style of the Cyclades does not equate inferior craftsmanship. They are simply different.
FIGURINES
Although the Cycladic people did not leave behind too much architecture, something else discovered gave people a glimpse into what their society might have been interested in. The figurine findings of the Cyclades are by far the most popular artifact of their civilization. As previously mentioned the Cycladic period was post Neolithic. During this period it was not uncommon to find what is known as fertility goddesses; these tended to be small, female, figurines with exaggerated/geometric proportions. Well, when research was being performed in the Cycladic islands similar figurines were found.
The figures were excavated from grave sites. However, this does not indicate that the vessels were objects used as an iconography of death. On the contrary the popular belief is that they stood as a tangible portrayal of fertility and life. The characters range in size and shape. Due to the vast availability of the material in the area, the pieces were mostly carved out of marble. But other materials such as bone, clay, ivory, and even seashells were used. It is important to note that even though the items that currently sit on glass cases are white, most of them have been found to have traces of pigment. Mineral based pigments like azurite was used for blue and iron ores, or cinnabar was used to depict red. Eyes and hair were painted on the head of the stylized human figures (Mertens).
The Cycladic figurines entice thought for many reasons. For one they are all very different, yet very much the same. Meaning that with the exception of only a few, these figurines widely depicted females instead of males. For this reason it can be assumed that they were meant to be items used to represent fertility. Another indication of this is the inflamed belly. A large percentage of the time the artifacts are depicted with their arms folded over the body. The theories behind this are many, It might have been more practical in terms of carving, or it may have been easier to keep the figures from breaking. As these pieces are studied closely, they tend to indicate time and time again that they were artifacts of iconography.
PERIODS OF CYCLADIC ART

