William R. Biers. 1996. Cornell University Press, Ithaca. 2nd edition ISBN 0-8014-3173-5 (alkaline paper). 335 pages, plus 8 pages of suggestions for further reading, a bibliography, and a glossary; and an index.
A Misnomer: But in a Good Sense
The Archaeology of Greece is an overview of the present understanding of the roots of Classical Greece. The title is, however, a misnomer. A better title might have been the Art and Architecture of Classical Greek and her Immediate Ancestors.
Sculpture and Architecture
The introductory chapter to this book provides a brief exposition of the history of archaeology in the country, and a dip into the methodology of the science; the remaining nine chapters discuss periods of Greek civilization, beginning with the Minoan culture and ending with the Hellenistic period. Although some amount of information is provided on the economic and political changes that were instituted with successive cultural changes, the emphasis in this book is on the metamorphosis of the art, on the roots of what is thought of as classical Greek sculpture and architecture, and on how the arts flourished and modulated over the centuries. One of the chief advantages of the book is the fascinating glimpse it provides when one flips through the pages to watch how the art of sculpture of the Minoan and Mycenaean period slowly gained in confidence on its way to the classical Greece forms--or perhaps a better way to think of it, is how the loving treatment of the male human form in marble developed.
Frescos and Figurines
Frescos and figurines and architecture are also covered in detail, but the real heart of this book is the study of the development of interest and study of the human body. Plenty of black and white photographs and 17 beautiful color plates help to define and illustrate the basic themes of the book, and the text is well-written and informative, if a bit dry in places.
In Short, A History of the Art
If you’re looking for a book on excavations, on site descriptions, on economics or social changes or politics or artifact analysis in the ancient Greek world, look elsewhere. But, for a history of the art of sculpture, painting, and architecture of Classical Greece and her immediate ancestors, the Archaeology of Greece is an excellent choice.
