————————— RA OOTF STUDIES IN MEDITERRANEAN ARCHAEOLOGY VoL. Vil i964 GRAVE CIRELE B OF MYCENAE GEORGE E. MYLONAS é ie a ‘eon [B é LUND 19STUDIES IN MEDITERRANEAN ARCHAEOLOGY Vol Vol Vol Vol Vol Vol a Vol Vol Vol Vol edited by Dr Paul Astrim, Klassiska instilutionen, Sélvegatan 2. vl VIL VIL IX. x x NIL XIIL xIV Lund, Sweden Per Alin, Day Ende der mykenischen Fundstitien aut dem grie chischen Festland, 159 S., Karle, Land 1962, 36 Kr Paul Astrim, ny at Kalopsidha and Ayios Jakovos in Cyprus, Partly J_R. Stewart, Corpus of Paul Astrim, The G preparation MR, Popham, The Last Days of the Palace at Knossos — Cot plete Vases of the Late Minoan IIT B Period. In preparation, Fritz Schachermeyr, Das iigiische Neolithikum. 16 S., 20 Abb. Lund 1964. 15 Kr. George E. Mylonas, Grave Cirele B of Mycenae. 10 pp. 10+1 figs. Lund 1964. 15 Crs. Maurice Pope, Aegean Writing and Linear A. In preparation. Agnes Sakellarion, Die mykenische Siegelulyptik, 11S. 14 Abb Land 1961. 15 Kr Hector W, Catling, Mycenan Doro Levi, Recent Exeay M.R. Popham, Late Mi n proof. Jy Cypriot Material. In preparation ss ‘Tomb and Other Finds at Dendra, In n Bronzes. In preparation, ions at Phaistos, In preparation gan Poltery Styles. In preparation ‘The Prehistoric Necropolis and the In preparation. M. Pelsas, Pella. 8 pp.. map, 6 figs. Lund 1964, 10 Crs lly Schwabacher, Neue Methoden in der 33 Forschung. 11S. 10 Abb, Lund 1964. 15 Kr Man, Andronicos, Vergin Hellei ‘chen Miiny-GRAVE CIRCLE By Grorce 1876 forms a brilliant landmark in the his- tury of archacologienl discovery and research A. in Greece, 11 was the year when Heinrich Schliemann discovered Grave Cirele A withi the Citadel of Mycenae and cleared five of its six shaft graves! ‘The amazing contents of hose graves foreibly thrust Mycenae and its Aye to the attention of the scholarly world and opened up to research a new horizon that extended even beyond the limits of Greek my Iholugy, When Schliemann was digging the soil ff Mycenae, exeavation methods were in their infancy and the objective of the average field worker was to Find objects of art er of historic significance disregarding everything else, As 4 result, mnany observations whieh should haye ven made in the course of the exeavation were hot made, many important details were misser und many assumptions were presented as ver Tied facts, Out of this geeat discovery of Scllic A tnann's arose many questions: and problems, which remained unanswered plague scholars for nearly th indee nd_unsolved to ve quarters of century. So many i, were the questions raised, that Sir Arthur Evans, the founder of Minoan Archaeology, published a learned tre tise aiming to prove that the shafts of Gra Cirele A were not graves at all, but depositories where, in time of war, were stored the contents of the royal graves Tying beyond the Cyelopean Walls of Mycenae. Some of the questions were answered when Grave Cirele B was discovered and its contents cleared in three successive yearly campaigns AgEMIA RE AG avente oe 2 B OF MYCENAE E. MyLonas from July, 1952, 1954.9 This royal cemetery is located by the side of the modern rod to the Cita 130 meters. west of the Lion Gate and only 10 meters from the apes of the vault of the so-called Tomb of Klytemnestra, Of its surrounding wall only small fragments survive, sufficient, however, to indicate that the diameter of the Cirele pproximates 28 Within its cireul 4 graves were discovered and cleared; of M4 are shaft graves, the rest are cists cut in the soft rock (Figure 1), Letters of the Greek alphabet were given to the graves to differen: tiate them from those found in Girele A, which, ile, are given Latin numerals ‘The cists were used for the bi important persons, perhaps remote members of the ruling families, or even friends to. Septem nd sup: They are small in size and contain the porters, hones of usually one sometinies of two persons. Grave Zeta the ku west cist found, for example ure 2. measures only 1.90 1, in length by 1.10 m. in width and bas an sige depth of 60 em, With was placed in a strongly contracted position and ity furnishings, or kterismata, were de- posited by its side, Most common among these seem to be stemmed goblets of a well-known Middle Helladie type. sword or a dagger was