What were the columns that flanked the entrance to the tholos treasure of Atreus made of?
What were the columns that flanked the entrance to the tholos treasure of Atreus made of?
Two engaged columns of Minoan type (now in the British Museum, London), made of green limestone and decorated with a zigzag pattern, were secured to the facade, which was approached by a dromos, or ceremonial passageway, revetted with cyclopean blocks of masonry and open to the sky.
What is the most remarkable feature of the Treasury of Atreus in Mycenae?
The interior of the tomb creates a fascinating echo and the ceiling is vaulted. Constructed in about 1250 BC, the Treasury of Atreus is 13.5 meters high and has a diameter of 14.5 meters. In fact, it is the tallest dome for many centuries, till the construction of the Pantheon in Rome.
What type of construction best describes the Treasury of Atreus?
The Treasury of Atreus or Tomb of Agamemnon is a large tholos or beehive tomb on Panagitsa Hill at Mycenae, Greece, constructed during the Bronze Age around 1250 BC.
What is the Treasury of Atreus an example of?
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.
What was the purpose of Treasury of Atreus?
It seems that the aim of placing the Treasury of Atreus in the centre of the panoramic view of the Argive plain from the west side of the upper acropolis, was to remind those who entered the palace of what the ruler achieved in his lifetime.
Why is it called Treasury of Atreus?
(Incidentally, the travel writer Pausanias in the 2nd century AD called it the ‘Treasury of Atreus’, because at that time the structure was thought to have been the treasure house of Atreus, one of the legendary kings of Mycenae.)
Which architectural form does the Treasury of Atreus exemplify?
It is especially known for its protective gateway, the Lion Gate, and the Treasury of Atreus, an example of a tholos tomb. Mycenaean architecture reflects their warring society.
Why was the Treasury of Atreus built?
Why did mycenaeans build fortified cities?
The fortifications of Mycenae were built with the use of Cyclopean masonry. With the citadel built on a cliff, the architects created protection not only for the upper class that lived within the walls, but the lower-class farmers in the surrounding areas, who could find refuge there in times of war.
What are Minoan columns distinguished by?
Minoan columns were uniquely shaped, constructed from wood, and painted. They are tapered at the bottom, larger at the top, and fitted with a bulbous, pillow-like capital .
