Thanks for watching. Please do hit "like" on the video, it really helps me out! If you enjoy videos like this please support the channel on Patreon: www.patreon.com/dandavisauthor Check out my Bronze Age fantasy novels on Amazon: amzn.to/3xngwz5
@roberto lang you're the height of intellect Roberto...if they weren't beautiful than why did their civilizations thrive...true beauty isnt cultural.. it's universal...sit down
So strange. I randomly clicked on your video and to my shock at 45 seconds in you used images of Cucuteni figurines that I made. They are some of the ceramic prehistoric mother goddesses/fertility figures that I used to sell on Etsy. 🙂 Loved the video!
@@DanDavisHistory ❓at 17:21 what is the mark under the woman's eyebrow? It looks like it could be part of her eyeliner. Like the cat-eye eyeliner popular today and with the ancient Egyptians? It doesn't look like it's damage, looks like it was deliberately painted there. Or did they paint other markings on their face? Im so interested in their makeup
Archeologist: Why did Minoan women have bare breast? Archeologist 2: It must have been for ritual purposes! Me: It gets hot in Crete sometimes. Maybe they didn't want sweaty boobs. *get defenestrated by archeologists*
@@dreamyrhodes ancient greece art is porn. View vase painings. Read the ilias. Satyrs playing the flute to make women shed their clothes and go wild in the forest. The very concept of nymphs. Bare breasted amazons, sirens, harpyies... Fighting war over the most beautiful woman in the world. Godesses competing over who is the most beautiful. Zeus seducing this girl, abducting that girl... The examples are endless.
I was at work when I got the notification...and was like hell yea ...who needs to watch my daily podcast when I get home ..I put your playlists on every night as I wind down and drift into sleep with this knowledge
Every video Dan makes is a must match in my books! But his Bronze age, and Neolithic videos are especially great, and are my particular favourite time periods! Keep on crushing it Dan! Your work gets better and better, and so many of us greatly appreciate what you do! You are just such a fantastic writer, and the stories really come alive when you tell them. Keep it up, I wish you all the success in the future, and that you so clearly deserve, particularly for such fantastic writing and storytelling. I am just imagining how much better a high budget Bronze Age documentary would be if you were hired to write and do the narration for it! Just imagine how fantastic it would be if you Dan had access to the funds for a full blow documentary, with actors, re-enactments, video editors, CGI, on location filming, and even a top notch Sound Designer! If anyone in a decision making position within a production company that makes high budget documentaries has seen your work, and hasn’t immediately contacted you, need to have their brains checked 😂! If I were in their position, I would be scrambling to get you onboard to write and direct documentaries! Curious as to if Dan has been approached at all to do some freelance writing for any bigger production…
I’ve always been annoyed and distracted when I watch depictions of pre historic people where they are shown as filthy matted haired smeared with dirt and grime, random furs hanging off them any old way and just generally messy. No animals allow themselves to be dirty and messy for hygienic reasons and also to give away their scents. The idea that earlier humans would neglect themselves in this way doesn’t track.This has been a pet peeve of mine for a while.
@@dayofthejackyl Granted, I’m forcing the issue here. I said it was a pet peeve. But if people were taking stock of their attire and beauty in historic times why not in pre historic? No creatures live their lives covered in filth, not even rats and roaches! So why depict early people that way? It’s purpose is to reassure us that we live far better lives than our ancient forbears despite indications that people actually lived healthier lives before agriculture and densely populated communities.
@@Iknowknow112exactly! I think people regardless of the era enjoy feeling good, looking their best, or at least maintaining some hygiene habits. It’s also seems to be an evolutionary benefit as well. In reality, many prehistoric and Bronze Age cultures did care about their appearance and hygiene. They had practices for personal grooming, and archaeological evidence has shown that they used tools like combs, razors, hand mirrors, jewelry, and even cosmetics. These ancient cultures had a keen understanding of the importance of cleanliness and hygiene for health and social interactions.
It never ceases to amaze me just how much we can see our modern lifestyles through these artifacts from thousands of years ago. A woman with a mirror, dressing herself to make herself as beautiful as possible, accentuated by bright colors amazing jewelry? I could be talking about someone alive today, or one of these women from Crete. Some behaviors just seem to transcend time and culture, really amazing.
@@SL-es5kb I said we can see our own behaviors through these artifacts. That people thousands of years ago did the same things we do. You literally took the complete opposite meaning I wrote.
Sounds like lots of women across the Bronze age world really liked how the Minoans did things, stylewise. And why not, they were stunning! Also I find it amusing and very endearing that even so long ago, people probably wanted to look fashionable and beautiful looked to a society they saw as a cultural leader for examples.
Minoans exported a lot (mostly olive oil and other luxuries of the ancient world) and were extremely wealthy by bronze age standards, with some of the largest cities, could produce and build with brick and carved stone and in some places they even built things like water pipes under buildings to ensure water supply. They were in a strategic location for the ancient trade network, so they were rich, their techniques were quite advanced and their location on a large island meant they were mostly safe from invasions. Such a culture probably seemed like a fairytale when traders told (no doubt embellished) stories about them.
Re: red painted dots on the women's faces - Tunisian brides still adorn their faces this way in traditional weddings. Maybe this is a look women have always been partial to? It appears through the ages all over the world. It does look hot.
I counted the dots (petals) on the chin, cheek & forehead tattoos/makeup. My theory is the main larger dot could be the sun. With the small dots being the 9 planets. Astronomy was a very popular science ~ religion back in those days. Evidenced by temples/ burials solar & lunar orientations.
@@andeannafarnes4719except we cant see 9 planets without powerful telescopes. So 5 planets. Plus they didnt know they were planets. They were the wandering stars. Plus im sure they noticed their light was steady rather than twinkling. So diferentiating them.
I have ADD and dyslexia your videos and amazing learning tool. I am in my 50s and I finally learned so much about history and become a real history off because of your videos. Thank you so much for sharing all your wisdom to especially for someone like myself who is always had difficulty reading and learning now I know so much more about the world history again thank you.
The human Odyssey is more than just the story of war, conquest and economic progress but also of daily personal desires and pleasures. Thank you for the reminder.
