After the global revolution and prior to the great destruction much of the internet was preserved by the Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST). Sounds and visions from planet Earth were cherished on long excursions aboard Laurasia. Especially as a sleep aid, but also for entertainment. This - is Tower of Power.
Museum
Selections of art taken from Chris Lehrer's Lyceum under the heading: Window to the Past.
Listen to Soma FM streaming radio, a favorite of the space station Laurasia since the global revolution. You may or may not have to download the free Winamp or Real audio player.
Hittite:hassu (king, reflecting fading royal power)
Egyptian (New Kingdom):kheper (transformation, symbolizing societal upheaval)
English:The Bronze Age Collapse
When the land is shaken, only the strong rebuild. - Egyptian inscription, c. 1200 BCE (adapted from New Kingdom temple reliefs)
Between 1500 and 1000 BCE, the Bronze Age world unraveled in a cascade of collapse, as major civilizations faced invasions, climate shifts, and internal strife. Mycenaean Greece’s palaces burned, Hittite Anatolia fragmented, and Egypt’s New Kingdom weakened under external pressures like the Sea Peoples. Climate change, with droughts lasting decades, disrupted agriculture, as evidenced by pollen records from the Levant. Trade networks, once linking Crete to Mesopotamia, faltered, starving cities of tin and copper for bronze. Yet, amid chaos, new powers rose: China’s Zhou dynasty overthrew the Shang, introducing feudal systems, while early Hebrew tribes in Canaan developed monotheistic traditions. Archaeological finds, like Ugarit’s destruction layers and Zhou bronzes, reveal both devastation and resilience. Religious shifts, from polytheistic temples to early monotheism, reflected societies grappling with crisis. This era of upheaval redrew cultural and political maps, paving the way for Iron Age recovery and new ideologies.
A World in Turmoil
Invasions, droughts, and economic collapse shattered Bronze Age powers, reshaping global civilizations.
Key Features of the Collapse
Mycenaean palace destructions (c. 1200 BCE).
Hittite empire’s fall (c. 1180 BCE).
Sea Peoples’ invasions of Egypt.
Zhou dynasty’s rise in China (c. 1046 BCE).
Early Hebrew monotheism in Canaan.
Disrupted trade and climate shifts.
Seeds of Renewal
Amid collapse, new systems and beliefs emerged, laying foundations for the Iron Age.
Around 1200 BCE, Mycenaean Greece’s palace-based society collapsed, marking the onset of the Greek Dark Ages. Fortified centers like Mycenae, Tiryns, and Pylos were burned, as shown by ash layers and collapsed cyclopean walls. Linear B tablets cease, indicating disrupted bureaucracies. Possible causes include invasions by Dorian tribes, internal revolts, or earthquakes, with drought exacerbating food shortages, per pollen data from Lake Voulkaria. Trade with Egypt and the Levant dwindled, cutting off amber and bronze supplies. Populations declined, with settlements shrinking to villages. Religious practices shifted from palace shrines to local cults, as seen in simpler votive offerings. Archaeological evidence, like reduced pottery quality, suggests cultural regression, yet oral traditions preserved Mycenaean epics, later shaping Homer’s Iliad. By about 1000 BCE, small communities laid roots for Greek city-states. The collapse ended Mycenaean dominance but sparked resilience, setting the stage for classical Greece’s emergence.
Destruction and Decline
Mycenaean palaces fell to fire and disruption, plunging Greece into a cultural and economic nadir.
Mycenaean Collapse Features
Palace destructions (c. 1200 BCE).
End of Linear B script.
Dorian invasions or internal revolts.
Drought and food shortages.
Disrupted trade networks (amber, bronze).
Shift to simpler religious practices.
Archaeological Evidence
Ash layers at Mycenae and Pylos reveal sudden destruction, with pottery decline marking regression.
Legacy of Resilience
Oral traditions preserved Mycenaean culture, influencing later Greek identity.
The Hittite Empire, centered in Anatolia (c. 1600–1180 BCE), collapsed around 1180 BCE under multiple pressures. Based in Hattusa, the Hittites ruled a vast network, with treaties and cuneiform archives, like those found at Boghazköy, documenting diplomacy with Egypt. Invasions by the Sea Peoples, Phrygians, and Kaska tribes overwhelmed defenses, as evidenced by Hattusa’s burned palace. Drought, indicated by tree-ring data from Anatolia, disrupted agriculture, weakening the economy. Trade routes, supplying tin for bronze, faltered, as seen in reduced imports at Ugarit. Religious practices, centered on storm god Tarhunt, persisted in smaller states like Carchemish, preserving Hittite culture. The empire fragmented into Neo-Hittite city-states, losing centralized power. Archaeological finds, including 30,000 tablets from Hattusa, reveal a sophisticated society undone by external and environmental stressors. The Hittite collapse reshaped Anatolia, enabling new powers like the Phrygians to rise, while their legal and diplomatic traditions influenced later cultures.
Empire Under Siege
Invasions and drought shattered Hittite control, fragmenting a once-powerful empire.
Hittite Collapse Milestones
Sea Peoples and Phrygian invasions (c. 1180 BCE).
Hattusa’s destruction by fire.
Drought-induced agricultural failure.
Disrupted tin trade for bronze.
Shift to Neo-Hittite city-states.
Preservation of religious practices.
Archaeological Insights
Hattusa’s tablets and ruins show a sophisticated empire undone by crisis.
Lasting Influence
Hittite diplomacy and culture persisted in successor states, shaping Anatolian history.
