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Mycenae
Mycenae,
the legendary home of the Atreides, is situated upon a small hill-top
on the lower slopes of Euboea Mountain, between two of its peaks,
on the road leading from the Argolic Gulf to the north (Corinth,
Athens, etc.).
The site was inhabited since Neolithic times (about
4.000 BC) but reached its peak during the Late
Bronze Age (1350-1200 BC), giving its name to
a civilization which spread throughout the Greek
world. During that period, the acropolis was surrounded
by massive cyclopean walls which were built in
three stages (ca.1350, 1250 and 1225 BC) except
on its southeast flank where a steep ravine provided
natural defence.
A palace was built on the summit of the hill while the wall-painted
cult center, the main gate or Lion Gate and grave circle A which
contained the treasures now displayed at the National
Archaeological Museum of Athens, lay towards the Argolic plain.
On the northeast side, a tunnel leading to a subterranean fountain
was built in cyclopean masonry in around 1225 BC. More tombs,
grave circle B, and large tholoi as well as houses were discovered
outside the walls.
Mycenae was occupied without interruption until
468 BC when it was conquered by the city of Argos
and its population banished. It was reoccupied
in the 3rd century BC for a relatively short period.
It had been abandoned for some time when Pausanias
visited the site during the 2nd century AD.
In
1841, K. Pittakis cleared the Lion Gate and in 1876, Heinrich
Schliemann started the excavations of grave circle A which were
continued in 1877, bringing to light a sixth shaft grave. From
1864 to 1902, excavations at the palace, the subterranean fountain
and many chamber tombs were conducted while restricted excavations
were also carried out in 1909, 1911 and in 1917. Further excavations
were conducted during three campaigns, in 1920-1923 on the acropolis
and the tombs, in 1939 and 1950-1957 on the houses and tombs at
the lower city.
Simultaneously, from 1952 to 1955, the Greek Archaeological
Society, under the direction of G. Mylonas and
J. Papadimitriou, investigated more houses as
well as grave circle B, while G. Mylonas and N.
Verdelis uncovered more houses. Finally, the cult
center was revealed by the British School of Archaeology
under the direction of Lord Taylour and was further
investigated by G. Mylonas and Sp. Iakovides of
the Greek Archaeological Society in 1959 and 1969-1974.
In
1950, the Restoration Service undertook works
on the tomb of Clytemnestra, under the direction
of An. Orlandos and E. Stikas. In 1954, E. Stikas
consolidated and restored the megaron, the area
south of the Lion Gate, and Grave Circle B and
in 1955, the walls north of the Lion Gate as well
as the courtyard of the palace.
The
Lion Gate was the only entrance to the citadel of Mycenae. As
such, its opening was defended by a wooden gate covered with bronze
plating. The center stone beneath the lions, which weighs over
20 tons, illustrates the massive capacities of Mycenaean architecture.
Chariot wheel markings in the threshold of the gate and the existence
of a granary next to it, give an idea of everyday life in the
ancient citadel. Sadly, the fortifications at Mycenae did not
prove impenetrable. The heads of the lions were probably taken
by attackers who were resolved upon removing these symbols of
Mycenaean power.