Just as the Bronze Age can be divided into smaller categories so can the Cycladic. The Grotta-Pelos (Early Cycladic I ) was a period which was generally very peaceful. “found on Paros, Antiparos, and Naxos, as well as Melos, Thera, and Amorgos (campus)”. The art produced during this period was mainly pottery, particularly vases. This wide range of vases indicates a thriving ceramic industry at the time (Earle). The figurines in this particular time period are what came to be known as the Violin. These were over simplified and abstract. At first glance they may not seem to be representations of any particular shape because the lack resemblance to humans. They merely consisted of extremities. But when the are compared to the Plastiras it is obvious that the violin shape in maintained (in addition to being more naturalistic) . The head is more pronounced, the proportions are significantly more exaggerated, ears and facial features are carved, and an attempt to carve two separate legs is demonstrated (Gentz).
Early Cycladic II (Keros-Syros Culture; 2800-2300) brings about a few changes in the figurines. The facial features seem to no longer be carved but rather tend to depend on pigment for representation (nose and ears still carved). The highly recognizable folded arm figurine is developed around this time. The Kapsala is one of the earliest. . Kapsalas sport a more slender type of leg, arms are still folded but they vary in position (right below left). These figures are also more commonly carved to demonstrate pregnancy (Getz). One very interesting artifacts from this rage is a pregnant figure with a smaller figure on top of the head. Scholars are not fully sure as to what it is meant to represent (Wells). The figurine of Spedo, named after the grave in Naxian, is introduced- It probably developed from the Kapsala. This becomes the most common type of figure having variations like Early Spedo 2600-2500 and Late Spedo 2500-2400 (Mertens). It is most often recognized by the U shaped head and deepend carving between the legs. After the Dokathismata (2400-2300) enters the large variety of figures. Named after a cemetery site on Amorgos, they are very lengthy forms. The Chalandriani (2300-2200), named after a large burial ground in Syros, is an abridged version of the Dokathsmata. They are overall smaller in length but maintain the wide shoulders causing them to be quite disproportionate.
MALES IN CYCLADIC ART
Males in Cycladic art have a disproportionate amount of representation. Most often they are shown seated or as a musician. Perhaps one of the most famous male figures is the Male Lyre Player. This is a very significant piece of art for various reasons. It is not only one of the earliest piece of sculpture found from the Cycladic Islands (2700-2500), but it is part of group of other harpist that were produced. An approximate total of seven musicians were produce all of them produced in different time periods. Yet, they share similar formats. ” straight, head up, seat well back on his chair or stool, feet parallel to the ground (Getz).”
IMPORTANCE OF MUSIC
The Cycladic people seemingly asserted interest in music. Figures of male harpist are more anomalous than those of female figures, but relevant enough that one can assume aspects the Cycladic society. Some were found in graves, like in many other cultures funerals and music seem to have a sort of symbiotic relationship. Interestingly enough these musical figures are males, and unlike the female counterpart they are clothed. This is quite the opposite from what is seen in the later Greek art where the female sculptures are draped and the male are nude. Another striking observation is that the person’s head is slightly tilted back. This could indicate singing. These are only suggestions. In reality there is not way of knowing because of the lack of written works from the Cycladic societies.
RESEMBLANCE TO CONTEMPORARY ART
Excavation of the Cyclades Islands ceased in the years 1990 through 1950. In the early 1960s interest was once again sparked due to the resemblance to contemporary art. It is truly striking how closely Cycladic figurines and works by artist like Henry Moore or Brancusi look alike.
This rising popularity was more of a curse than a blessing for the works. In terms of the geometric simplicity and abstract surrealism the works are almost identical. So much so, that if place side by side, it is as if they were produced by the same artist. The Cycladic pieces could easily be demonstrated in a 20th century gala and be virtually undetected. But they are surely not the same. The history of the Cycladic sculptures is almost completely stripped away. The vibrant colors that were once present are almost completely deteriorated. What is currently available to the public is so different from what the people of antiquity were producing. The similarities between the modern ear abstraction and the schematic objects of Cyclades is merely a circumstantial coincidence.
TRAGEDY BY LOOTING
As a result of the growing popularity of the Cycladic art in the late 1950s and early 1960s the art community was robbed of crucial information about the art. It is reported by the Smithsonian that only about 10% of the recovered craftsmanship were obtained by professional archaeologist in a controlled environment. The rest was retrieved in the art market. Art that is commoditized in this manner is highly susceptible to forgery. Imitations are made in the modern era to mimic older crafts, and then they are sold to seeking collectors. In addition to forgery many objects are obtained immorally by looters. People attain the archeological artifacts illegally and again sell them on the art market. The detrimental repercussions of these acts are that the original location and conditions of the art’s discovery is unknown, and unfortunately these are important conditions studied by professionals in order to find out more about a society. These conditions cannot be recreated and the archeological records are lost. It us unfortunate to imagine how much information was lost due to this.
The Cycladic period is perhaps one of the lesser studied period in contrast to others like the Minoan and Mycenaean. That does not mean that it is in any way a less impactful period. Through the Cycladic period the study of an artistic phenomenon is possible. It is a period of great importance and even greater mystery. It shant be ignored.

Bibliography
Department of Greek and Roman Art, The Metropolitan Museum of Art. (2015). Early Cycladic Art and Culture. Retrieved November 20, 2015,
Earle, J. (n.d.). 3. In Trade and culture in the Cycladic islands during the Late Bronze Age (p. 274). S.l.: ProQuest, 2008.
Getz-Gentle, Pat (2001). Personal Styles in Early Cycladic Sculpture. Seattle and London: University of Washington Press.
“James Theodore Bent”. Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online.
Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2015. Web. 22 Nov. 2015
Joshua J. Mark. “Aegean,” Ancient History Encyclopedia. Last modified April 28, 2011.
Kenney, M. (2015, February 24). Art History: The Neolithic Art of the Cyclades (Cycladic Islands). Retrieved November 20, 2015,
Mertens, Joan R. “Some Long Thoughts on Early Cycladic Sculpture.” Metropolitan Museum Journal, Vol. 33 (1998).

