Tholos Tomb Research Articles

Part IV. The Epano Phournos Tholos Tomb

The tholos tomb, known as the Epano Phournos (see Plan, Fig. 42 and photographs Plate 24), is one of the five tholos tombs which were known at Mycenae when modern archaeological research began there with Schliemann's excavations in 1876. The other four are: the Treasury of Atreus, the Lion Tomb, the Kato Phournos, and the Tomb of Clytemnestra. All these are marked on Schliemann's plan and that of Steffen, and the first three with the Epano Phournos were seen by Leake and Gell. Thus the Epano Phournos, especially since it stands high on the top of the ridge, has probably been known for many centuries, and has often no doubt been subject to the activities of treasure seekers. It was first excavated by Tsountas in 1892, who says he cleared it. It is not absolutely certain that the Epano Phournos is the tomb referred to by Tsountas, but it is most probable. He seems to have cleared the dromos and the front of the doorway and to have dug into the centre of the ruined tholos. He makes no mention of any finds from the tomb, and no objects from it seem to be recorded in the National Museum at Athens. In 1922 in our re-examination and planning of the tholos tombs we cleared the dromos again and excavated the doorway as far as could be done with safety.

The Tholos Tomb in Iberia

At the end of the last war it became known to archaeologists in this country that there had been published in Germany in 1943 the first part, itself in two massivevolumes, of a monumental survey of the Spanish chambered tombs by Dr and Frau Leisner. Die Megalithgraber der Iberischen Halbinsel-I Der Suden was sponsored and produced by the Romisch-Germanische Kommission, and for the first time the results of the excavations of Siret, Bonsor and others were presented to scholars in a manner which set a new standard in the publication of such material. The work is noteworthy not only for its detailed and informed discussion of the tombs and their contents, but for its scheme of total presentation of the evidence in visual form and to uniform conventions of scale and draughtsmanship, supported by photographs where necessary.

Note on Spectacle Fibulae and Horses

Marmariani.—In JHS LXX, 18 I attempted to show that there were Late Geometric elements in some of the vases from the tholos tombs, and that therefore the spectacle brooches found with them need not necessarily belong to the Early Iron Age. Since then I have had a demonstration from Mr. Maryon of the use of steel and bronze tools (see AJA LIII, 116), and it is now clear to me that the ‘rocking’ pattern on the bracelets from Marmariani (BSA XXXI, 34, nos. 9 and 10) must have been made with a steel tool, and cannot date from the beginning of theIron Age, as Heurtley supposed. Since bronze is more difficult to work than gold, they are not likely to be earlier than the Elgin brooches, which themselves probably belong to the second half of the eighth century. Tomb 1 at Marmariani contains both a spectacle brooch and one of the bracelets.

Ships in Greek Vase-Painting

From the several references to the crews of ships in theIliadand theOdysseyit can be seen that the complement of oarsmen is usually twenty. I assume that Homer is describing the Heroic ships, the ships of the Achaeans, and not necessarily the ships of the time in which he lived. However, naval specialists from the west of Greece, like the Phaeacians, were able to build larger ships; for they sent Odysseus home to Ithaca in a ship with a crew of fifty-two. The ship, too, in which Odysseus left Troy must have been about this size; by the time it had reached Circe's island its complement had been reduced to forty-six, including Odysseus and Eurylochus, but then there had been casualties. Each of the ships which originally left Troy with Odysseus had lost six men during the attack of the Cicones; had it not been for this loss, then, the crew would have been fifty-two. It is true that Odysseus' particular ship had lost six men to Cyclops as well; but it is likely that Odysseus' ship would have been made up to strength from the other ships after the incident. It is at any rate clear that Odysseus' ship had a crew ofabout fifty, and that the pentekontor, although Homer does not use the actual word π∊ντηκóντoρoς, was in use at the time of the Trojan War.This deduction is supported by a Mycenaean vase decorated with a ship, found during the excavation of the Tragana Tholos Tomb at Pylos (Koryphasion) and dated by Furumark to 1230–1100.

Archæological Work in Greece

During the war years little archaeological excavation was possible in Greece; but here and there minor discoveries were made, and these are summarized in the annual report of the Committee of the British School of Archæology at Athens. It appears in the Journal of Hellenic Studies, 64 (1944), and carries the story down to 1945. There are some illustrations, including a portion of a tholos tomb discovered near Knossos.

