The Citadel of Mycenae (1600 B.C. to 1150 B.C.), looking off over the walls:
A smaller entry gate:
Path down to and sample of a cistern. The palace would have been dependent on such water sources.
Another view from the walls. This view has been here for at least 3700 years.
Looking down into the excavated tombs:
Like similar sites, Mycenae had a museum of excavation finds.
The famous Mask of Agamemnon. A death mask (though not of Agamemnon), dating of which runs from 1600 B.C. to even 2500 B.C.
Replica weapons from tombs:
Jewelry:
A very cool Octopus vase:
Other pottery:
A collection of axeheads:
Looks pretty desolate. It's amazing how much still stands after thousands of years. (A benefit of building with stone!). Artifacts are always interesting, and the ax heads look amazingly well preserved.
ReplyDeleteLeigh, the collapse of Mycenae, which was part of the greater collapse of the Bronze Age, still remains somewhat of a mystery. as to the cause - but it was so complete, at least for Mycenae, that except for a small population that only really lasted through Roman times, it was essentially abandoned (we do have records in the Classical Greek period of bodies of troops from Mycenae, but small contingents).
DeleteInterestingly enough some other cities that were the centers of Mycenean age states that were inhabited during that age survived: Thebes in Boeotia, Athens in Attica, Argos and Menelaion (Sparta) in the Peloponnese. But not Mycenae. It dwindled in importance and relevance until it completely disappeared.
That's detailed work on the jewelry and pottery, guess there won't be too many Starbuck cups left after 1500 years.
ReplyDeleteIt is incredibly impressive Nylon12, and reminds me that the "primitive" peoples of yore may be viewed so only because we have so little left of them to see. To your point, 3,000 years from now, would anyone consider us "advanced" based on what may remain?
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