Mycenaean culture flourished on the Greek mainland in the Late Bronze Age. The name comes from the site of Mycenae, where the culture was first recognized after the 1876 excavations by Heinrich Schliemann.
c. 1600–1100 B.C.E.
Beginner's Guide
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Warrior Krater
Painted soldiers decorate this ceramic vessel, marking a period of increased warfare in ancient Mycenae.
An introduction to the ancient Aegean
The people of the ancient Aegean were great seafarers and traders, talented potters, painters, jewelers, weavers and carvers of stone.
Mycenaean art, an introduction
Mycenaean culture dominated southern Greece, but is perhaps best known for the site of Mycenae itself.
Mask of Agamemnon
“I have gazed into the face of Agamemnon,” boasted the man who discovered it—but is it really the Homeric hero?
The Treasury of Atreus
Below the great citadel of Mycenae, a passage into a hillside leads to a massive beehive-shaped tomb.
The “Palace” and Grave Circle A
Seeking the mythic cities of Homer, Heinrich Schliemann identified Mycenae in the 19th century.
Lion Gate
Approaching Mycenae was awe inspiring: a massive hill, walls of enormous stones, and the fearsome Lion Gate.
