Ancient Mycenae

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Took a day-trip today about an hour North past Argos to Ancient Mycenae. This is another connection back to Troy in Turkey. Mycenae was supposedly the kingdom ruled by Agamemnon, the Greek leader, and his brother, Menelaus. Historically, at least, it was also the most powerful kingdom in the Greek world from about 1600-1200 BC. The ruins, too, were very impressive.

Mycenae sits in a very dramatic landscape, right in between two mountains. It also was built out of these absolutely massive blocks of stone. Once Mycenae fell, people thought that only a race of giant Cyclops' could've actually built the place. It's most famous for its Lions Gate, and the famous Treasury of Atreus and the other tombs of the royal family. If you remember the photo of Agamemnon's "Death-Mask" that I posted from the Acheological Museum in Athens, it was found here by Heinrich Schliemann, the same German guy who excavated Troy. Everything is connected in this part of world.

Spent most of the day in Mycenae. Back in Nafplion I met an incredibly nice Greek couple and we talked for a couple of hours over dinner. Greeks, in general, love to talk, and are very friendly. It's also great to talk to people from the area, and get their opinions on the country and the world. For instance, according to them, JFK was the best American president, and the guy actually still follows the Ancient Greek religion, full of Zeus and all of the other gods. They also had a little Yorkshire terrier named Gigi. Very nice couple... they even bought me my Greek yogurt for the night. Tomorrow is my last day here, and it's another day-trip, this time to Epidavros.

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Photos

The Lions Gate
This is the main entrance.

One of the mountains
It's also incredibly windy at Mycenae.

Ruined palace of Agamemnon
You can still see where the posts were in the floor.

Grave circle
This is where the death-mask was found.

Treasury of Atreus
This was actually a royal tomb.

Inside treasury
It's called a tholos, or beehive tomb.

Tomb of Clytemnestra
She was Agamemnon's wife who murdered him through her lover when he returned from the Trojan War.