This volume, an INSTAP supported publication, is foremost a companion guide to the Aegean collections at the Ashmolean Museum, but similarly functions as an accessible introductory text on Aegean Prehistory. Composed of eight chapters by UK-based scholars, the volume teases out some of the historiographical, geographical and thematic narratives woven through both the Aegean World Gallery and the redeveloped Ashmolean. The volume operates in three parts: the first three chapters introduce the museum, Aegean collections and historical circumstances around Evans's work in Crete; the next three chapters move geographically and temporally around the Aegean; while the final two chapters focus on the substantial collections of scripts and seals at the Ashmolean. Throughout, there is sustained emphasis on the role of Sir Arthur Evans in shaping the museum in his role as Keeper (1884–1908) and in procuring the lion's share of Aegean artefacts held in the collection.
The first chapter by Walker stands in lieu of an editor's introduction, situating the Aegean World Gallery within the context of the redeveloped Ashmolean Museum and illuminating the museological intentions behind the new layout. Walker places subtle emphasis on the geographical relationships between galleries and their complex interconnections, manifest in the glass cases that both create inter-visibility and house entangled objects. The overarching theme of the new museum ‘Crossing Cultures, Crossing Time’ challenges static categories and collections, and unites objects from various curatorial departments — a feat that must have posed a logistical challenge just as much as a discursive or ideological one.
The editor's contribution, Chapter 2, constitutes the guide aspect of the volume and provides chronological, geographical and historical contexts to both the Aegean World gallery and the other chapters. G. provides a short history of the collection in relation to Evans and other key figures, and a breakdown of the exhibition by moving through its intended stages: the Early Cyclades; Sir Arthur Evans and Minoan Crete, where ‘Minoans’ are represented in various object-specific, chronological and thematic displays; and Mycenaean Greece, expressed in a ceramics case and a case of famous replicas. In certain displays the interleaving of various kinds of artefact has been elegantly achieved through partially superimposed categories, for example a diachronic section on the reception of Bronze Age Greece pulls together turn-of-the-century forgeries, Minoan seals and Classical currency. It is refreshing to see objects displayed so that they resonate on multiple levels, enmeshed in contextually activated networks of association. By negotiating the often difficult categorical thresholds, G.'s chapter both mirrors and enhances what I assume is the intended effect of the gallery.
Fitton paints the historical scene around Sir Arthur Evans, and it is hard to tell whether she genuinely reveres the man dubbed the ‘doyen of Cretan excavators’, or whether she prefers an extended exploration of his faults. His central role in Aegean archaeology is emphasised for better or worse, and it makes for fascinating reading. She gives an insightful précis of the context of Evans's beginnings in relation to his contemporaries, the Ashmolean Museum and the site of Knossos, rightly foregrounding its initial excavation by Minos Kalokairinos. Fitton meditates on the impact of Evans's reconstructions, both in publication and in concrete, as well as highlighting his ability to be fooled by fake artefacts. Avoiding glorification, this chapter presents less of Evans's strengths and more of his flaws, but it is perhaps a necessary corrective to the Aegean gallery itself.
The next three chapters introduce the Cyclades, Crete and Mainland Greece respectively, and also serve as stimulating introductory pieces for general readers. Sherratt begins with a general overview of Early Cycladic culture, before an extended exploration of the archaeology and reception of marble objects, including the famous figurines. She emphasises the impact of ‘attribution’ on the perceived value of artefacts, as this form of authority becomes bound up with object biographies and persists to the present.
Minoan Crete is addressed by Bennet, who highlights its regionality and diversity, imparting nuance to processes that would be easy to overlook in an introductory text. In particular, he presents palatial complexes as ‘crystallizing out of a mixture of cultural practices within various regions’ (p. 104), and takes pains to distinguish between the palimpsests of Proto-palatial complexes and the more uniform architectural toolkit utilised in the building of Neo-palatial complexes. Throughout, Bennet maintains a refreshing focus on these monumental structures as both architectural and social, emphasising the performative and embodied aspects of their emergence. Similarly, he frames the role of portable objects such as sealstones and stone vessels in the Aegean collection as indicators of performance in elite cultural practice. Bennet briefly overviews changes that occurred on Crete after LM IB, segueing into the Mycenaean world addressed in the following chapter.
Davis problematises the boundaries of ‘Mainland Greece’ vis-à-vis ancient and modern geopolitical conceptions, before painting the historical backdrop for the Mycenaean excavations, anecdotally outlining Schliemann's discovery and interpretation of the famous Shaft Grave finds. Davis's descriptions do much to vivify the landscapes of the major sites of Mycenae and Pylos, allowing the reader to visualise these places with ease. He brings similar animation to points of interest in Mycenaean belief, technology and administration, the latter is addressed in the volume's final two chapters.
The administrative systems used on Crete and the mainland were sophisticated and extensive, utilising an interlocking system of seals and script to control goods and information. The emergence and use of script as an administrative device is addressed by Bendall, who surveys its early use on Crete before extensively exploring the world of Linear B. Though the chapter asymmetrically favours Linear B over Minoan scripts, this allows Bendall to engage critically with the fascinating story of Linear B's decipherment and provide commentary on a number of tablets.
Hughes-Brock introduces seal technology in Bronze Age Greece, primarily focusing on stylistic changes to seals during Proto- and Neo-palatial Crete. She subtly highlights that the majority of seals at the Ashmolean — having been selected by Evans himself — represent ‘the cream of Cretan seal-engraving’ and that more ‘“ordinary” seals are under-represented’ (p. 153). This is an under-representation further compounded in the gallery, for example, there is a marked discrepancy between the 60 three-sided prism seals held by the museum and the two on display (p. 157). Hughes-Brock nicely weaves through various iconographic and material changes to seals and rings, highlighting the better-known stylistic groups and pieces, including the questionable ‘Nestor Ring’. The chapter is illustrated by very high-quality images which enhance her discussion.
Throughout, significant effort has been invested in overall cohesion and inter-referencing images, which are supplied with informative captions. There are some remarkable archival images of the Knossos excavations at the turn of the twentieth century (especially figs 40–4). Yet the volume is not without oversights. There are missed opportunities to convey meaningfully the relative scale of artefacts which were instead turned into page-fillers (such as figs 160–1), and several small typographical errors (figs 187, 261, 327). However, these do not detract from the volume which on the whole is well-illustrated, well-written and accessible. The essays vary in nuance and flavour, to some extent betraying the mismatched conceptions of individual scholars as to what constitutes writing for a general audience. However, this has the effect of creating a multi-vocal volume, unified in the shared goal of making the Ashmolean Aegean collections accessible and intelligible to the broader public. Even though the volume is primarily a companion guide written to illuminate the objects in its eponymous gallery, it also operates well as a stand-alone introductory text for casual Aegeanists.
