One of the distinctive features of the Mycenaean style is the use of very large stone blocks,. In fact, the size of some of these blocks is equal to that of a small truck. The use of large fortification walls goes accord to this fact and is another characteristic fact about the Mycenaean architecture.
Apart from resulting very impressive, the size of the stones used also calls the attention because of the unprecedented engineering work that was necessary to move them, as well as for fitting them together with such a great precision; mythology attributed the construction of these walls to Cyclops and thus the architectural type of the walls is known as Cyclopean. |
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fortifications. In fact, the architectural abilities of this civilisation also extended beyond constructions, as they included many improvements on the roadways and waterworks system, for which they made a great work of engineering.
The mentioned features regarding the architecture of Mycenae also brought about, in many cases, a stylistic separation from the Minoan culture; the Mycenaean palaces and the wealthy homes had halls with an entrance in one side, consisting of a porch with two columns. This was known as ‘megaron’, and was the centrepiece of this type of construction.
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variations between the different Mycenaean castles, it is the central feature they all share.
Another unique feature of the Mycenaean architecture is the corbel vaulting. This technique consists of making courses of stones, each one heading a little more into the space, forming a triangular arch on top of which a single stone can be placed. The use of this technique is related to the spanning of arched corridors and circular domes. One of its advantages is the fact of lighting the weight on the doorways. Remarkable examples of this technique are the Mycenaean Tunnel, leading to what is known as the ‘secret spring’, and the famous Tholos tombs. |
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