Mikenes, or Mycenae, seat of the Mycenean culture, was the palace of Homer's King Agememnon, whose kingdom was the most powerful in Greece in the period 1600-1200 BCE.
1 Ancient Mikenes lies on the hilltop in the middle of the picture, hidden by higher surrounging hills.
2 A closer view of the mammoth walls and path up to the palace.
3 A closer view yet.
4 The famous Lion Gate to the lower citadel.
5 The lions may have been the symbol of the House of Atreus of epic fame and tragedy.
6 Inside the Lion Gate, the stone-paved path leads upwards.
7 The (in)famous archaeologist Hermann Schliemann, who also exacavated Troy in Asia Minor (Turkey), excavated Mykenes, including Grave Circle A.
8 Impressive mountains in the distance.
9 Impressive passage between standing monoliths.
10 Grave Circle A is where Schliemann found the gold death mask which he supposed was the mask of Agamemnon, now visible in the Archaeological Museum in Athens.
11 American tourist preparing to make the ascent to the hilltop palace ruins.
12 A lone olive tree at whose foot...
13 ... cyclamen are in bloom!
14 From the palace, the view extends to the sea near Nafplio, so the position was well chosen, with its face to the sea and its back to a higher mountain.
15 Part of the monumental walls of the upper citadel.
16 Looking back down at Grave Circla A, the hillside entrance to Clytemnestra's tomb .. and the parking lot.
17 Big stones in that wall!
18 In the museum are many objects found on the site, although the most valuable ones are in Athens. This pot shows motifs of swans and other birds.
19 Part of a fresco from the Cult Center on the Acropolis of Mykenes.
20 A 6th-c. BCE black-figure krater with a scene of Dionysian revelries.
21 About 500 m away on a facing hill lies the impressive entrance to the tomb Schliemann claimed to be that of Agamemnon himself.
22 The roof of Agamemnon's tomb, a tholos (or beehive) tomb.
