Tomb of Aigisthus
Tomb of Aigisthus ( modern Greek τάφος του Αιγίσθου taphos tou Egisthou ) is called a Tholos tomb in Mycenae . According to Alan Wace's classification , it belongs to the first Tholos group and dates to the Late Helladic Period (SH II A). It is the youngest Tholos tomb of this group in Mycenae and was built around 1470 BC. Built in BC.
designation
The tomb was named after Aigisthus , the lover of Clytaimnestra , although it is unlikely that he was buried here. Pausanias reported that Clytaimnestra and Aegisthus were not allowed to be buried within the city walls because of the murder of Agamemnons . Therefore, the two Tholos tombs west of the Acropolis were assigned to these two mythical people. Today we know that the city expanded even further to the west and that these tombs were located within Mycenae, but these names are retained.
description
The grave is about 80 m west of the Lion Gate of Mycenae . The access path ( Dromos ) has a length of 22 m and a width of about 4.50 m. It was carved into the rock and the upper part was walled up with rough field stones. The facade originally consisted of roughly hewn stones. Above the 4.50 m high entrance gate there are large cap stones and above it you can see a so-called relief triangle, which is intended to divert the load of the superstructure onto the side walls and thus relieve the deck beams. The wall core consists of unprocessed field stones.
Around 1400 BC BC ( SH II B – SH III A1) the grave was given a new facade made of Poros limestone with decorative elements. The grave dome was built as dry stone masonry from roughly hewn stones, has a diameter of 13 m and was originally 13 m high. The grave was built around 1250 BC. Abandoned and robbed. During the historical period the dome collapsed. Here, a sanctuary or altar that was erected on the grave fell into the depths. Later the collapsed Tholos was used as a shelter.
exploration
In 1892 the tomb of Aigisthus was discovered by Christos Tsountas , who exposed the upper part of the gateway. 1921–1922, Alan Wace cleared most of the grave from the rubble of the centuries. Only in the years 1954–1957 did Dr. Papademetriou completely free the grave.
literature
- Richard Speicher: Peloponnese . 2nd Edition. W. Kohlhammer, Stuttgart / Berlin / Cologne 1989, ISBN 3-17-010031-9 , pp. 126-127 .
- George E. Mylonas : Mycenae. A guide to its ruins and history . Ekdotike Athenon, Athens 1993, ISBN 960-213-213-2 , pp. 71-72 .
Web links
- Μυκήνες (Mycenae). Retrieved April 23, 2014 (Greek).
- Mycenaean Tholos Tombs and Early Mycenaean Settlements. Retrieved April 23, 2014 .
Individual evidence
- ^ Alan Wace, Leicester Bodine Holland: Excavations at Mycenae. The Tholos tombs . In: The Annual of the British School at Athens . tape 25 , 1923, pp. 283-402 , doi : 10.1017 / S0068245400010352 .
- ^ Pausanias: Travels in Greece . 2, 16, 7.
Coordinates: 37 ° 43 ′ 50.7 " N , 22 ° 45 ′ 20.3" E