illustrated in n it a single body Occasionally a bronze id in the grave, ‘The shaft graves are more elaborate versions: of the cists, developed for the use of members of the ruling families of Mycenaes ‘The but have ho monumental architectural form, areevneimentenanenmane tte GRAVE CIRCLE B OF MYC were found in the shaft le B. Sumetimes men and women were buried in the ave (Grave Gamma: 3 graves of Cir same men, 1 woman) ther times women only were buried in a grave (Graves Omikron, perhaps 2; Mu, perhaps two: Xi, 2, and Upsilon, 1). Over Graves Omiliron ind Gamma unsculptured stelal were found, Atrengthening Schuchhardt’s suggestion that The unsculptured stelai discovered by Sehlie mann in Cirele A stood ort nally over graves of women? Over Grave Gamma, besides the was found with a seulp- ured decoration applied in two registers: the upper is filled with spirals, the lower wilh a fisure composition, evidently a scene of the attack of Hions against a herd defended by two men (Figure 8). Its technique is similar to that txhibited by the figured stelai from Circle A. Though a Hllle tess advanced. The sculptured Stole was Kater used as a1 base in which another vas set, and it was then that a rectangular cul fing was made along its center. ‘The fragment of another stele was found standing on the pre served half of ils base over Grave Nu. ‘The part that may have been seutplured is not preserved ut the fragment uncovered proves that the faces dat the stele were turned Lo the east and to the west, Whether Unis has any signific othe nee or not cannot be proved one way or the ‘cally since the positions of the skeletons found in the graves prove that no fixed orientation was followed by the of the Mycenaeans in the burial Phe bodies were laid in their graves dressed in their fineries and ornaments. In the neck, fand below the fallen lower jaw, of the skeleton in Grave Nu'we found a gold band, evidently the trimming of the hem of the garment in which the man was buried (Bigure 4). Four old bands. triangula decorated in repoussé, were found, two around each wrist, in Grave Tota; apparently they adorned the eufts of decked « skeleton of & woman was sleeves, Especially the women were with ornaments. Th revealed in Grave Upsilon with her kterismate undisturbed (Figure 6).7 Leaves of gold, deeo- formed her head ornament ‘They were supported by a narrow bronze band and were held in place by bronze pins. Another found over the left shoulder, evidently was there to hold her braids in place A double necklace, made of small beads of gold, of silver, and of semi-precious stones with amulets in faience band of gold, ais pendents, was found ex. Tending over her chest below the neck, Under each temple lay a circle of silver, apparently her earrings, while three bronze rings were Md by the skull. A numberof vases were carefully arranged around the body. ‘The last person buried in Grave Omikron, was & wo nan, whose skeleton had deeayed completely put her ornaments and furnishings are well preserved. Apparently, she wore a dindem tnade of two gold bands, elaborately decorated in repoussé and worn crosswise over her head (igure 7). AU her right shoulder were found two long and stout bronze pins with heads of rock erystal, and anoth of these and other pins the in proper position of silver; by means ments were kept With the pins was lying 2 ten-petalled rosette made of rather thick gold Teat, kept in place by a cess apps nntral ping the prin: ‘ently was wearing this ornament as today Indies wear corsages. A necklace of four: teen spherieal beads of amethyst and carnelian ‘choker” around the neck, while another made of be: sof Ipultic amber reached A third neckta ments in the form of stylized birds flight, was found by the head with a number to the waist of gold el of gold trimmings in the form of spirals and the like, which may have been parts of brs lets or pins. Two gold ear clips, of a most modern design, were revealed on either side of the skull, while another bronze pin with a rock crystal head in the form of a ribbed ball was found in the chest Among the smashed vases of the grave was discovered a small bowl of rock erystal in the form of «duck len; Figure 8 ‘This aniq ¢ art and a proof of the sensitiveness hh 13.5 em.) for