Please do more of these! I love being able to visualize what people looked like when I read historical fiction, so this is just right up my alley. Well done 👏
Not People, the consciousness inside the snached or chipped body is reptilian/avian persuasion, I'm sorry. See the fertility worship in young woman and their bunny ears are today's sacred prostitution they while holding Ishtars image in the form of StarBucks cup, nothings changed, Cute huh?
19:59 is pretty much the ideal of today's aesthetics, at least in the western world. She is so beautiful, just classic and very impressive because we speak about thousands of years. The epitome of classic beauty.
This is why I find it so unconvincing when people try to dismiss ideals of attractiveness as "modern Western beauty standards" when there is plenty of evidence that these ideals are ancient and stretch at least from Europe to India, if not beyond.
@@peters8512they try to attack western culture wherever they can. They learned beauty is very important in the western culture so they try to change it something unhealthy and ugly. Its not rly working but they try tho wich is concerning
@@jocr1971 is the implication here "let's make a bunch of juvenile comments about bare breasts and then when a woman inevitably expresses the fact that she doesn't like that we'll just say it's nature"?
Peter pringle does a lot of historic music like the epic of gilgamesh sung in babylonian. But one of his older songs is actually an ancient egyptian love song were the writer praises the "Ample hips" of his "sister without equal" It's kind of comforting to know that the more we've changed, the more we've stayed the same.
Fantastic video as always Dan! Looking forward to the one on men's styles. I do talks at events on historical cosmetics in the medieval world and to fully grasp cosmetics practices it's REALLY hard to not "start at the beginning...." and give the patrons a 3 hour long lecture because it really does all go back to this time period!
I know this might sound childish, but hear me out. I am an art Historian and as such I notice patterns and similarities between artworks. I haven't had the time to do much research on this, so this is a preliminary theory, but I think the rosettes on the Mycenaean plaster face goddess are meant to represent the nipple on the breast. If you look at the fresco seen at 10:24 and compare it to 19:06, they are painted the same way, a thicker dot in the center surrounded by smaller dots. Now, this makes sense to me as the breast is by which a mother feeds their child and so has a very important function. Breasts and "child rearing" hips have been emphasized on artworks depicting females for millenia. It would make sense to me that a mother goddess or fertility goddess would wear the design of the most important body part that facilitates the feeding/child care part of procreation. This being said, I am also aware that a majority of the frescos associated with the Minoans and similar groups are touched up. Most of the original paint is gone. The ransom, jagged chunks are what's left and what's been painted in is interpretation, meaning that from the little bit of research I was able to do while listening to this video, the painted nipple may just be an interpretation and I'm making connections that don't exist. It's still absolutely fascinated to get a glimpse at those before us and absolutely infuriating that we'll never know for sure.
I appreciate that it is always taking a chance to put out a new thoughtful thought as some are so ready to dismiss or attack it without consideration. But, insightful observations are a springboard for others to look at things differently to open up discussion. I looked at it again more thoughtfully and see the merit in it. Thanks.
My favorite ancient look is probably Minoan people, although I’m very inspired by the braids on mummies! Scythian warrior braids are my go to style-way better than boring old plaits
Wow, I knew that dress style was popular in Minoan civilization, but I didn't know it extended to the broader Greek Aegean and the Mycenaeans as a whole.
Another great video! The Minoan women's dresses looked amazing. It's such a shame that with the rise of the Urnfield tradition of cremations we were denied an insight into late Bronze Age/ Early Iron Age fashion in Central & Western Europe. Something similar happened with the shift between Pagan and Christian burials in Early Medieval Britain. There is a wealth of information for the Saxons in comparison to the Britons for example. If only we had Minoan & Mycenaean style frescoes for Central & Western Europe during that era - what an amazing insight that would be! As for the suggestion at the end of the video, an overview of Bronze Age male fashion would be great.
I'm more of a sing-me-the-wrath-of-achilles-sorta guy but I must admit that it was a truly fascinating episode. The place of mirrors in minoan society seems so relatable given the place of instagram and the like nowadays.
Very interesting! I am very interested in the female tattoos from prehistory and the ancient world. Can you please do a video on the masks of Europe? Where all the European end of year/early spring celebration of the evil spirits going away and the rebirth of nature with masks and jumping over fire. It exists basically in all Europe and nobody truly knows the origins of these similar rituals and customs.
@@ryano9520 not really. The lower Danube separates Romania from Bulgaria. Cucuteni-Tripyllia is N-E Romania and S-W Ukraine. Vinca culture is in nowadays Serbia. The Balkans were a revolving door into Europe, but still not thoroughly researched area.
@@mimisor66on purpose.Try to dig about TURSKA KOSA,Croatia site. It was biggest spiritual site,right next to status of Delphi,Greece in iron age era. Not investigated properly,because of politics of Europe,and in general putting Balkan area down... Our area is really important,in spiritual heritage tribes that lived here holded,and the way they cremated their dead,rituals...
Great video, as always! Wish you talked about the Egyptians and their depictions of women a bit more since we see some commonalities (I believe it is likely the Aegean cultures borrowed quite a bit from the Egyptians).
Another Bronze Age home run, Dan. Thanks for sharing such a well-researched and entertainingly presented video. Extremely interesting and informative as always!
looking at the voluminous skirts on the minoan women with the distinctive "vee" running through the different patterns on the front, i wonder if they could actually be wearing baggy trousers or "harem" pants.
It's interesting how some cultures sexualize breasts while other's don't or otherwise find toplessness completely normal. It's also interesting how attitudes were easily changed by religion.
Exactly, however it is important to know that Christians didn’t find breast sexual until probably around the 1800s. Before that breast being out was pretty normal and art showed breastfeeding often as holy, with Mary breastfeeding Jesus.
I agree and I'd be careful to assume that simple bared breasts are meant to symbolize Fertility. Mostly it's a climate thing, then it might be just more convenient for working... Most of the time it did not mean anything and across time and cultures breasts had a less prominent place as a focus of attraction then today.
Even in early modern europe, as late as the regency period, having bare breasts was something women often did. During the 1600s many women wore clothes that revealed their breasts
It is absolutely normal that some behaviours or phsical traits are "sexualized". Life itself depends in most cases of sexuality to continue existing. Were you grown in a test tube or artificial womb. What about all your ancestors, almost all animals and plants...? I'm in awe of living nature, call it evolution or creation. (it comes with learning /studying hard ) Educate yourself....
