“Mycenae Rich in Gold”, as described by Homer in his epics, the kingdom of the mythical Agamemnon, is the most important and richest palatial center of the Late Bronze Age (1350 BC – 1200 BC) in Greece and a Monument of UNESCO World Cultural Heritage.
Archaeological Sites of Mycenae and Tiryns
The Archaeological Sites of Mycenae and Tiryns, located in the Argolis Regional Unit in the Northeast Peloponnese, are the imposing ruins of the two largest cities of the Mycenaean civilization, which dominated the eastern Mediterranean world from the 15th to the 12th centuries BC. and played a vital role in the development of classical Greek culture.
Importance
The architecture and design of Mycenae and Tiryns constructions, such as the Lion Gate and the walls of Tiryns, have a strong influence on the development of classical Greek architecture and urban planning.
Mycenae and Tiryns are also a unique testimony to the political, social and economic development of the Mycenaean world, thus representing the peak of this early stage of Greek civilization.
Both sites illustrate in a unique way the Mycenaean civilization’s achievements in arts, architecture and technology, which laid the foundations for the development of later European civilizations.
Mycenae and Tiryns are intricately connected to the Homeric epics, The Iliad and The Odyssey, which have profoundly influenced European literature and arts for more than three millennia.
Tour of Ancient Mycenae
In the archaeological site of Mycenae, visitors can see the following monuments among others:
The Lion Gate
The Lion Gate, this magnificent megalithic monument, is considered the first example of monumental sculpture, known in Europe. This is the main entrance to the acropolis of Mycenae and was built around 1250 BC. The Gate has taken its name from the representation of the two lions that adorn the relieving triangle which contributes to the correct distribution of weights in the construction.
The Vaulted Tomb of Atreus (also known as the Tomb of Agamemnon)
The vaulted Tomb of Atreus dominates the southwest part of the Mycenae acropolis. It is the most impressive of the nine Mycenaean vaulted tombs that have been found in Mycenae, dating between 1350 BC. and 1250 BC. Access to the tomb was via a road (36 meters long and 6 meters wide); the facade of the tomb was decorated with semi-columns made of green stone with relief elements.
Cyclopean walls of Mycenae
Legend has it that the founder of Mycenae, Perseus, was the one who commissioned the Cyclops, the huge mythical beings from Asia Minor, to build the walls – hence the name “Cyclopea”. These imposing walls date back to the end of the 13th BC. century and follow the natural configuration of the ground, forming an imaginary triangle.
Other surviving ruins are the two royal burial precincts A and B, which formed part of the extensive prehistoric cemetery in the west of the palace hill. Many of the artifacts brought to light by the archaeological dig in Mycenae are exhibited in the National Archaeological Museum of Athens, as well as in the new, modern, Museum of Mycenae, on the northern slope of the acropolis.
One example is “the golden Face of Agamemnon”, which you can admire in the National Archaeological Museum of Athens.
ΠAdditionally, five masks made of thick gold foil were discovered by Schliemann at the archaeological site of Mycenae. Schliemann believed he had discovered the body of King Agamemnon. However, further archaeological studies have proved that the mask dates back to 1500-1550 BC, a period of about 3 centuries prior to the era during which Agamemnon is supposed to have lived. However, the name of the mask remained.
Mycenae is an exceptional monument of particular universal value, bequeathing the spirit of Mycenaean civilization to the world today.
