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The Tholos
tomb at Mycenae
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| It's not the tomb of Agamemnon and its not the Treasure of Atreus either. |
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Located about a thousand feet south,
down the road from the parking lot to Mycenae, is this tholos tomb. This
was the tomb of a king, but we can't be sure which one. The popular names
given to this site are not likely to be accurate. [ Click on each picture
for a close up. ]
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The tomb has been dated to 1350BCE. Over 100 of these type of tombs have been discovered in Greece, 9 at Mycenae. The Blue Guide to Greece has a good description, which says in part: "The dromos [entry approach] is 35m long and 6m wide; its walls .. are built of great squared of blocks of breccia .. and water-proofed behind with a lining of clay. At the end of the approach is a doorway nearly 5.5m high"
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Note the triangle form above the entrance, echoing the form at the city gate. At at the city, this empty space relieve the weight to be born by the massive lintel.. The single lintel stone is estimated to be some 120 to 150 tons. Presumably it was dragged up a temporary ramp by sheer muscle power alone. Inside there
is a circular domed room. The Blue Guide: There is a smaller room off to the north side which is 8m on a side and nearly 6m high. The tomb is bare.
[ All photos from 1994. ] |