Brilliant video! The ad made me think that even though we've evolved as a society since the Bronze age, we have always wanted to look our best. Beauty, adornment and enhancements will be an everyday thing till the end of time, I'm sure
Star Wars has always been open about borrowing from the past for their designs. Darth Vader's helmet is clearly a Japanese kabuto, while Amidala's clothing is heavily inspired by medieval Chinese fashions, and the Mandalorian helmet is quite obviously inspired by Greek Corinthian helmets and Medieval Italian barbutes.
I have been binge watching this channel. I found you yesterday. I'm surprised it took me all these years. Your content is a very welcome relief to the A.I. generated garbage flooding RUclips lately... Thank You
Thank you for sharing your knowledge about women's history. I don't know if I have ever seen a history documentary just about women. It's a nice change. Women's history is so sorely misunderstood and totally missing.
Another fascinating video! You have a true talent for bringing these ancient cultures to life. Are all of the videos you make put together from research you're doing for your fiction books, or are there some videos you just wanted to make for the sake of it? Thank you as always for the hard work that goes into these videos.
It started as videos about subjects I researched for my novels but it's branched out into whatever I find interesting. I'm still also making videos on subjects I originally researched for books though. I have years and years of content to get through.
Really pumped up by that last flash of Pylos combat agate. It's an extraordinary piece for many reasons, but I'd better leave it's story for Dan to tell.
Excellent video about the cultural aspects of beauty across Bronze Age Europe. One thing to note is that biologically, men of all races tend to have darker skins than women due to Testosterone which darkens skin. All societies since olden days value "light skin" for women as a marker for female beauty. Skin whiteners with dubious ingredients are used by women around the world. Beauty isn't just a human thing, but one exhibited by animals as it's a marker for genetic fitness. Many animals across the animal kingdom exhibit courtship and mates are selected for "beauty". The human face is an excellent proxy for "beauty" or low mutational load. The interesting thing is that both science and art agree that the "average" face is at the minimum attractive to beautiful. These "average" features seems to be hard-wired in not only humans but other animal species (not faces but overall features) as well. There seems to be a mental model that is hard wired with the average face. There have been studies with babies that indicate this as well as reacting more favorably to "average" attractive faces. All faces are seen as deviations from this average in "face space": "the face is too long", "the eyes are too narrow", "the mouth is too wide". Additionally, there is an evolutionary theory called Koinophilia that animals including humans seek mates with minimum mutational deviations from the average. This is one explanation why animals look similar. This idea of the average being beautiful was known in the ancient world. Galen, the Greek physician, said, “whatever form is most beautiful in man or animal is found by seeking the mean within each genus.” Artists from the ancient world to today do just this by "averaging" faces. In fact, there are shortcuts and models to construct this average "beautiful" face. One of the most popular construction methods is called the Loomis Method. You will end up with a symmetrical, average face that is beautiful. Researchers have created composite "average" faces for geographical regions based on thousands of photos. Do a YT search to see these composites. *ADDENDUM Tesosterone & Skin Pigmentation* You're not going to find much research on this due to scientists being careful not to discuss skin color or face cancellation and zero research grants. One interesting side effect for women who receive HRT (hormone replacement therapy) is lightening of their skin. Additionally, men who receive TRT (Tesosterone Replacement Therapy) notice darker skin (not in all cases mind you). A conclusion from a study: "In all groups of animals Tesosterone was found to stimulate melanogenesis" What does this mean? It means that it stimulates Melanin which darkens skin. Source: The Effect of Testosterone on the Melanocytes and Melanin in the Skin of the Intact and Orchidectomised Male Guinea-Pig. Another study which concludes like the first study that Sex hormones have an impact on skin color (Melanin): Sex steroids regulate skin pigmentation through nonclassical membrane-bound receptors
Excellent points. Although this seems to be the case in humans and animals, it makes me wonder how homo sapiens regarded other hominins when they met such as Neanderthals and even homo-erectus, when they said about interbreeding. It's hard to imagine that that either group of the other as average for their species!
This is the first I've heard of testosterone affecting skin color, though I have heard it affects acne. I don't suppose you know of any papers or medical websites describing this?
@@damienvalentine5043 You're not going to find much research on this due to scientists being careful not to discuss skin color or face cancellation and zero research grants. One interesting side effect for women who receive HRT (hormone replacement therapy) is lightening of their skin. Additionally, men who receive TRT (Tesosterone Replacement Therapy) notice darker skin (not in all cases mind you). OK, here's one conclusion from a study: "In all groups of animals Tesosterone was found to stimulate melanogenesis" What does this mean? It means that it stimulates Melanin which darkens skin. Source: The Effect of Testosterone on the Melanocytes and Melanin in the Skin of the Intact and Orchidectomised Male Guinea-Pig. Another study which concludes like the first study that Sex hormones have an impact on skin color (Melanin): Sex steroids regulate skin pigmentation through nonclassical membrane-bound receptors
Skin colour difference based on sex occurring in all “races” is a pretty wild assumption. Unless you leave Australian Aboriginals, several Africans & Asian ethnic groups, etc out of your human race frame. The need for women to be lighter to be considered attractive, or people to be considered upper class, very likely developed somewhere in or around Central Asia in the late Palaeolithic or early Neolithic period. I doubt biology has anything to do with it unless for the purpose of reproductive selection.
@@masehostoryteller1896 As we evolved from apes to humans, the brains of our offspring grew such that they had to be born relatively immature and requiring a huge amount of time and nurture to develop into autonomous adults. It became obvious that a unit of two could successfully raise their offspring better than one alone. But unlike many bird species, humans are not hardwired to pair bond. The females of the species needed to find some way to "captivate" the males so that they would stay with them through the long and arduous task of raising their young. "Love" was invented by various means, not least of which was eye contact. (Mouth-to-mouth kissing and face-to-face copulation are indications of this.) I remember years ago when I was about 12 watching a documentary of anthropologists living amongst a community of Africans who had had extremely limited exposure to Whites. They asked the women why they covered their faces with a pale clay masque (like a foundation), but all the women would say was "Because it's beautiful." And I thought of the anthropologists, "Haven't you fools ever seen a Maybelline commercial?" It was obvious to me as a young girl that the object wasn't light skin; it was the emphasis of the eyes. My point is that it seems to be an almost universal "social" construct that paler skin in women is preferred, but that this might be for entirely biological reasons.