Sansone, David. (2011) Ancient Greek CivilizationHoboken : Wiley,

Stokstad, Marilyn, and Michael Cothren. Art History. 5th ed. Boston: Pearson, 2013. Print.

already wrote 7.5 pages I just need 2.5 in order to make it 10, and i need the rest proof read. I really need this paper by Thursday morning. 12/10/15

AEGEAN ART:
THE CYCLADIC PERIOD
CYCLADIC ART
It is in Greece where the western tradition really finds its roots. For this reason it is crucial to study Greece in order to understand the influence behind much of modern western culture. Amongst the many influences of ancient Greece, art is truly one of the most prominent. The ancient Greeks were the first to develop the standards of esthetic beauty that we still use today. Studying the art produced in ancient Greece is fundamental to the art produced to this day. Aegean art, is a term often used to describe the works that flourished in the Greek islands of the Aegean Sea. Aegean art is composed of a vast and rich history, and it is commonly broken into a few major civilizations: Cycladic, Minoan, and the Mycenaeans. They are known as the Bronze Age cultures of the Aegean (stockstad). Monumental sculpture and art began to flourish in the sixth century. Attica and the Cyclades, areas with good marble resources, developed in Artich times (Palagia 32). The Cycladic people were once a thriving group of people, who were later subsumed by the Minoan and Mycenaean cultures. Therefore it is of great importance to study their art as it most likely had a great deal of influence with the following art – like the classical.
WHO WERE THE CYCLADIC
They would have been called the Klyklades in ancient Greece. This word is derived from the word Klyklos, which in Greek means cycle. They were evidently given this name due to the arrangement of the islands, for they were arranged in a circle around the island of Delos. Prosperous in approximately 3200 BC, the Cycladic civilization marks the transition from the Neolithic period to the Bronze Age. The location of the Cycladic people is vital. The cluster of about 30 small islands in which the Cycladic civilization resided is more or less in the center of the Mediterranean and Aegean Sea. It can be concluded that these islands saw heavy traffic in terms of trade. With all the trade taking place it is not unlikely that the art produced in the Cycladic islands, was influential to the art produced in Crete and even in the mainland. Scholars have traditionally viewed Cycladic sculpture as a rather self-contained phenomenon because of the works gradual evolution. It began with a rather primitive look and then evolved to a more naturalistic esthetic.

ARCHEOLOGY
James Theodore Bent is widely recognized to be the first archeologist to conduct research on the Cyclades. The British explorer traveled to the Aegean region in the 1890s ( James). While James Theodore Bent focused his work on the gravesites of Antiparos, his successors U. Kholer, and Christos Tsountas, explored “Syros, Paros, Despotiko, Siphnos, Amorgos (and) Kastri…(Campus)”. It is without a doubt that the research performed in these islands was hindered in the 1960s due to looters. The reasons behind these lootings will later be discussed. Through their work these archeologist, along with the Greek Archaeological Services, found that the Cyclades were an important culture in the Bronze Age. They also found that these islands were rich in materials such as: iron ores, copper, lead ores, gold, silver, emery, obsidian, and marble. “The marble of Paros and Naxos among the finest in the world (Department)” It is no wonder that most of the art that was discovered was predominantly carved in marble.
GEOMETRIC INFLUENCE
Many Scholars including Pat Gentz-Gentle, noticed that the models of the Cycladic are were not primitive as some people argued. Rather they were designed according to geometric principles and proportions. The figures are carved using a method/device that would be equivalent to that of a compass today. This means that the artist had an artistic process of putting time and effort in the pieces rather than inducing them spontaneously. “There is no other phase of prehistoric Greek art in which scholarship has discerned an equally significant degree of artistic and mathematical conjunction. This combination makes a very prominent reappearance, however, in the art that began to take shape about ooo B.C., especially in Attica, and is called Geometric ( Mertens)”. Deeming the Cycladic art as primitive is just too simple and just plain wrong. Yes, Cycladic art differs from that of the later Greek classical whom are recognized for their realism. However, this type of art was most likely not supposed to be realistic. The nonconforming style of the Cyclades does not equate inferior craftsmanship. They are simply different.
FIGURINES
Although the Cycladic people did not leave behind too much architecture, something else discovered gave people a glimpse into what their society might have been interested in. The figurine findings of the Cyclades are by far the most popular artifact of their civilization. As previously mentioned the Cycladic period was post Neolithic. During this period it was not uncommon to find what is known as fertility goddesses; these tended to be small, female, figurines with exaggerated/geometric proportions. Well, when research was being performed in the Cycladic islands similar figurines were found.
The figures were excavated from grave sites. However, this does not indicate that the vessels were objects used as an iconography of death. On the contrary the popular belief is that they stood as a tangible portrayal of fertility and life. The characters range in size and shape. Due to the vast availability of the material in the area, the pieces were mostly carved out of marble. But other materials such as bone, clay, ivory, and even seashells were used. It is important to note that even though the items that currently sit on glass cases are white, most of them have been found to have traces of pigment. Mineral based pigments like azurite was used for blue and iron ores, or cinnabar was used to depict red. Eyes and hair were painted on the head of the stylized human figures (Mertens).
The Cycladic figurines entice thought for many reasons. For one they are all very different, yet very much the same. Meaning that with the exception of only a few, these figurines widely depicted females instead of males. For this reason it can be assumed that they were meant to be items used to represent fertility. Another indication of this is the inflamed belly. A large percentage of the time the artifacts are depicted with their arms folded over the body. The theories behind this are many, It might have been more practical in terms of carving, or it may have been easier to keep the figures from breaking. As these pieces are studied closely, they tend to indicate time and time again that they were artifacts of iconography.
PERIODS OF CYCLADIC ART