cece, bowl is a masterpiece of the lapidary’ ability, and hhigh technique of the artists of the beginning of the sixteenth century, B.C It is natural to find swords and dag the graves of men, since thGRAVE CIRCLE B OF MYCENAE 7 time when seript was hardly used in the mn land of Greece and records were not kept lime beyond the limits of Greek mythology sind genealogies. But we can confidently maintain that they were the descendants of the Greek- speaking Indo-Europeans who invaded the and at the end of the Early Helladie period, probably ca, 1900 B.C., and settled at st in the eastern half of its territory." George E. Mylonas Washington University FOOTNOTES, ‘The sixth was discovered and cleared by Stamea lakes after Sebliema 1's departure from Mycenac Sir Arthur Evans, The Shajt Geaves and Bee-Iive JF Mycere wind Their tnterretation, London See alsa, P. Garduer, New Chapters in Greek Hix Pombe 00g, vp. 1 The excavations were carried out pices of the Greek Arehacologieal Society of Athens and itirccted by the then Ephor of the district, the late Jolin be privilege to collaborate with c direction and the responsibility of Papademetriou, [ bad hin andl share 1 GE Ad. B, Wa ( Sohuelinarat, tost09 © LW, A. Heurttey in BSA 25 (1921-28) pp. 120 6 Sehtienana’'s Bxewvations, pp. n USA 25 (192 28) pp. 126.6 we disturbance of bones and Kterismata met with in the shaft graves is proved tothave been caused by thw collapsed foots. IC natural that the wooden beams supported the roof structure would decay and this precipiinted the caving in of the roof. Ta these ccavings were due the dist ances noted by Sehiie nd altributed to hasty burials, * Similar rock-crystal heads were found by Schlie mann in Grave IIL, a grave of women, and were taken scepters: Mycenae, p. 200 and Nos, 300 & $10, skeletal remains were studied by Dr. L- Angel of the Smithsonian Institution, from whose preliminary report are taken the measurements and details given. © For a recent discussion of the arrival of the fest Greek: speaking Indo-Europeans see G. E. Mylo he Luvian Invasions of Groove,” Hesperia, 81 (1062) pp. technique of Class I, Por a full description of the eom- 281—809. ce G. E. Mylonas, Ancient Mycenae, pp. 135— BIBLIOGRAPHY Reece, Cant. W. 1962: Horly Greek Portraits, AJA 06: vans, Sit Aw Uk, 1920; The Shaft Graves and Beehive Tombs of Mycenue und Thee Interrelation. London, Me! Meunrtiy, W. A, 192 ma: The Grave Stelai of My: Kano, Gitone, 1090-108: Die Schaehtgedber von Myke: dat, Munich, B. Beckmann, Mine, M., 1912 Der Goldschmuck der mykenisehien Schalzgeaber, Jahrbuch, 27:208—227, MvLowns. GEONGE, 1957: Ancient Mycenae. The Capital City of syaeuesinon, Princeton, Princeton University Press, . I: ‘The Grave Circles of Myeenac, Minvica- Fest schrift Sundall: 216286, MyLoxas, G. E. and J. PAPADEMETHOG, 1952: The New Shaft Graves of Mycenae. Archaeology 5:194—200. Mytonas, G, E, and J. Parabentermou, 1958: ‘Phe New Grave Circle of Mycenae. Archaeology 8: 43—0 SMETMIOU, JOUN, 1950—1955: "Avacnayat &y Mo- ipns MpeasondT9D1, 197 —203; 1952, 427-47; 1953, 205—297; 1954, 242-200, SCHLUEMANS, HeINNEM, ISN0: Mycenaes A Narrative of Researches and Discoveries at Mycende umd Tiryns. New York, John Murray. ScHLCHMARDY, C., 1891: Schlienann’s Exccwations, dow aiid New York, MacMillan, TSOUNTAS, CuRESTOS, 1893) Athens TT. 1. Manarr, 1807: The Mycenaean Age 1d New York, Houghton, Miffiin and Co, WAGE, ALAN J. Bs, WMO: Mycenue. An Arclieologieat History and Guide, Privceton, Princeton University Press. Wace, A. J.B and FH, Srumsines, 1054 Girole, BSA 40; 244247 Movcivas xsl Moeyvates Hoston "The GraveGEORGE E, MYLONAS Figure 3. Contents of GrGRAVE CIRCLE 8 OF MYCENAE 9 igure 6, Contents of Grave Upsilon,w GEORGE E. MYLONAS Figure 10, Gem from Grave Gusmma,{Passa Ne Madan bahtsae btm enh voll : Beers < palin qos i " ; a eno test th Penal SS age lenmilis itie 7 B38 oh cet sees iE ts ay et eae Herr oh ch POA sew Sears st wiht act xian Me AC ae ea ek 1 22 tlio cone eH io oe ee tas we rye lan gc, xe oeet61 re Pallant) hog at son ebbgh fe me ric iid | Fcut sat = _ roan A atm ied ten AEE ae ple pga sat tees oh He onset) showed oe cinerea Nath oat oo a te = = : nies shah ‘ Pooh as a tr am oa ee ball st not eam a 3 tor sare Secigthemetavt. mh Sadat *: TRL RE slot ARID te. isaisnaesiiiestenanaasaiall - BE OTE Manistee ke Sec at ely Siem te fins a PERE REN ideo te reba AS wee Be terete6 GEORGE & { chieftains. The swords are of bronze, t are strengthened by a central rib and average 90 cm. in length, Asa rule, they had hilts made of perishable materials which completely de- cayed, but the rivets which secured them to th blades are there to tell the story. In on (from Graye Delta) over the hilt, perh s made of wood, was placed a gold sheathing delicately worked in repoussé; st pommel of ivory crowned the hilt (Figure 9). In contrast to some of the gold objects, which may have been especially made for the grave and cannot stand too much handling, the swords and daggers are strong blades which might have been used by the de- ceased during his lifetime; these may have heen trusted companions of many an expedi- lion and adventure In the graves of both men of and women a good number of vases were Found, most of which bear elaborate decoration either in matt pigment or in semi-lustrous to lustrous paint. OF the plain v. are stemmed goblets (Figures 2 and 6) can be little doubt that some of the la contained supplies, ¢ and flour es most common There pots, Lainly oil, possibly: ho: Among the varied articles found we may note three cups made of gold, one of silver, a mask of eleetrum found in Grave Gama: nately not in ils ori unfortu- al position, with gener- alized facial features. 1 hese, perhaps, we ean on an amethyst bead on the face of which the head of a man is carved in intaglio (Figure 10). The extreme measurement of the bead is only 9 mm., and yel in that small sp bridle material the most vivid portra of his co Pheir skeletal ren men buried in C tempora: sins revealed that the ‘ele B were sturdy individuals, averaging 1.706 m, least Ure of Uh of these tall 1/8") in height and at re over 1.80 m, tall. One Is was the occupant of di i cist Zeta.” Could one imagine that he was one of the Irusted aides of the king and, when he died, under that capacity he was buried by his master in the Cirele reserved for the ruling, family? ‘The study of skeletal remains of one of the men in Grave Gamma revealed that the individual had suffered a skull fracture, MYLONaS relieve which a trepanation was made; one of the oldest skull operations on record in the his. tory of medicine of the western world. I stones w found between the lower right ine crest of the individual buried we Sigma; they suggest, as Dr. Angel .“u rich and perhaps truly Homeric hero’ 1” Tor the chieftains of Mycenae. The same individual suffered from arthritis, & of which was found in other skeletons. Perhaps it will be’ interesting to note that shaft grave Rho during the Middle Mycenaean period was enlarged and within it a unique, for Greece, rave was buill of poros st iden possess- ing & passage and a burial ehamber (Fig 11); a form found also in Ras Sham Untort ely, it was emptied of its eontents in antiquity, ‘The many objects found ultimately will prove instrumental in determining the date of the graves and Cirele B, The preliminary studies dicate that the circular wall was built in late ule Helladie times, that the earliest burials and graves belong to those times, while the Lutest span the border betwee that period and Late Helladic 1. In terms of years, the graves, of Cirele B seem to cover the years from th second half of the seventeenth to the end of the first half of the sixteenth century B.C, Some of is grayes are older than those found by Sehlie- mann in Cirele A; a good many are of the same date, Thus, we find that the two Gireles were for a good many years used concurrently, Grave (i cle B may not have yi dazzling objects as Circle A; but re equally impressive. Their greater import ance and contribution lies in the fuet that we can now see exactly how they were arming: in the graves in relation to the body and what ft they performed. ‘The illustrations given in this report, I hope, will help the reader visualize the interior of the graves ts they were left so many centuries ago, At last we ean \ded as many is Kterismata and ve and follow almost step step the order used in the burial of mythical kings of the shaft graves of Myeenae. ‘The names of these kings and chiettains will