Fantastic video, as always! Seeing the stylized and exaggerated ideals of definitive beauty that resonate today stretched across a millenia is fascinating.
This ad made a clear difference between that period and present. I might or might not agree with some things, but I do respect a lot of them and actually appreciate so many things, including treatments like this 😊
As always Dan, a fascinating video, beautifully put together and edited. Your work really is a joy to watch! Thank you for all the hard work you put into them 👌👏👏👏
Thank you. I have really enjoyed the video. Late Bronze Age is my favourite period of time. These videos that you upload and share with us are full of very interesting information.
7:30 i do believe to remember these are used as indicators of regional stability, because they werent offerings but hidden Valuables.The more wealth is hidden, the more dire the times. Bronze ingots and broken tools are the most valuable objects of the time and bronze has the upside you can "just" recycle so it made sense to value even bronze scraps
Great as always! Must say though. I love your videos on individuals, your telling of historic accounts is always so good. Literally a life story in an hour or so. Whether is was Marshall or baron de rais.
Right. It makes obvious sense that beautiful people would come from a place of beauty like Europe... Its why Irish or Basques have so many beautiful woman...Like Venus figurines
Extremely fascinating topic and very evocative. I wonder to what degree the constantly-bared breasts of Minoan women lost their sexual potency or connotations, like how they seem to have (according to my understanding) in many tribal hunter-gatherer cultures from South America, Africa, and the islands of the Indian & Pacific Oceans? I imagine that they obviously still would be considered beautiful, just as the parts modern women often bare still are today, but it's interesting to ponder that they might not have been considered as sexual as we consider them now. Do we have any indication if the women covered them up as they aged/as their fertility declined, or were they likely bared by at least some women for as long as they lived? My mind also goes to the amber trade. I heard amber jewelry was all the rage back in the Bronze Age, being the height of women's fashion, and was so both before & for a time after, too. I think you've mentioned this trade in your other videos, also! I kind of appreciate that it's not so popular as jewelry nowadays, because it makes it more special to those that still have a taste for wearing it. My mother is Lithuanian, and buying her amber jewelry, sourced from her home, allows her to dress herself in a unique way that honors her heritage quite unmistakably, while also remaining timelessly & objectively fashionable. It's also a point of pride that my ancestors, then, as Balts, would have been indispensable in the stories of the beautiful pieces adorning the women of the cultures showcased here. Thanks for opening up these windows to the past, Mr. Davis. Cheers!
we don't even know if their "standar outfit staly" were being bare-chested. what is more likely is that these type of attires were morely likely only worn by women of the aristocracy, priestesses or queens and probably the way of using them - as in similar cases like how it happened with the ancient egyptians or the mesopotamian world or even in iron age greece - were that perhaps in a good part of the cases they took out their breasts out/or used these outfist without tops in symbolically performances of ritual or sacred contexts/days dates etc.
![Chicken P - People's Favorite (Remix) [Feat. 42 Dugg] (Official Video)](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/a6Bn8FEtxmY/mqdefault.jpg)
Thanks for watching. Please do hit "like" on the video, it really helps me out!
If you enjoy videos like this please support the channel on Patreon: www.patreon.com/dandavisauthor
Check out my Bronze Age fantasy novels on Amazon: amzn.to/3xngwz5
Yes.
@@DanDavisHistory best answer. Please consider Jericho skulls.
@roberto lang you're the height of intellect Roberto...if they weren't beautiful than why did their civilizations thrive...true beauty isnt cultural.. it's universal...sit down
So strange. I randomly clicked on your video and to my shock at 45 seconds in you used images of Cucuteni figurines that I made. They are some of the ceramic prehistoric mother goddesses/fertility figures that I used to sell on Etsy. 🙂 Loved the video!
@@DanDavisHistory ❓at 17:21 what is the mark under the woman's eyebrow? It looks like it could be part of her eyeliner. Like the cat-eye eyeliner popular today and with the ancient Egyptians? It doesn't look like it's damage, looks like it was deliberately painted there. Or did they paint other markings on their face? Im so interested in their makeup
Archeologist: Why did Minoan women have bare breast?
Archeologist 2: It must have been for ritual purposes!
Me: It gets hot in Crete sometimes. Maybe they didn't want sweaty boobs.
*get defenestrated by archeologists*
this is sesquipedalian
@@riccardodececco4404 😒
I am sure they had porn too
Germans and Swedes still go nude in Crete. It is never the hot ones though it is always the fat ones.
@@dreamyrhodes ancient greece art is porn. View vase painings. Read the ilias. Satyrs playing the flute to make women shed their clothes and go wild in the forest. The very concept of nymphs. Bare breasted amazons, sirens, harpyies... Fighting war over the most beautiful woman in the world. Godesses competing over who is the most beautiful. Zeus seducing this girl, abducting that girl... The examples are endless.
Every Aegean Bronze Age video you make is a must watch
I was at work when I got the notification...and was like hell yea ...who needs to watch my daily podcast when I get home ..I put your playlists on every night as I wind down and drift into sleep with this knowledge
Every video Dan makes is a must match in my books! But his Bronze age, and Neolithic videos are especially great, and are my particular favourite time periods!
Keep on crushing it Dan! Your work gets better and better, and so many of us greatly appreciate what you do! You are just such a fantastic writer, and the stories really come alive when you tell them. Keep it up, I wish you all the success in the future, and that you so clearly deserve, particularly for such fantastic writing and storytelling. I am just imagining how much better a high budget Bronze Age documentary would be if you were hired to write and do the narration for it!
Just imagine how fantastic it would be if you Dan had access to the funds for a full blow documentary, with actors, re-enactments, video editors, CGI, on location filming, and even a top notch Sound Designer!
If anyone in a decision making position within a production company that makes high budget documentaries has seen your work, and hasn’t immediately contacted you, need to have their brains checked 😂! If I were in their position, I would be scrambling to get you onboard to write and direct documentaries!
Curious as to if Dan has been approached at all to do some freelance writing for any bigger production…
Every video and every book!!
I’ve always been annoyed and distracted when I watch depictions of pre historic people where they are shown as filthy matted haired smeared with dirt and grime, random furs hanging off them any old way and just generally messy. No animals allow themselves to be dirty and messy for hygienic reasons and also to give away their scents. The idea that earlier humans would neglect themselves in this way doesn’t track.This has been a pet peeve of mine for a while.