Just as the Bronze Age can be divided into smaller categories so can the Cycladic. The Grotta-Pelos (Early Cycladic I ) was a period which was generally very peaceful. “found on Paros, Antiparos, and Naxos, as well as Melos, Thera, and Amorgos (campus)”. The art produced during this period was mainly pottery, particularly vases. This wide range of vases indicates a thriving ceramic industry at the time (Earle). The figurines in this particular time period are what came to be known as the Violin. These were over simplified and abstract. At first glance they may not seem to be representations of any particular shape because the lack resemblance to humans. They merely consisted of extremities. But when the are compared to the Plastiras it is obvious that the violin shape in maintained (in addition to being more naturalistic) . The head is more pronounced, the proportions are significantly more exaggerated, ears and facial features are carved, and an attempt to carve two separate legs is demonstrated (Gentz).
Early Cycladic II (Keros-Syros Culture; 2800-2300) brings about a few changes in the figurines. The facial features seem to no longer be carved but rather tend to depend on pigment for representation (nose and ears still carved). The highly recognizable folded arm figurine is developed around this time. The Kapsala is one of the earliest. . Kapsalas sport a more slender type of leg, arms are still folded but they vary in position (right below left). These figures are also more commonly carved to demonstrate pregnancy (Getz). One very interesting artifacts from this rage is a pregnant figure with a smaller figure on top of the head. Scholars are not fully sure as to what it is meant to represent (Wells). The figurine of Spedo, named after the grave in Naxian, is introduced- It probably developed from the Kapsala. This becomes the most common type of figure having variations like Early Spedo 2600-2500 and Late Spedo 2500-2400 (Mertens). It is most often recognized by the U shaped head and deepend carving between the legs. After the Dokathismata (2400-2300) enters the large variety of figures. Named after a cemetery site on Amorgos, they are very lengthy forms. The Chalandriani (2300-2200), named after a large burial ground in Syros, is an abridged version of the Dokathsmata. They are overall smaller in length but maintain the wide shoulders causing them to be quite disproportionate.
MALES IN CYCLADIC ART
Males in Cycladic art have a disproportionate amount of representation. Most often they are shown seated or as a musician. Perhaps one of the most famous male figures is the Male Lyre Player. This is a very significant piece of art for various reasons. It is not only one of the earliest piece of sculpture found from the Cycladic Islands (2700-2500), but it is part of group of other harpist that were produced. An approximate total of seven musicians were produce all of them produced in different time periods. Yet, they share similar formats. ” straight, head up, seat well back on his chair or stool, feet parallel to the ground (Getz).”
IMPORTANCE OF MUSIC
The Cycladic people seemingly asserted interest in music. Figures of male harpist are more anomalous than those of female figures, but relevant enough that one can assume aspects the Cycladic society. Some were found in graves, like in many other cultures funerals and music seem to have a sort of symbiotic relationship. Interestingly enough these musical figures are males, and unlike the female counterpart they are clothed. This is quite the opposite from what is seen in the later Greek art where the female sculptures are draped and the male are nude. Another striking observation is that the person’s head is slightly tilted back. This could indicate singing. These are only suggestions. In reality there is not way of knowing because of the lack of written works from the Cycladic societies.