remain unknow at the edge of the 4 hy the y lived their lives at a4 GEORGE E. mere recta earth a \gular trenches cut vertically in the \d the soft rock below it. Their measure- ments, al the top, vary from 3.80 m. to 2.70 m. in length and from 2.80 m. to 1.80 m. in width their depth ranges from 3.50 m. to 1.50 m. ‘I shaft, from the floor to a point 70 sides of the em, to 1.25 m. above it, were often lined with thin rubble walls; sometimes (Grave Delta, for example) a ledge was formed by cutting the rock farther back in the upper part of the whieh thus was vertically divided into a wider upper and a narrower lower section, On the shelf, or on top of the walls lining the sides, were placed wooden bes $s near each other so This frame ith flaystones (Grave umbda) or with a matting of dey branches, wigs, and leaves. They, in turn, were covered with a layer of water-resisting cl thickness from 15 em, to 30 em, of the grave was securely sealed as it stood least 70 10 90 em, above the floor, forming over it u cavity within which the bodies were laid. y old Middle Helladic d with ently was to keep | might accumu. as to form a solid wooden frame. was covered either 1s the roof Th custom, the floor of the xray pebbles, whose funetion appa the bodies above moisture late on the floor, ‘The upper section of the grave, the part of the shaft above ils roof, was filled up with earth, At the line of the surface of the soil, the perimeter of the was oullined with stones loosely pluced and in the ares arth was poured to form a small mound, per than 40 i 0 em, in height on top of which was erected a marker, often a pile of stones, sometines a stele, Only one indi vidual was found buried in some of the graves: for example, in Bel, Pi, were used for more burials; Grave Gam found to contain four skeletons (Figure 3), the greater number of persons buried in the same grave that can be differentiated ‘The stages of the act of burial can be deter~ mined with some degree of confidence. When the with pebbles and on them the hody lowered, apparently on the pelt of an animal. thus indicated, haps not mor a save was made ready, its floor was covered MYLoNas Asa rule, the body was placed on its back and in an extended position; in rare instances it was laid in a contracted att ude, Sometimes, it was placed with legs not fully extended, but pulled up slightly with knees bent upwards ind heels resting on the floor. Gradually, and as the decomposition of the flesh would pro: |. the legs would fall to the sides, a bow like sh son buried of Gi nd would assume pe seen in the list per wvey Gamma and Nu (Figures Sand 4), Around the body were carefully ar ranged ils funeral furnishings, its Klerismata, After this, the roof was buill and sealed with the layer of clay. Then the shafl above it was filled up with earth; before it was completely filled a funeral meal was held, The bones of the consumed animal and seashells were throw: together in a central area of the fill, and they were covered by the small mound of earth on. top of wl erected. When the lime came for the grave to be used for a second Durial, the marker was removed, the mound and the fill over the roof were dug up and piled at the side of the grave, the layer of elay, the ting and the wooden nd the second body was If there was not suffic room on the floor for the new-comer ed to the floor beams were 1 then the bos es of the first occupant were unceremont ously swept aguinst one of the sides of the rive, or were pushed to a corner (Figure 4) Some of its furnishings were piled over the swept up bones, others were placed over the roof or were thrown out of the grav their that was used to fill up the upper seetion of the shaft; still others were apparently curried away by the relatives who assisted in the second burial. Around the second body were carefully \ged ils own Klerismata, Then the roof was rebuilt, the shaft over it was filled up, the funeral meal was held, the mound was piled up, and the marker was erected over it, ‘This, process was repeated every time other members, of the family had to be interre No tr or of cremation, no signs whatever of a cult to find tas broken potsherds, in the ea in the same es of wooden coffins, of embalming,cdtiberadinos A Skea Db oflusra te ete