6 DR. SCIILIEMANN'S DISCOVERIES. 



After veiy minute examination of this anagl3^ph, Dr. Schliemann observes 

 that the appearance of all the animals, especially the formation of the beast 

 ■with horns, so much resembles the style of sculpture of the two lions that 

 he is convinced they belong to the same period — that is to say, 1200 B. C. 

 Probably all the treasure houses of Mycenae and the portion of cyclopean 

 walls on either side of the Gate of Lions, as well as the gate itself, are of 

 the same period. Homer repeatedly calls Mycena3 the "Golden City." Its 

 great wealth is certainly confirmed by its numerous treasure houses, and 

 by the splendor of its architecture; but the great question arises how this 

 city, in the most remote period of antiquit}?", when commerce did not exist, 

 acquired its enormous quantities of gold. It certainly appears that the 

 Mycena3ans could only have gained their wealth by piratical expeditions to 

 the coasts of Asia. 



In the great trench, which is near the Gate of Lions, the excavators 

 have brought to light three rows of tombs, inclosed by a slim circular wall 

 extending to a neighboring rock. These tombs are made of limestone, and 

 are very near each other; they are from thirteen to sixteen feet deep. By 

 the side of them were discovered two lines of monumental tablets, of which 

 three in one line and four in the other stand upright. One of them is di- 

 vided into two parts, and has sculjDtured on it a man in a chariot, drawn by 

 one horse, whose great speed is shown by the position of his legs and tail, 

 which stands erect. Behind the chariot is the handle of a spear. By the 

 side of the horse is a second man, standing upright, with an entirely un- 

 known weapon in his hand. On either side of the chariot are carved in a 

 circle regular spiral ornaments. Another sepulchral tablet is ornamented 

 with carvings representing serpents, whose spiral coils form magnificent 

 ornaments. In the same row of tablets there are pieces of three others. 

 The sculptures on them represent men and horses, A little further on a 

 roofless cyclopean house has been found. In excavating it a great quantity 

 of ashes and thousands of pieces of antique painted vases were brought to 

 light, as well as quantities of plumb line weights, having handles on both 

 sides for suspension, and a small quantity of charred wheat; also numerous 

 spindles made of blue stone. On one of the vases is a very curious painting. 

 It represents two swans, their heads close together, delineating in a man- 

 ner the Eussian crown. In addition to all these above n^entioned tombs, 

 others have been discovered of a very peculiar shape, about three feet deep 

 and from six to eight feet wide, and made of small flags. The articles found 

 in them are pieces of vases and bones. It may be affirmed for a certainty 

 that all the bones are those of animals, because among them are many 

 cheek bones of swine. From the absence of other articles Dr. Schliemann 

 conjectures that in a more remote period the tombs were pillaged and filled 

 up again. 



The discovery of tombs on the virgin soil near the Gate of Lions, on the 

 most celebrated part of the Acropolis, where one expected to find the pal- 

 ace of Agamemnon, makes it clear that these tombs are those of illustrious 

 men. Pausanias, speaking of Mycense, says: "Clytemnestra was buried, 

 and ^gisthus, a little further on, outside the walls; inside, where Agamem- 

 non and those who died with him were buried, they were not considered 

 worthy to be interred." Of course, says Dr. Schliemann, what Pausanias 

 says about tiie tombs he had not himself seen, but learned it from tradition. 

 When he visited Mycenaj, 170 years after Christ, they had been for centuries 

 buried under the debris of prehistoric ruins on which the Greek city had 

 been built, and which was itself destroyed four centuries before Pausanias 

 lived. There were also found a large piece of porphyry with splendid re- 

 liefs, representing among other things three roses; and another piece of al- 