The people discussed in this video aren’t prehistoric tho.
@@dayofthejackyl Granted, I’m forcing the issue here. I said it was a pet peeve. But if people were taking stock of their attire and beauty in historic times why not in pre historic? No creatures live their lives covered in filth, not even rats and roaches! So why depict early people that way?
It’s purpose is to reassure us that we live far better lives than our ancient forbears despite indications that people actually lived healthier lives before agriculture and densely populated communities.
@@Iknowknow112You just notice the difference between Hellenes and not Hellenes..Ha
@@Iknowknow112exactly! I think people regardless of the era enjoy feeling good, looking their best, or at least maintaining some hygiene habits. It’s also seems to be an evolutionary benefit as well. In reality, many prehistoric and Bronze Age cultures did care about their appearance and hygiene. They had practices for personal grooming, and archaeological evidence has shown that they used tools like combs, razors, hand mirrors, jewelry, and even cosmetics. These ancient cultures had a keen understanding of the importance of cleanliness and hygiene for health and social interactions.
@@Iknowknow112 It's liberal (as french revolution/ enlightenment) propaganda. They love to say that all of the past was way worse than now.
It never ceases to amaze me just how much we can see our modern lifestyles through these artifacts from thousands of years ago. A woman with a mirror, dressing herself to make herself as beautiful as possible, accentuated by bright colors amazing jewelry? I could be talking about someone alive today, or one of these women from Crete. Some behaviors just seem to transcend time and culture, really amazing.
Well, some say Crete is the birth of Western culture, so, doesn’t really trascend culture.
@@SL-es5kb I said we can see our own behaviors through these artifacts. That people thousands of years ago did the same things we do. You literally took the complete opposite meaning I wrote.
@@SL-es5kb Man you gotta up your reading comprehension.
Bigot. It is only because of the oppressive patriarchy that women do this.
@@adamnesico surely the Cretan culture of ancient times isn't really the same as any culture that is still around, lol.
Sounds like lots of women across the Bronze age world really liked how the Minoans did things, stylewise. And why not, they were stunning! Also I find it amusing and very endearing that even so long ago, people probably wanted to look fashionable and beautiful looked to a society they saw as a cultural leader for examples.
Minoans exported a lot (mostly olive oil and other luxuries of the ancient world) and were extremely wealthy by bronze age standards, with some of the largest cities, could produce and build with brick and carved stone and in some places they even built things like water pipes under buildings to ensure water supply. They were in a strategic location for the ancient trade network, so they were rich, their techniques were quite advanced and their location on a large island meant they were mostly safe from invasions.
Such a culture probably seemed like a fairytale when traders told (no doubt embellished) stories about them.
Re: red painted dots on the women's faces - Tunisian brides still adorn their faces this way in traditional weddings.
Maybe this is a look women have always been partial to? It appears through the ages all over the world. It does look hot.
The red dots look like stylised nipples to me. Which would compute!
I counted the dots (petals) on the chin, cheek & forehead tattoos/makeup. My theory is the main larger dot could be the sun. With the small dots being the 9 planets. Astronomy was a very popular science ~ religion back in those days. Evidenced by temples/ burials solar & lunar orientations.
@@andeannafarnes4719except we cant see 9 planets without powerful telescopes. So 5 planets. Plus they didnt know they were planets. They were the wandering stars. Plus im sure they noticed their light was steady rather than twinkling. So diferentiating them.
Red ochre was associated with the sun. Perhaps the dots represent seasons.
It’s the sun period
humans and physical attraction, an age old tradition that each generation thinks it invented. Love your work and I am grateful you publish it.
I have ADD and dyslexia your videos and amazing learning tool. I am in my 50s and I finally learned so much about history and become a real history off because of your videos. Thank you so much for sharing all your wisdom to especially for someone like myself who is always had difficulty reading and learning now I know so much more about the world history again thank you.
The human Odyssey is more than just the story of war, conquest and economic progress but also of daily personal desires and pleasures. Thank you for the reminder.
Please do more of these! I love being able to visualize what people looked like when I read historical fiction, so this is just right up my alley. Well done 👏
Not People, the consciousness inside the snached or chipped body is reptilian/avian persuasion, I'm sorry. See the fertility worship in young woman and their bunny ears are today's sacred prostitution they while holding Ishtars image in the form of StarBucks cup, nothings changed, Cute huh?
19:59 is pretty much the ideal of today's aesthetics, at least in the western world. She is so beautiful, just classic and very impressive because we speak about thousands of years. The epitome of classic beauty.
This is why I find it so unconvincing when people try to dismiss ideals of attractiveness as "modern Western beauty standards" when there is plenty of evidence that these ideals are ancient and stretch at least from Europe to India, if not beyond.
@@peters8512they try to attack western culture wherever they can. They learned beauty is very important in the western culture so they try to change it something unhealthy and ugly. Its not rly working but they try tho wich is concerning
“We will return to the subject of bared breasts later.” What a great way to keep us listening! LOL
Why are some men such creeps?
@@stephanieyee9784 they can’t help themselves.
@@stephanieyee9784 news flash, boys be boys, and we love tits
@Stephanie Yee why are some woman clueless about nature
@@jocr1971 is the implication here "let's make a bunch of juvenile comments about bare breasts and then when a woman inevitably expresses the fact that she doesn't like that we'll just say it's nature"?
Peter pringle does a lot of historic music like the epic of gilgamesh sung in babylonian. But one of his older songs is actually an ancient egyptian love song were the writer praises the "Ample hips" of his "sister without equal"
It's kind of comforting to know that the more we've changed, the more we've stayed the same.
Who doesn't like hips?
@@BrazilianImperialist Gay dudes.
😆
@@yodasmomisondrugs7959 They do
Historic music?
Fantastic video as always Dan! Looking forward to the one on men's styles. I do talks at events on historical cosmetics in the medieval world and to fully grasp cosmetics practices it's REALLY hard to not "start at the beginning...." and give the patrons a 3 hour long lecture because it really does all go back to this time period!