Egypt’s New Kingdom (1550–1070 BCE) faced severe challenges by about 1200 BCE, as invasions by the Sea Peoples, a mysterious migrant coalition, targeted its coasts. Ramesses III repelled them at the Battle of Djahy (1178 BCE), as depicted in Medinet Habu reliefs, but at great cost. Drought, evidenced by Nile flood records, reduced agricultural yields, straining resources. Trade disruptions, particularly tin imports, weakened bronze production, as seen in reduced weapon caches. The Report of Wenamun describes Egypt’s declining influence abroad. Religious continuity, with Amun worship at Karnak, sustained morale, but labor strikes, like those at Deir el-Medina (c. 1150 BCE), reveal internal unrest. Archaeological finds, including Ramesses III’s tomb, show wealth but also depletion. By about 1070 BCE, Egypt fragmented into priestly rule, ending the New Kingdom. These crises weakened Egypt’s dominance, but its cultural legacy endured, influencing later Mediterranean powers.
Defensive Struggles
The Sea Peoples and drought tested Egypt’s resilience, undermining its imperial strength.
New Kingdom Challenges
Sea Peoples’ invasions (c. 1178 BCE).
Drought and reduced Nile floods.
Disrupted tin and bronze trade.
Labor strikes at Deir el-Medina.
Amun worship and religious continuity.
Fragmentation into priestly rule (c. 1070 BCE).
Archaeological Evidence
Medinet Habu reliefs and Deir el-Medina papyri reveal Egypt’s defensive and social struggles.
Enduring Legacy
Egypt’s cultural resilience shaped future Mediterranean civilizations despite its decline.
The Zhou dynasty (c. 1046–256 BCE) overthrew the Shang around 1046 BCE, establishing a feudal system that reshaped China. The Mandate of Heaven, a new ideology claiming divine approval for rulers, justified the conquest, as recorded in bronze inscriptions. Centered in the Wei River valley, the Zhou built capitals like Haojing, with rammed-earth palaces. Agriculture expanded, with millet and rice supported by irrigation, as seen in archaeological remains at Feng. Bronze vessels, like the He zun, reflect ritual continuity, honoring ancestors. Trade with Central Asia brought horses and iron, advancing warfare. The Book of Songs, compiled later, preserves Zhou poetry and rituals, showing cultural depth. Social hierarchies deepened, with feudal lords controlling land. Archaeological finds, like Luoyang’s bronze hoards, reveal wealth but also regional tensions. The Zhou’s political and philosophical innovations, including early Confucian ideals, laid foundations for Chinese statecraft, enduring despite later fragmentation.
Mandate of Heaven
The Zhou’s divine mandate introduced a new political ideology, shaping Chinese governance.
Zhou Dynasty Milestones
Overthrow of Shang (c. 1046 BCE).
Mandate of Heaven ideology.
Feudal system and regional lords.
Agricultural expansion (millet, rice).
Bronze rituals and Book of Songs.
Trade with Central Asia (horses, iron).
Archaeological Insights
Feng and Luoyang sites show Zhou’s wealth and feudal organization.
Cultural Foundations
Zhou ideology and culture influenced China’s enduring political traditions.
From 1200–1000 BCE, Hebrew tribes in Canaan developed early monotheism, centered on Yahweh, distinct from regional polytheism. The Merneptah Stele (1208 BCE) mentions “Israel” as a people, the earliest reference. Settling in hill country, Hebrews practiced pastoralism and agriculture, as seen in Shiloh’s remains. Oral traditions, later written in the Torah, describe covenants with Yahweh, emphasizing ethical laws. Archaeological sites, like Megiddo’s altars, suggest simple worship without grand temples, contrasting with Canaanite practices. Trade with Phoenicians brought olive oil and pottery, fostering cultural exchange. Social organization, led by judges like Deborah, preceded monarchy. The Hebrews’ monotheism, rooted in texts like the Song of the Sea, offered resilience amid regional chaos, as empires like Egypt weakened. This spiritual shift laid the foundation for Judaism, influencing Western religious traditions, with its emphasis on covenant and justice enduring through centuries.
Monotheistic Shift
Hebrew monotheism offered a new spiritual framework, distinct from Bronze Age polytheism.
Hebrew Developments
Early monotheism and Yahweh worship (c. 1200 BCE).
Merneptah Stele reference to Israel (c. 1208 BCE).
Pastoral and agricultural settlements.
Oral traditions of the Torah.
Trade with Phoenicians (oil, pottery).
Judge-led governance before monarchy.
Archaeological Evidence
Shiloh and Megiddo sites reveal modest Hebrew settlements and worship.
Lasting Impact
Hebrew monotheism shaped Judaism and influenced global religious thought.
Summary: The Bronze Age Collapse exposed systemic weaknesses, as elite-driven empires crumbled under invasions and droughts, deepening inequalities and disrupting trade, forcing societal reinvention.
Summary: Invasions and climate shifts shattered Mycenaean and Hittite powers, but Zhou and Hebrew innovations balanced loss with new ideologies, reshaping civilizations for the Iron Age.
Summary: Amid collapse, Zhou feudalism and Hebrew monotheism preserved order and values, reflecting humanity’s resilience in rebuilding stable, meaningful societies from crisis.
Lyceum
Welcome to Space Station Laurasia! All passengers and crew members receive a personal device called a Lyceum, which serves as a journal to record and share information with family and friends via neutrionic mobile or desktop devices back on Earth’s surface. This is the Lyceum of Raymond Sheen.
Animations: Dragonset, Matters of Grave Concern, The Pillars of Barad-Dur, Heart of Stone, Golden Leaves, Gravity, and Dragons in Moonlight, by Steven David Bennett
Quo Vadis? [Latin] - Where Are You Going?
You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You're on your own, and you know what you know. And you are the guy who'll decide where to go. - Dr. Seuss
