The Tomb of Agamemnon or Treasury of Atreus is a large Bronze Age tomb in Mycenae, Greece. While it is known by two names, both of them are misnomers. It is the largest and most impressive ancient tomb in Mycenae Greece and (along with the adjacent Mycenae Acropolis archeological site) is one of the top attractions of early Greece before the Classic Period.
The Tomb of Agamemnon is over 3,000 years old and dates from around the time of the Trojan War. Ancient tombs are some of the best monuments to have survived today. Preserved ancient funerary monuments range from the famous Great Pyramid of Egypt to the Belas Knap, a restored Stone Age long barrow in England.
Who Was The Tomb Of Agamemnon Built For?
Inside the Treasury of Atreus or Tholos tomb of Agamemnon
The Tomb of Agamemnon or Treasury of Atreus is not actually the tomb of the famous Iliad and the Siege of Troy. Neither is it a treasury (it is a tomb) nor is it the tomb of Atreus.
That being said, its size and grandeur would lend to suggesting an ancient ruler was buried there. The connection with the mythical kings of Agamemnon and Atreus dates from the 18th century when professional archeology was still in its infancy (although travelers can see the ruins of ancient Troy in Turkey today, the consensus is the siege did happen).
It should also be noted that while most researchers agree it was a tomb, no archeological evidence has been found to support that belief.
The Iliad heroes, Agamemnon and Menelaus, were the twin sons of Atreus. The 2003 movie Troy starring Brad Pitt is only loosely based on the ancient legend of Troy. According to the legend, Agamemnon was killed by his wife, Clytemnestra, after returning from the Trojan War.
The Tomb of Agamemnon was built between 1300 and 1250 BC and is the largest and most elaborate tomb of its kind dating from the Aegean Bronze Age. It is located in the ancient city of Mycenae. It is believed that the ancient Greek city peaked in around 1350 BC and had a peak population of around 30,000.
By the time of the Classic Greek period (5th to 4th centuries BC), the Tomb of Agamemnon was already ancient.
Why The Tomb Of Agamemnon Is A Marvel Of Bronze Age Greek Architecture
The tomb is a ‘tholos‘ or beehive tomb and is by far the best preserved of the beehive tombs in Mycenae.
The main tomb has a circular burial chamber (called a thalamos) that is topped with a corbelled dome. The dome is remarkable, it is the largest known of the ancient world for well over a thousand years until the Roman period. It is still the world’s biggest corbelled dome.
While the tomb is well-preserved, it is still something of a ruin. The facade was once decorated with marble columns and sculptures. The entrance is impressive; the facade is some 10.5 meters or 35 feet high with the doorway itself rising 5.4 meters or 18 feet.
- Facade Height: 10.5 meters or 35 feet
- Weight: 120 Tonnes (lintel block)
The two lintel blocks above the doorway are enormous. The innermost lintel block is 8 meters (26 feet) long, 5 meters (16 feet) wide, and some 1.2 meters (4 feet) thick. It is the heaviest piece of masonry known from Greek architecture. It weighs a staggering 120 tonnes and may have required as many as 1,000 people to lift it into position.
Compare this massive tomb to Bin Tepe in Turkey and its over 100 massive burial mounds that no one bothers to visit.
What To Know About Visiting The Tomb Of Agamemnon
Seeing the Tomb of Agamemnon is a must for anyone interested in ancient Greek history. After visiting the Tomb of Agamemnon, pop into the impressive National Archeological Museum in Athens and see artifacts recovered from the ancient site.
- Admission Fee For Mycenae: 12 Euros ($13) for Adult Admission
Opening Hours
- Winter: 8:30 am to 3:30 pm
- Summer: 8:00 am to 8:00 pm
The Tomb of Agamemnon is located only 400 meters (yards) southwest of the Acropolis of Mycenae. Visiting the tomb should be part of visiting the wider Mycenae archeological site.
Mycenae was one of the major centers of Greek civilization before the Greek Dark Ages and the Classic Greek period. The period of Greek history from circa 1600 BC to 1100 BC is called the Mycenaean period after this city of Mycenae.
Mycenae is located on the Peloponnese Peninsula and can be visited from Athens (continue the adventure and visit the ruins of Sparta nearby while there).
For more information about visiting the Tomb of Agamemnon and the Mycenae archeological site, refer to the official Odysseus website.
Source : The Travel