Tholos tomb of Clytemnestra
Tholos tomb of Clytemnestra
The "Tomb of Clytemnestra," is the youngest among Mycenae's tombs, second in size only to Atreus' Tomb, and simpler in its construction. Its pathway measures 37 meters in length and 6 meters in width. The sides of the pathway are lined with regularly cut isodomic blocks, much like the dome itself. Its facade features a door with a triple threshold and a relieving triangle, clearly triangular in design, adorned externally with sculpted stone slabs and internally with light dry masonry. It was once framed by ribbed half-columns made of gypsum stone, of which only the bases remain in place. Few elements of the sculpted decoration on the facade have survived. The entrance, with a length of 5.40 meters, was closed with double doors, as indicated by the recesses in the lintel. Its chamber has a diameter of 13.50 meters, and after restoration, its height reaches 13 meters. The dome retains its original form up to a height of 8.55 meters. The relieving triangle in the chamber's interior closes with a wall. It appears to have a drainage system for rainwater. The tomb was named after Queen Clytemnestra; however, there is no scientific proof of her connection to it. After being destroyed and looted by the Bey of Nafplion, the structure was eroded further by the rains and storms until it was restored by the Archaeological Service in 1951.
As seen on
Mycenae: Agamemnon's home
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