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April 2000

Argolis

David Aaronson
2005-09-24 20:55:57

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legend it is said that Perseus was the founder of the city of Mycenae. It's thus entirely possible that Agamemnon, Clytemnestra, Cassandra, Orestes and the rest of the family sat on this very doorstep at some point in history. It very unlikely however that a Homeric epic will be written about our visit. Alas.

Just inside the Lion Gate is the largest of the circular tombs of the city (8). The pit in the center was used as a mass burial site. As citizens were added to it, a stone tablet commemorating them was added to the concentric rings around the tomb. The enscriptions have worn away for the most part though segments of them are still legible. Others are found in the Archeological Museum in Athens (of course).

Mycenae is a pretty big place and if you ignore the main tour circuit and climb over a few walls, you'll come across this. Known as the secret staircase it leads down through the hill to a hidden resevoir for use during sieges. The stairs go down a tremendously long way but you need to bring your own flashlight and a bit of courage to explore it. The steps are uneven at best. There is also a back gate to Mycenae but it is not as elaborate as the Lion Gate. The hill drops away sharply on the far side of the city and the walls are hardly needed to keep invaders out.

Nearby in another hillside is the Treasury of Atreus, also known as the Tomb of Agamemnon (9). Tombs of this shape are known as tholos tombs. Inside it is empty now (guess which museum everything is in) and it is shaped much like a traditional beehive. After touring ancient Mycenae we stopped at nearby old Mycenae for lunch. New Mycenae is farther down the road and is the normal working town. Old Mycenae is basically a clump of hotels and souvenir stands, and the ruins are referred to as ancient Mycenae. Pottery is the souvenir of choice and every major road intersection in Argolis seems to have at least one store offering reproductions of Mycenean, Greek, Dorian and Minoan pottery. There are several other sites of interest in Argolis including the acropolis of Argos and the ancient city of Troizen, but we decided to share our time with some of the other provinces of Greece as well.