Funerary objects

What is the purpose of funerary objects?

To reflect the importance and wealth of the people they were buried with - the objects might also have religious significance, or be indicative of their lifestyles such as if they were a warrior

What pottery objects were there?

These were very common and included vessels and figurines made most often from clay. Vessels typically contained perfume, oils or other liquids

Military equipment

Swords and daggers have been found, suggesting that the deceased was a warrior. Most items were made from bronze, although some had gold inlay

Beauty products

Many women’s tombs had jewellery, cosmetic boxes, combs and b mirrors

What objects did grave III contain?

Called the grave of the women as it contained 3 women and 2 infants containing gold jewellery and gold diadems. The children were covered in gold foil and gold repousse decorations were found on the original clothing they would have worn (which has since decomposed). Jewellery included large silver and bronze pins with rock crystal

What objects did grave IV contain?

This was the largest grave which contained the most famous burial objects, including the cup of Nestor, the Lion Hunt Dagger, the battle in the glen signet ring, the hunting signet ring and the lion’s head rhyton

What objects did grave V contain?

Agamemnon’s gold death mask, the gold Pyxis and a gold cup

What objects did grave O contain?

The woman buried had her head and chest covered with over 100 amber beads and spacers, along with a crystal duck head bowl nearby

Which grave circle was more impressive?

The burial artefacts in grave circle A were generally more spectacular

What are some other interesting items found in grace circle A?

An ostrich egg rhyton with glazed ceramic dolphins, bronze swords decorated with the mythological creatures griffins, a gold octopus brooch (with 7 tentacles!) and swords with decorated gold handles

The gold death mask of Agamemnon

Discovered by Schliemann from the 16th century BC, made from thin gold sheets weighing only 168g despite being the size of a human head, which emphasises the skill of the craftsman to create such fine details on the thin object. It used the techniques hammering and repousse (to give the shape of the deceased’s face, and it was heated up to do so more easily), as well as using a sharper, finer tool to create facial details seen in the beard and eyebrows. It has two holes near the ears to indicate that it was fixed over the face during burial, it is likely that the deceased was a king due to the expense and skill used to create this object, illustrating the imposing and dignified features of the man