A Mycenaean warrior's tomb at Krini near Patras

Abstract

In 1981 an unplundered Mycenaean chamber tomb was excavated at Krini NW of Patras. Two separate layers of burials were found in the chamber, and its use is dated from LH III A to the middle of LH III C. The LH III C warrior's burial is of particular interest. It was furnished with a bronze Naue II sword, which has preserved in good condition its scabbard, made of wood and leather and decorated with bronze strips and studs. The warrior's burial and its furnishings are studied here in relation to the other LH III C warrior burials known from the Patras region, and their significance is discussed. The analysis of the pottery found in the tomb gives evidence for the existence and dating of local pottery workshops active in the region.

Some Mycenaean tombs at Palaiokastro, Arcadia

“…This is an interesting phenomenon, apparently without local antecedents. 55 Here then we have another link between LH III C Palaiokastro in northwest Arcadia and Achaea, in addition to those indicated by many of the pottery finds. 56 The investigations at Palaiokastro have added substantially to our knowledge of Mycenaean-more specifically late Mycenaean-Arcadia, and its connections with other parts of the Mycenaean world.…”

“…J. Howell, BSA 65 (1970) 101-2, 114-15 no. 55 Demakopoulou's notes and sketches and on study of the finds. Unfortunately, no plans of the tombs were made during the excavation, and the photographs that were taken at that time were, with one exception (FIG.…”

9 Late Mycenaean Warrior Tombs

“…The publication of the burial sequence carefully observed in Tomb 3 at this site in the Patras region provided, for the first time, the criteria for dating a warrior burial of Achaïa more closely within the LH IIIC period (Papazoglou-Manioudaki 1994). The upper level of two burial layers contained two pairs of interments.…”

Late Mycenaean Warrior Tombs

“…It is in this context that the so-called warrior burials and warrior tombs of LH/LM IIIC have already been treated by several authors (Papazoglou-Manioudaki 1994;Kilian-Dirlmeier 1998;Cavanagh and Mee, Private Place: 95, 161-66;Papadopoulos 1999;Deger-Jalkotzy 1999: 130-1;Deger-Jalkotzy 2002: 58-62;Moschos 2002: 29-32;Eder 2003a: 38-41;Kanta 2003). The term 'warrior tomb' is generally applied to funerary monuments containing burials that are distinguished from other interments by a pronounced military character and symbolism of their burial gifts.…”