I know this might sound childish, but hear me out. I am an art Historian and as such I notice patterns and similarities between artworks. I haven't had the time to do much research on this, so this is a preliminary theory, but I think the rosettes on the Mycenaean plaster face goddess are meant to represent the nipple on the breast. If you look at the fresco seen at 10:24 and compare it to 19:06, they are painted the same way, a thicker dot in the center surrounded by smaller dots. Now, this makes sense to me as the breast is by which a mother feeds their child and so has a very important function. Breasts and "child rearing" hips have been emphasized on artworks depicting females for millenia. It would make sense to me that a mother goddess or fertility goddess would wear the design of the most important body part that facilitates the feeding/child care part of procreation. This being said, I am also aware that a majority of the frescos associated with the Minoans and similar groups are touched up. Most of the original paint is gone. The ransom, jagged chunks are what's left and what's been painted in is interpretation, meaning that from the little bit of research I was able to do while listening to this video, the painted nipple may just be an interpretation and I'm making connections that don't exist. It's still absolutely fascinated to get a glimpse at those before us and absolutely infuriating that we'll never know for sure.
Great observation!
I appreciate that it is always taking a chance to put out a new thoughtful thought
as some are so ready to dismiss or attack it without consideration.
But, insightful observations are a springboard for others to look at things differently to open up discussion.
I looked at it again more thoughtfully and see the merit in it. Thanks.
I’m so happy you shared your observations. It made me happy seeing how passionate you are in this
My favorite ancient look is probably Minoan people, although I’m very inspired by the braids on mummies! Scythian warrior braids are my go to style-way better than boring old plaits
Wow, I knew that dress style was popular in Minoan civilization, but I didn't know it extended to the broader Greek Aegean and the Mycenaeans as a whole.
Another great video! The Minoan women's dresses looked amazing. It's such a shame that with the rise of the Urnfield tradition of cremations we were denied an insight into late Bronze Age/ Early Iron Age fashion in Central & Western Europe. Something similar happened with the shift between Pagan and Christian burials in Early Medieval Britain. There is a wealth of information for the Saxons in comparison to the Britons for example.
If only we had Minoan & Mycenaean style frescoes for Central & Western Europe during that era - what an amazing insight that would be!
As for the suggestion at the end of the video, an overview of Bronze Age male fashion would be great.
I'm more of a sing-me-the-wrath-of-achilles-sorta guy but I must admit that it was a truly fascinating episode. The place of mirrors in minoan society seems so relatable given the place of instagram and the like nowadays.
Very interesting! I am very interested in the female tattoos from prehistory and the ancient world.
Can you please do a video on the masks of Europe? Where all the European end of year/early spring celebration of the evil spirits going away and the rebirth of nature with masks and jumping over fire. It exists basically in all Europe and nobody truly knows the origins of these similar rituals and customs.
Ops, I somehow deleted one part of a sentence. I wanted to ask where these rituals and celebrations come from.
Most everything he talked about took place around Greece spanning half a millennia.
@@ryano9520 not really. The lower Danube separates Romania from Bulgaria. Cucuteni-Tripyllia is N-E Romania and S-W Ukraine. Vinca culture is in nowadays Serbia. The Balkans were a revolving door into Europe, but still not thoroughly researched area.
@@mimisor66on purpose.Try to dig about TURSKA KOSA,Croatia site.
It was biggest spiritual site,right next to status of Delphi,Greece in iron age era.
Not investigated properly,because of politics of Europe,and in general putting Balkan area down...
Our area is really important,in spiritual heritage tribes that lived here holded,and the way they cremated their dead,rituals...
Not everything is how mainstream archeology is presenting.on purpose.hiding,mixing,picking and choosing what has relevants.
Sorry,bad english.
Great video, as always! Wish you talked about the Egyptians and their depictions of women a bit more since we see some commonalities (I believe it is likely the Aegean cultures borrowed quite a bit from the Egyptians).
@roberto lang No. Minoans came from Anatolian farmers.
Fantastic, absolutely love your videos for content, style and narration....and of course we Beautiful women deserve a mention ❤🎉🎉
Hey aren't you keeping up with the times? Gender is just a construct of society.....🤪😜😵💫
@@yodasmomisondrugs7959 yep well this construct is a woman 👠
Another Bronze Age home run, Dan. Thanks for sharing such a well-researched and entertainingly presented video. Extremely interesting and informative as always!
As always, extremely informative.
Thank you for this very intriguing video about women in the bronze age! I particularly liked the part about the Saffron Cult.
this was amazing, thank you for your hard work and passion x
looking at the voluminous skirts on the minoan women with the distinctive "vee" running through the different patterns on the front, i wonder if they could actually be wearing baggy trousers or "harem" pants.
It's interesting how some cultures sexualize breasts while other's don't or otherwise find toplessness completely normal. It's also interesting how attitudes were easily changed by religion.
Exactly, however it is important to know that Christians didn’t find breast sexual until probably around the 1800s. Before that breast being out was pretty normal and art showed breastfeeding often as holy, with Mary breastfeeding Jesus.
I agree and I'd be careful to assume that simple bared breasts are meant to symbolize Fertility.
Mostly it's a climate thing, then it might be just more convenient for working...
Most of the time it did not mean anything and across time and cultures breasts had a less prominent place as a focus of attraction then today.
Even in early modern europe, as late as the regency period, having bare breasts was something women often did. During the 1600s many women wore clothes that revealed their breasts
It is absolutely normal that some behaviours or phsical traits are "sexualized". Life itself depends in most cases of sexuality to continue existing. Were you grown in a test tube or artificial womb. What about all your ancestors, almost all animals and plants...?
I'm in awe of living nature, call it evolution or creation. (it comes with learning /studying hard )
Educate yourself....
Brilliant video! The ad made me think that even though we've evolved as a society since the Bronze age, we have always wanted to look our best. Beauty, adornment and enhancements will be an everyday thing till the end of time, I'm sure
For whatever reason, my first thought on seeing the thumbnail was Queen Amidala from the Star Wars prequels. Not sure how I should feel about that.
Star Wars has always been open about borrowing from the past for their designs. Darth Vader's helmet is clearly a Japanese kabuto, while Amidala's clothing is heavily inspired by medieval Chinese fashions, and the Mandalorian helmet is quite obviously inspired by Greek Corinthian helmets and Medieval Italian barbutes.
Wonderful video! I particularly love the many ancient figurines, paintings and other objects you use to illustrate your descriptions.
Have just recently found your channel, cannot stop watching! Thank you for sharing, your video topics never miss.
