§ X.—The Cyclopean Terrace Building

Abstract

In 1922 we had heard rumours of the existence of a Cyclopean building to the west of the Lion Tomb and on the north or reverse side of the ridge from the Tomb of Clytemnestra. We dug here for one day then and verified the presence of big walls. Accordingly, during our brief campaign in 1923, we could not resist the temptation to see what this building might be, as it lies well outside the acropolis and outside the Hellenistic wall of the lower town, and in an area where no Mycenaean ruins have yet been excavated.The plan in Fig. 91 shews the extent of wall we were able to trace. On the west at the foot of the slope we found a very heavy wall built in Cyclopean style with large blocks of limestone. It is 2·70 m. thick, in places as much as 2 m. high, and runs along for a distance of 15 m., and may have extended still further northwards. A wall returns at right angles from this straight into the hillside, and divides the space behind it into two sections, which we have provisionally called the north and south chambers.