The Lion Gate received its name from its decorated relieving triangle of lions on either side of a single column. The gate is famous for its use of the relieving arch, a corbeled arch that leaves an opening and lightens the weight carried by the lintel. The gate is 20 feet wide, which is large enough for citizens and wagons to pass through, but its size and the walls on either side create a tunnelling effect that makes it difficult for an invading army to penetrate. The main approach to the citadel is through the Lion Gate, a cyclopean-walled entranceway. A large gravesite, known as Grave Circle A, is also built within the walls. Inside the walls are various rooms for administration and storage along with palace quarters, living spaces, and temples. The site’s megaron sits on the highest part of the acropolis and is reached through a large staircase. It overlooks the Argos plain on the Peloponnesian peninsula, and according to Greek mythology was the home to King Agamemnon. The citadel site of Mycenae was the center of Mycenaean culture. Deepwater wells, storage rooms, and open space for livestock and additional citizens allowed a city to access basic needs while being protected during times of war. Since citadels had to protect the area’s people in times of warfare, the sites were equipped for sieges. Entrance to the site was through one or two large gates, and the pathway into the main part of the citadel was often controlled by more gates or narrow passageways. In addition to thick walls, the sites were protected by controlled access. The architectural plan of the megaron became the basic shape of Greek temples, demonstrating the cultural shift as the gods of ancient Greece took the place of the Mycenaean rulers.Ĭitadel sites were protected from invasion through natural and man-made fortification. It contained a more or less central open hearth, which was vented through an oculus in the roof above it and surrounded by four columns. The megaron was a rectangular hall, fronted by an open, two-columned porch. Mycenaean citadel sites were centred around the megaron, a reception area for the king. The triangular space may have been left open in some structures.Ĭorbeled vault, Tiryns: This photo shows the offsetting successive courses of stone at the spring line of the walls so that they project towards the archway’s center from each supporting side until the courses meet at the apex of the archway.
The corbel arch was often used by the Mycenaeans in conjunction with a relieving triangle, which was a triangular block of stone that fits into the recess of the corbeled arch and helped to redistribute weight from the lintel to the supporting walls. The corbel arch is constructed by offsetting (cantilevering) successive courses of stone (or brick) at the spring line of the walls so that they project towards the archway’s center from each supporting side until the courses meet at the apex of the archway (often, the last gap is bridged with a flat stone). Therefore, a corbeled (or corbel) arch is employed over doorways to relieve the weight on the lintel. A typical post and lintel structure is not strong enough to support the heavy structures built above it. The Mycenaeans also relied on new techniques of building to create supportive archways and vaults. The thick Cyclopean walls reflect a need for protection and self-defence since these walls often encircled the citadel site and the acropolis on which the site was located. Due to this ancient belief, the use of large, roughly cut, ashlar blocks in buildings are referred to as Cyclopean masonry. The blocks were considered too large to be moved by humans and were believed by ancient Greeks to have been erected by the Cyclopes-one-eyed giants. The walls of Mycenaean citadel sites were often built with ashlar and massive stone blocks. Describe the Mycenaean architecture and funerary practices.
Define the critical terms related to Mycenaean art.Identify and describe the form, content, and context of Mycenaean works.
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