The Treasury of Atreus

The Treasury of Atreus is one of the most important monuments of the Bronze Age in Greece and is universally recognized as the supreme example of Mycenaean architecture. It is also the finest of all the many beehive or tholos tombs which are such a striking feature of Mycenaean culture. The beehive-tomb is essentially a creation of the architecture of the Greek mainland and of Mycenaean as opposed to Minoan building. In Crete so far three beehive-tombs of Bronze Age date are known, two of which—one at Hagios Theodoros and another just found at Knossos—date from late L.M. III, the very end of the Bronze Age. The third, found at Knossos in 1938, is not to be dated earlier than 1500 B.C. All three are small and poorly constructed. The Early Bronze Age circular ossuaries of Mesarà in Crete, often erroneously described as beehive-tombs, are, as Professor Marinatos has provel nothing of the kind. On the other hand, on the Greek Mainland and in the islands immediately adjacent to it, at least forty beehive-tombs are so far known. These figures are enough to indicate that the beehivetomb is a product of Mainland or Mycenaean rather than of Cretan or Minoan architecture. More accurate information about the date and construction of the Treasury of Atreus, the finest of all the beehivetombs, cannot fail to enlarge our knowledge of the history and art of the Mycenaean civilization.

Σιγύνη

In the old Lacedaemonian district of Amyclae, where a series of distinctly pre-Hellenic cults was preserved down to historic times, one of the richest Mycenaean tholos tombs, that of Vaphio, was discovered fifty years ago. Some of the objects found in this tomb shew clearly oriental connections, while others, among which are the two famous gold goblets, are of pure Minoan origin.Though the tomb was not plundered, some of the objects contained in it were scattered about. The fragments of an inlaid dagger, decorated with a representation of swimming men, have been tentatively reconstructed by me. Another weapon from the same tomb is discussed on p. 190.

The Date of The Treasury of Atreus

Professor Karo and the excavators of Tiryns have welcomed the publication of the report of the excavations which I conducted at Mycenae for the British School at Athens from 1920 to 1923, and have expressed themselves as in general agreement with the results. In the last two numbers of this Journal, Sir Arthur Evans has queried one or two points and the editors have kindly allowed me to reply to his questions here. This is necessary because some of the facts are not quite correctly stated by him. He is inclined to doubt the architectural evolution of the beehive tomb as set forth in our report, and thinks that the two which are most advanced in construction, the Treasury of Atreus and the Tomb of Clytemnestra, should be assigned to an earlier date. Secondly, he would suggest a somewhat different classification and dating for Late Helladic III. pottery. These two questions hang together, since L.H. III. sherds were discovered under the threshold and under the dromos walls of the Treasury of Atreus. It seems best, however, to treat them separately, and we will deal first with the architectural and other evidence for the dating of the two tholos tombs, and later with the problems of L.H. III. ware. In doing so every care must be taken to prevent the danger of allowing theories or preconceived prejudices to outweigh the facts, that is to say, the archaeological evidence obtained by excavation.

§ IX.—The Tholos Tombs

At the time of Schliemann's excavations in 1876 six tholos tombs were known at Mycenae, the Treasury of Atreus, the Tomb of Clytemnestra, the Lion Tomb, the Epano Phournos, the Cyclopean Tomb and the Kato Phournos. Most of these had been seen by earlier travellers, such as Leake and Dodwell. Lord Sligo and Lord Elgin had conducted explorations in the Treasury of Atreus: Veli Pasha had attacked the Tomb of Clytemnestra, and apparently was responsible for the destruction of its dome. Steffen marks all these six on his excellent map of Mycenae and its environs. Schliemann in 1873 and 1876 was the first to begin the excavation of the tholos tombs. He made some tests in the Treasury of Atreus, and Mrs. Schliemann superintended the operations intended to clear the Tomb of Clytemnestra, but she was unable to complete them. By 1879 Stamatakes had cleared the dromos and chambers of the Treasury of Atreus, which, till then, as shewn clearly in the Elgin drawings preserved in the British Museum, were blocked with a large accumulation of earth. In 1886 Tsountas commenced his long and fruitful series of excavations, and among other important finds was rewarded by the discovery of three more tholos tombs.

§ II.—The Campaign of 1921

The Greek Ministry of Public Instruction readily renewed our permit, and as usual gave us every facility they could. Mr. Theophaneides was specially sent to act as Government representative during the excavations, which were also visited by Dr. Keramopoullos, Ephor for Argolis, and after the close of the work Mr. Balanos came to inspect the walls and tholos tombs and consult with the Director about the measures necessary to repair and conserve them. Other visitors included Dr. Chatzidakis of Candia and Professor Kurt Mueller.The actual excavation began on May 22nd, though Miss Lamb and Miss Herford arrived two days before and occupied themselves in arranging the workroom and other preparations. The number of men employed was at first twenty-five, and gradually rose to forty-seven, and then diminished again by degrees to six, when work ended on July 27th. The headquarters of the party were in the Metrovgenes house, which proved convenient and comfortable, while accommodation for the lady members was retained at the ‘Fair Helen Hotel.’