Fantastic video. Thank you for not being a computer voice! 🙏🏻👌🏻
Bronze Age!! Wooo!
🥰Love the prehistory stuff so much! Thanks Dan! You do such a great job with these..
Honestly shit didn't get good again until the Renaissance after the bronze age. 😢
Fascinating, I wonder if the Mycenaean plaster influenced George Lucas in how the Princess Padme's make up was done.
The Mongolian Queen Genepil, who was killed by Stalin in 1938.
Another excellent video. Thank you for doing this!
you have added so
much valuable and facinating content to the internet for people to learn from . Thanks!
Thanks for all the effort you put into these videos, very entertaining and informative! The production value and aesthetic is top notch!
you are such a good story teller!
Lovely video, Dan. I love videos that focus on social norms.
I never knew I wanted to learn about this. Thank you for bringing this to light.
This is excellent! Would love to see more discussion of ancient women!
I have been binge watching this channel. I found you yesterday. I'm surprised it took me all these years.
Your content is a very welcome relief to the A.I. generated garbage flooding RUclips lately...
Thank You
Another fabulous video Dan, thank you.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge about women's history. I don't know if I have ever seen a history documentary just about women. It's a nice change. Women's history is so sorely misunderstood and totally missing.
Took 2 videos only to get me to sub. Narration stories and presentation so on point.
These videos about ancient material culture and everyday life are always fascinating.
Another fascinating video! You have a true talent for bringing these ancient cultures to life. Are all of the videos you make put together from research you're doing for your fiction books, or are there some videos you just wanted to make for the sake of it? Thank you as always for the hard work that goes into these videos.
It started as videos about subjects I researched for my novels but it's branched out into whatever I find interesting. I'm still also making videos on subjects I originally researched for books though. I have years and years of content to get through.
Really pumped up by that last flash of Pylos combat agate. It's an extraordinary piece for many reasons, but I'd better leave it's story for Dan to tell.
FASCINATING VIDEO!! I would LOVE to see more beauty videos!!
Excellent video about the cultural aspects of beauty across Bronze Age Europe. One thing to note is that biologically, men of all races tend to have darker skins than women due to Testosterone which darkens skin. All societies since olden days value "light skin" for women as a marker for female beauty. Skin whiteners with dubious ingredients are used by women around the world. Beauty isn't just a human thing, but one exhibited by animals as it's a marker for genetic fitness. Many animals across the animal kingdom exhibit courtship and mates are selected for "beauty".
The human face is an excellent proxy for "beauty" or low mutational load. The interesting thing is that both science and art agree that the "average" face is at the minimum attractive to beautiful. These "average" features seems to be hard-wired in not only humans but other animal species (not faces but overall features) as well. There seems to be a mental model that is hard wired with the average face. There have been studies with babies that indicate this as well as reacting more favorably to "average" attractive faces. All faces are seen as deviations from this average in "face space": "the face is too long", "the eyes are too narrow", "the mouth is too wide". Additionally, there is an evolutionary theory called Koinophilia that animals including humans seek mates with minimum mutational deviations from the average. This is one explanation why animals look similar. This idea of the average being beautiful was known in the ancient world. Galen, the Greek physician, said, “whatever form is most beautiful in man or animal is found by seeking the mean within each genus.” Artists from the ancient world to today do just this by "averaging" faces. In fact, there are shortcuts and models to construct this average "beautiful" face. One of the most popular construction methods is called the Loomis Method. You will end up with a symmetrical, average face that is beautiful. Researchers have created composite "average" faces for geographical regions based on thousands of photos. Do a YT search to see these composites.
*ADDENDUM Tesosterone & Skin Pigmentation* You're not going to find much research on this due to scientists being careful not to discuss skin color or face cancellation and zero research grants. One interesting side effect for women who receive HRT (hormone replacement therapy) is lightening of their skin. Additionally, men who receive TRT (Tesosterone Replacement Therapy) notice darker skin (not in all cases mind you).
A conclusion from a study: "In all groups of animals Tesosterone was found to stimulate melanogenesis" What does this mean? It means that it stimulates Melanin which darkens skin. Source: The Effect of Testosterone on the Melanocytes and Melanin in the Skin of the Intact and Orchidectomised Male Guinea-Pig. Another study which concludes like the first study that Sex hormones have an impact on skin color (Melanin): Sex steroids regulate skin pigmentation through nonclassical membrane-bound receptors
Excellent points. Although this seems to be the case in humans and animals, it makes me wonder how homo sapiens regarded other hominins when they met such as Neanderthals and even homo-erectus, when they said about interbreeding. It's hard to imagine that that either group of the other as average for their species!
This is the first I've heard of testosterone affecting skin color, though I have heard it affects acne. I don't suppose you know of any papers or medical websites describing this?
@@damienvalentine5043 You're not going to find much research on this due to scientists being careful not to discuss skin color or face cancellation and zero research grants. One interesting side effect for women who receive HRT (hormone replacement therapy) is lightening of their skin. Additionally, men who receive TRT (Tesosterone Replacement Therapy) notice darker skin (not in all cases mind you).
OK, here's one conclusion from a study: "In all groups of animals Tesosterone was found to stimulate melanogenesis" What does this mean? It means that it stimulates Melanin which darkens skin. Source: The Effect of Testosterone on the Melanocytes and Melanin in the Skin of the Intact and Orchidectomised Male Guinea-Pig. Another study which concludes like the first study that Sex hormones have an impact on skin color (Melanin): Sex steroids regulate skin pigmentation through nonclassical membrane-bound receptors
Skin colour difference based on sex occurring in all “races” is a pretty wild assumption. Unless you leave Australian Aboriginals, several Africans & Asian ethnic groups, etc out of your human race frame. The need for women to be lighter to be considered attractive, or people to be considered upper class, very likely developed somewhere in or around Central Asia in the late Palaeolithic or early Neolithic period. I doubt biology has anything to do with it unless for the purpose of reproductive selection.
@@masehostoryteller1896 As we evolved from apes to humans, the brains of our offspring grew such that they had to be born relatively immature and requiring a huge amount of time and nurture to develop into autonomous adults. It became obvious that a unit of two could successfully raise their offspring better than one alone. But unlike many bird species, humans are not hardwired to pair bond. The females of the species needed to find some way to "captivate" the males so that they would stay with them through the long and arduous task of raising their young. "Love" was invented by various means, not least of which was eye contact. (Mouth-to-mouth kissing and face-to-face copulation are indications of this.)
