Atreus Treasury in Mycenae

The Treasury of Atreus in Mycenae: The Treasury of Atreus, also known as the Tomb of Agamemnon, the legendary king of Mycenae, lies in a walking distance from the ancient site and is one of the most famous buildings of Mycenae. The Treasury of Atreus is actually a tomb: a vaulted tomb built of stone, as we usually find in Peloponnese.

However, this tomb was partly visible when Schliemann came to Mycenae in 1879 and it had been looted centuries ago, which made archaeologists believe that it contained golden and other valuable offerings inside, that is why the tomb took its name. Not to mention that Atreus was the father of Agamemnon and also king of Mycenae.

A small path of 36 meters leads to the entrance of the tomb, which has a triangle lintel stone above the doorway, about 120 tons heavy. The interior of the tomb creates a fascinating echo and the ceiling is vaulted. Constructed in about 1250 BC, the Treasury of Atreus is 13.5 meters high and has a diameter of 14.5 meters. In fact, it is the tallest dome for many centuries, till the construction of the Pantheon in Rome. Another surprising element is that the interior of this tomb was decorated with red porphyry and green alabaster, very rare painting colors for that time.