Mycenae has many fine examples of Bronze Age burial types. Its shaft graves are particularly significant. Archaeological excavations have revealed two intact sets, the latest of which contains fabulous grave goods. These artefacts indicate a wealthy, hierarchical society influenced by the Minoans and preoccupied with war.

Shaft Graves at Mycenae

Two sets of graves were discovered, one within the 13th century BC citadel and one outside. They are known as grave circles A and B. This labelling corresponds with the order of their discovery rather than their chronology.

Grave Circle A. This was the first grave circle discovered and chronologically the last set of shaft grave burials at Mycenae. It was found just inside the citadel by Henrich Schliemann in 1876. Further investigation occurred under P Stamarakis and the graves were dated to between 1600-1500BC.

The burials include six shaft graves surrounded by a circular wall. This is not contemporary with the graves. It was added after the burials during the rebuilding of the citadel in the 13th century. Nineteen people were buried within the enclosure: eight men, nine women and two children. It was in these graves that archaeologists found the so-called treasure of Agamemnon was found.

Grave Circle B. Chronologically, this is the earliest shaft grave circle. It was excavated in 1951-52 and is located outside of the citadel. Surrounded by a circular wall, it accommodates 24 people in 14 shaft graves and one stone tomb.

The Treasure of Agamemnon

This is archaeology’s earliest and best source for early Mycenaean society. Amongst standard finds of Bronze Age pottery and stoneware were many fabulous items. These included:

• Gold jewellery, including gold tiaras and decorative gold disks, designed to be sewn onto women’s dresses.
• Weapons. The graves contained a high volume of weapons, with one burial, including three bodies and 100 swords. Other common weapon types included bronze daggers. These weapons were not merely functional but beautifully decorated with handles inlaid with gold spiral patterns and dragon’s heads and scenes of heroism.
• a silver rhyton, a ceremonial drinking cup with a pointed bottom.
• Gold funeral masks. A number of bodies were discovered wearing thin, beaten gold masks. The very individual nature of these pieces indicates that the facial features were made to emulate the features of the deceased.

One of the masks led Schliemann to announce that he had looked upon the face of Agamemnon, which led the trove to be labelled “the treasure of Agamemnon”. Although the treasure undoubtedly belonged to a set of royal graves, the burials predate the estimated era of the Trojan War by three centuries. However, the name remains, and the collection is displayed in the National Archaeological Museum of Athens.

Archaeology and Mycenaean Culture

The shaft graves of Mycenae offer various clues to the nature of Mycenaean culture and society. They show the Mycenaean’s were sophisticated, ruled by a monarchy and already showing signs of significant wealth.

The design of many of the grave goods in the later phase of graves demonstrates a Minoan influence, showing that declining the civilization of Crete was still held in high esteem by the emerging Mycenaean Civilization.

However, many of the motifs were also specifically Mycenaean, focused on scenes of hunting and warfare. This, taken with the volume of weapons in the graves, demonstrates that Mycenaean culture was already preoccupied with war and conquest.

Resources

Gates, Charles (2003) Ancient Cities: The Archaeology of Urban Life in the Ancient Near East and Egypt, Greece and Rome (2003) Routledge: London and New York

Illustrated Dictionary of Archaeology (1977) Book Club Associates: London.