I remember years ago when I was about 12 watching a documentary of anthropologists living amongst a community of Africans who had had extremely limited exposure to Whites. They asked the women why they covered their faces with a pale clay masque (like a foundation), but all the women would say was "Because it's beautiful." And I thought of the anthropologists, "Haven't you fools ever seen a Maybelline commercial?" It was obvious to me as a young girl that the object wasn't light skin; it was the emphasis of the eyes.
My point is that it seems to be an almost universal "social" construct that paler skin in women is preferred, but that this might be for entirely biological reasons.
Fantastic video, as always! Seeing the stylized and exaggerated ideals of definitive beauty that resonate today stretched across a millenia is fascinating.
I agree that bare breasts are a fascinating subject. Great content as always!
Those dresses should definitely be brought back!
Excellent choice. I'm impressed
Thank you! You've got me hooked.
I'm currently reading The Living Goddesses by Marija Gimbutas so I'm excited to see this video!
Great info man! Thanks for this.
There is a huge number of long burrial mounds where I live! Thank you for telling us all these amazing facts!
stunning film brightened my rainy day
Thank you for watching Neil, so glad you enjoyed it.
Thank you Dan for another amazing video
Thank you so much for your time! This video is great!
Your videos we always amazing history lessons.
An extremely informative and well made video.
Im already waiting curiously for your Unitece Culture Video / Sky Disc of Nebra interpretation. :D
Absolutely wonderful video, thank you!
This ad made a clear difference between that period and present. I might or might not agree with some things, but I do respect a lot of them and actually appreciate so many things, including treatments like this 😊
The ad for the beauty product is fire! 🔥🔥🔥
You are a wonderful narrator, Dan. I really enjoy your stories
Thank you so much.
I am subscribed, Sir Davis. Huzzah. And of course, British Steel!!! Sheffield!!!
As always Dan, a fascinating video, beautifully put together and edited. Your work really is a joy to watch! Thank you for all the hard work you put into them 👌👏👏👏
The painted face reminds me of a video I just saw of a certain area of the Balkans where brides to be have their faces painted
It is the area of Gora in the south of Serbia where Serbs of the Muslim religion live.
@@МиланПотић-б9х I don't see a Gora in southern Serbia, so I'm guessing you mean the region Gora in Kosovo.
@@anahata2009 What I thought, I wrote.
Another great video!
Great video
Lovely, thanks for sharing with us big G.
As usual, many thanks for the wonderful Bronze Age video Dan. Love your videos but your bronze age videos big on top.
best regards from Scandinavia.
Thank you, great video!
Well done. I found this information to be interesting. Thanks!
The starčevo culture statuette looks like a model of a modern day woman with a bbl
Just pointing that out because I found that interesting 😅
Every one of your videos is such high quality! I look forward to every new release
Very interesting channel and video.
Thank you.
The ted rosettes on the face is also known in amcient Korean royal weddings
Thanks for another great one, Dan!
I don't think I'd ever get a face tattoo but if I did itd be the little sun or poppy from that one mycenean girl ❤
I have the Ufo2 and it has improved my skin a lot. Great device really
I like the ancient bare breast tradition. There should be a revival of this tradition.
But imagine the carnage on the roads lol there would be car wrecks for miles😂😂😂
@@rosemarysynnott6544 men would be so distracted there would be world peace 😂
@@alandavid7874 😂😂
Thank you. I have really enjoyed the video. Late Bronze Age is my favourite period of time. These videos that you upload and share with us are full of very interesting information.
Amazing episode
Excellent video
HELL YEAAAAA I love fashion history
7:30 i do believe to remember these are used as indicators of regional stability, because they werent offerings but hidden Valuables.The more wealth is hidden, the more dire the times. Bronze ingots and broken tools are the most valuable objects of the time and bronze has the upside you can "just" recycle so it made sense to value even bronze scraps
You are killing me with these content.
Great as always! Must say though. I love your videos on individuals, your telling of historic accounts is always so good. Literally a life story in an hour or so. Whether is was Marshall or baron de rais.
Right. It makes obvious sense that beautiful people would come from a place of beauty like Europe... Its why Irish or Basques have so many beautiful woman...Like Venus figurines
glad im watching this alone at night 😉
1st.... thanks for another interesting video
Perfect voice for history 😊
Always awesome. I wish I had seen this video before I visited Greece.
Extremely fascinating topic and very evocative. I wonder to what degree the constantly-bared breasts of Minoan women lost their sexual potency or connotations, like how they seem to have (according to my understanding) in many tribal hunter-gatherer cultures from South America, Africa, and the islands of the Indian & Pacific Oceans? I imagine that they obviously still would be considered beautiful, just as the parts modern women often bare still are today, but it's interesting to ponder that they might not have been considered as sexual as we consider them now. Do we have any indication if the women covered them up as they aged/as their fertility declined, or were they likely bared by at least some women for as long as they lived?
My mind also goes to the amber trade. I heard amber jewelry was all the rage back in the Bronze Age, being the height of women's fashion, and was so both before & for a time after, too. I think you've mentioned this trade in your other videos, also! I kind of appreciate that it's not so popular as jewelry nowadays, because it makes it more special to those that still have a taste for wearing it. My mother is Lithuanian, and buying her amber jewelry, sourced from her home, allows her to dress herself in a unique way that honors her heritage quite unmistakably, while also remaining timelessly & objectively fashionable. It's also a point of pride that my ancestors, then, as Balts, would have been indispensable in the stories of the beautiful pieces adorning the women of the cultures showcased here.
Thanks for opening up these windows to the past, Mr. Davis. Cheers!
we don't even know if their "standar outfit staly" were being bare-chested. what is more likely is that these type of attires were morely likely only worn by women of the aristocracy, priestesses or queens and probably the way of using them - as in similar cases like how it happened with the ancient egyptians or the mesopotamian world or even in iron age greece - were that perhaps in a good part of the cases they took out their breasts out/or used these outfist without tops in symbolically performances of ritual or sacred contexts/days dates etc.
Thank you so much. I can't believe I missed this comment when it was posted.
16:00 this fashion should come back again to Crete
Thank you Dan Davis!