RESEMBLANCE TO CONTEMPORARY ART
Excavation of the Cyclades Islands ceased in the years 1990 through 1950. In the early 1960s interest was once again sparked due to the resemblance to contemporary art. It is truly striking how closely Cycladic figurines and works by artist like Henry Moore or Brancusi look alike.
This rising popularity was more of a curse than a blessing for the works. In terms of the geometric simplicity and abstract surrealism the works are almost identical. So much so, that if place side by side, it is as if they were produced by the same artist. The Cycladic pieces could easily be demonstrated in a 20th century gala and be virtually undetected. But they are surely not the same. The history of the Cycladic sculptures is almost completely stripped away. The vibrant colors that were once present are almost completely deteriorated. What is currently available to the public is so different from what the people of antiquity were producing. The similarities between the modern ear abstraction and the schematic objects of Cyclades is merely a circumstantial coincidence.
TRAGEDY BY LOOTING
As a result of the growing popularity of the Cycladic art in the late 1950s and early 1960s the art community was robbed of crucial information about the art. It is reported by the Smithsonian that only about 10% of the recovered craftsmanship were obtained by professional archaeologist in a controlled environment. The rest was retrieved in the art market. Art that is commoditized in this manner is highly susceptible to forgery. Imitations are made in the modern era to mimic older crafts, and then they are sold to seeking collectors. In addition to forgery many objects are obtained immorally by looters. People attain the archeological artifacts illegally and again sell them on the art market. The detrimental repercussions of these acts are that the original location and conditions of the art’s discovery is unknown, and unfortunately these are important conditions studied by professionals in order to find out more about a society. These conditions cannot be recreated and the archeological records are lost. It us unfortunate to imagine how much information was lost due to this.
The Cycladic period is perhaps one of the lesser studied period in contrast to others like the Minoan and Mycenaean. That does not mean that it is in any way a less impactful period. Through the Cycladic period the study of an artistic phenomenon is possible. It is a period of great importance and even greater mystery. It shant be ignored.

Bibliography
Department of Greek and Roman Art, The Metropolitan Museum of Art. (2015). Early Cycladic Art and Culture. Retrieved November 20, 2015,
Earle, J. (n.d.). 3. In Trade and culture in the Cycladic islands during the Late Bronze Age (p. 274). S.l.: ProQuest, 2008.
Getz-Gentle, Pat (2001). Personal Styles in Early Cycladic Sculpture. Seattle and London: University of Washington Press.
“James Theodore Bent”. Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online.
Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2015. Web. 22 Nov. 2015
Joshua J. Mark. “Aegean,” Ancient History Encyclopedia. Last modified April 28, 2011.
Kenney, M. (2015, February 24). Art History: The Neolithic Art of the Cyclades (Cycladic Islands). Retrieved November 20, 2015,
Mertens, Joan R. “Some Long Thoughts on Early Cycladic Sculpture.” Metropolitan Museum Journal, Vol. 33 (1998).

Sansone, David. (2011) Ancient Greek CivilizationHoboken : Wiley,

Stokstad, Marilyn, and Michael Cothren. Art History. 5th ed. Boston: Pearson, 2013. Print.