2.1

• What are the different phrase in the Mycenean Age

  • The early period: burials are made in shaft graves
  • The palatial period: great palace
  • The later period: palace come under attack and have been abandoned and destroyed
• Who is the King in Mycenae?

  home of King Agamemnon, who led Greek army aginst Troy
• Location of Mycenae

  • built on a hill 40 - 50 m above
  • spring less than 400m away to supply water
• Who found the city of Mycenae?

  Perseus is given help in building the city by Cyclopes.
• Who found Tirynes?

  • Proitos, which is also the birthplace of Heracles
• What place is this?

  Tirynes

  
• What place is this

  Mycenae

  
• Sally Port (MY)


  • one at north one at south
  • secret passage which defenders could rush out and attack soldier unexpectedly
  • However visible at distance and only 2.5 wide so maight not be effective
• Corbelling (MY)


  • Span a gap between two walls by placing increasingly larger block of stone until it joins the top
  • It is shown in the passage lead to the underground Cistern and roof of Treasury of Atreus
• Underground Cistern (MY)

  • 18 m below ground level
  • collect water through a series of clay pipe in the roof, which comes from the natural spring close to the city
  • If attackers tried to cut out water supply, it can still enable Myceneans to hold out for a longer period of time
• Cycoplean Walls (MY)

  • 900 m long, 12 m high, Each block weight 2 tonnes
  • Made out of limestone
  • Blocks move from higher areas of the city by placing them on a roller
  • Follow the contour of the hill to make it easier to build
• Lion gate (MY)

  • along an uphill path
  • It is surrounded by different rock which contrast the limestone
  • About 3 m opening
  • Column are Minoan
  • Lion carved in the form in relief
  • defenders on the wall could hurled the missels down
  • The other entrance from the northern gate is called Postern Gate
• What is this?

  Passage lead to the underground of Cistern

  
• What is this?

  Lion Gate

  
• What is this?


  Mycenae

  
• Grave circle B

  • oldest tomb but second to be discovered
  • 200m to the west of outisde city walls
  • 24 graves
  • enclosed with a stone wall with a diameter of 28m
  • Over half of the graves for royal members
  • Tomb of Clytemnestra is built over it
  • 35 bodies of men, woman and children
  • marked with a stele ( carved = male, uncarved = female)
• Stele


  Stone slabs with pattern or image carved on them commonly used in tombstone
• Where is this?

  Grave circle B

  
• WHere is this?

  Grave Circle B

  
• Where is this?

  Grave Circle B

  
• Where is this

  Grave Circle B

  
• Grave Circle A

  • southwestern area of the city (inside the city wall when the western wall is rebuild)
  • 28m of diameter
  • royal burial site
  • WHen Lion Gate is built next to it, it is rebuilt with a new wall and level of ground raised + ruler bury to grander tomb = honour previous ruler
  • 6 shaft graves, deeper and larger than grave circle B
  • It include gold object, silver, glass and ivory etc
  • Three of the stelai depict chariot scene
• Tombs of Clytemnestra and Aegisthus and Treasury of Atreus


  • outside the city wall
  • tholos tomb
• Clytemnestra

  • wife of King Agamemnon
  • Aegisthus is her second husband after she has killed Agamemnon
  • name are given by local villager
  • The tomb of Clytemnestra might also be the tomb of Atreus ( father of Agamemnon
• The tomb of Clytemnestra and Aegisthus

  • west of the city
  • each have a diameter of 13 m and 13 m high
  • roof of Clytemnestra collapsed and treasury are robbed
• Where is this?

  Tomb of Clytemnestra

  
• Tirynes

  • Hill rises 18 m above land
  • Wall on western side added with curved defence (Cyclops)
• Cycopean wall (Tirynes)

  • 10 m high
  • Cyclopean Ramp on the east side due to it's size
• What is this?

  Tiryns

  
• What is this?

  Tirnyes

  
• The gates (Tirynes)

  • 3 m high
  • 3 m wide
  • bar to lock the gate
  • Attackes can be trapped by the long, narrow passage between the 2 gate + attackers hurl down missels
• Wall on the west side ( Tirnyes)

  • curved
  • Stairway leading to a narrow corridor
• The Palace (Tirynes)


  • highes part ( Upper City)
  • Protected by it's own defensive wall
  • grand entranceway lead to megaron
  • Central hearth surrounded by four wooden pillars
  • East of Megaron have a small patform for king's throne
  • Floor plastered with image of octopi and dolphines
  • fresco of rich ladies and hunting scene
• Features around Megaron (Tirynes)

  • aparments and colonades for rulers
  • bathroom with polished limestone slab
  • Holes drilled into the floor for drainage
  • 2 staircase on the second floor
• Fresco


  A painting made on damp plaster in which the colour become fixed when it dries
• What place is this?

  Megaron

  
• What place is this?

  The hearth in Megaron

  
• The gallaries (Tirnyes)

  • built into the outerwall of the city
  • used corbelling to make the roof
  • 30 m long
  • site is extended to the north by adding extra loop to the wall, with an area contains workshops and houses
• Tholos tomb (tirynes) 


  • a large round stone which might be an altar
  • corbelling
  • massive block of stones to hold up the roof
• What place is this?

  Tholos tomb in Tirynes