Grave Circle A
16th cent. BCE.
MycenaePhoto by Ilya Shurygin
Grave Circle A.
16th cent. BCE.
Mycenae.
Origin:
First excavated by Heinrich Schliemann in 1876.
Description:
GRAVE CIRCLE A
It forms part of an extensive cemetery of the Middle Helladic and the early Late Helladic period, which spread west of the citadel. It was used exclusively for royal burials during the 16th century BC. It contained six shaft graves (l-VI), five of which were excavated by H. Schliemann in 1876 and one by P. Stamatakis in the following year. The graves were marked by stone stelai and were occupied by inhumations of members of a family, furnished with particularly luxurious grave goods, which are today exhibited in the National Archaeological. Museum at Athens. Ihitially, Grave Circle A lays extra muros. Around 1250 BC, however, and with the extension of the cyclopean wall westwards, the royal burial ground was included within the area of the citadel and was enhanced by the construction of a circular enclosure.
It forms part of an extensive cemetery of the Middle Helladic and the early Late Helladic period, which spread west of the citadel. It was used exclusively for royal burials during the 16th century BC. It contained six shaft graves (l-VI), five of which were excavated by H. Schliemann in 1876 and one by P. Stamatakis in the following year. The graves were marked by stone stelai and were occupied by inhumations of members of a family, furnished with particularly luxurious grave goods, which are today exhibited in the National Archaeological. Museum at Athens. Ihitially, Grave Circle A lays extra muros. Around 1250 BC, however, and with the extension of the cyclopean wall westwards, the royal burial ground was included within the area of the citadel and was enhanced by the construction of a circular enclosure.
Credits:
© 2014. Photo: Ilya Shurygin.
