The Tomb of Agamemnon

Wonders of the World

by Cathy Gere

Read the Bldg Blog interview with Mary Beard about the Wonders of the World series (Part I and Part II) Mycenae, the fabled city of Homer's King Agamemnon, still stands in a remote corner of mainland Greece. Revered in antiquity as the pagan world's most tangible connection to the heroes of the Trojan War, Mycenae leapt into the headlines in the late nineteenth century when Heinrich Schliemann announced that he had opened the Tomb of Agamemnon and found the body of the hero smothered in gold treasure. Now Mycenae is one of the most haunting and impressive archaeological sites in Europe, visited by hundreds of thousands of tourists every year. From Homer to Himmler, from Thucydides to Freud, Mycenae has occupied a singular place in the western imagination. As the backdrop to one of the most famous military campaigns of all time, Agamemnon's city has served for generation after generation as a symbol of the human appetite for war. As an archaeological site, it has given its name to the splendors of one of Europe's earliest the Mycenaean Age. In this book, historian of science Cathy Gere tells the story of these extraordinary ruins--from the Cult of the Hero that sprung up in the shadow of the great burned walls in the eighth century bc, to the time after Schliemann's excavations when the Homeric warriors were resurrected to play their part in the political tragedies of the twentieth century.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Greece, Archaeology, Classics

208 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2006

Reviews

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

After reading this, I got the others in the series. Isn't that enough of a review?

[Iset · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book wasn’t what I was expecting. I was expecting the book to open with a chapter providing a generalised overview about Mycenaean culture, before diving into an intensive examination of the ruins at Mycenae and the specific artefacts that are in name only associated with the likes of Agamemnon and so forth. Instead I got something quite different. The book does spend some time discussing and examining the artefacts, but it then launches into discussions of how the artefacts and sites were discovered, the personal history of the discoverer, Heinrich Schliemann, and the changing reactions and theories regarding the Mycenaeans and these artefacts since their discovery and what part changing attitudes and political agendas have had to play. Does it count against the book that its actual content did not correlate with my expectations? No, and nor should it, but the fact is worth mentioning. At worst, perhaps one might contend that the title is slightly misleading and does tend to give one the impression that the book’s subject will focus mainly on the historical artefacts and their period of origin rather than reaction to them.

Personally, to be honest I would much rather have read about that, since my interest lies more in the actual history. Reading about Schliemann was interesting up to a point, as he is such a big name amongst historical discoverers that I almost felt obligated to learn more about the man, but after a while my interest waned and I found myself skimming through the final discussion of how political groups have interpreted the finds at Mycenae. I don’t deny it’s an important issue, but it isn’t as interesting to me. Assuming that a reader is particularly interested in that sort of thing and has picked up the book for that very reason, The Tomb of Agamemnon provides a good overview of the way the site has been interpreted and indeed used by various groups in the century or so since its rediscovery, and includes some interesting anecdotes and titbits to spark the interest, but at such a short page count it can’t provide an in depth examination of the subject, therefore it is best utilised by someone looking to take their first steps investigating this topic. The writing style is assuredly competent and complex without being confusing, however sometimes it can be a little dry and dull.

Worth mentioning is a handy section at the back of the book which tells the enquiring reader what resources she might consult to find out more and where she can view the Mycenaean artefacts referred to in the book – handy for anyone desiring to pursue the subject further, or for the intrepid traveller thinking of making a visit to Greece.

7 out of 10. An informative, well-researched overview of the theories regarding and reactions too the artefacts from Mycenae since their discovery, but a tad dry in places, and more of a starting point than a comprehensive look at the subject.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series of books headed up by the one and only Mary Beard. I started with the one on the Parthenon as part of my senior art history thesis in college and found it a valuable resource as well as an entertaining and witty read....an almost impossible combination in the field.

I enjoyed it so much that I decided to read this one after all these years and was not disappointed. Whether it be the Parthenon, Mycenea, the Alhambra, or Westminster Abbey, this series takes 200 pages or so to dish out the entire chronological history site by site and also touching upon its cultural relevance, archeological significance, and socio-political meanings in an intelligent, scholarly, but brilliantly witty way.

I highly recommend this book and the rest in the series as a must-read for historians, archaeologists, and art historians, but also as a wonderful gateway book for those visiting the sites and wanting to explore more than just the top-layer.

[Marshall Woodward · Rating 4 out of 5]

A strange, beautiful history that loses momentum. The book is at its best when it trades in archaeology for curiosity. Great read tangential to cloisters and the din de siecle obsession with tracing genealogies to sources of power

[Timothy Urban · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fascinating study of the impact of those finds. A Greek myth turns into a historical reality overnight.



Also amazing is that those early archaeologists, esp Schliemann, were little more than well-read circus entertainers, carelessly ploughing up ancient settlements and waving the shiny bits they found in the world's face. The theories and chronology surrounding the finds are just plucked out of the air to maximise publicity.



Later studies by Greek archaeologists put us on the right track, but not before the Nazis clasp onto the idea of an ancient Aryan race conquering ‘inferiors’. The Nazis loved Mycenae.



What I took from all this is just a reinforced view that loud, aggressive, powerful people can make up history and, once it’s in print, the world believes. Quiet, thoughtful people then attempt to get to the truth but often the received wisdom has taken too firm a hold.

[Linda Humberstone · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good interesting book, very explicit about position of Mycenae and the locations of the archaeological digs and finds there. The gold death masks are fascinating as the faces they depict are so different. I personally do not think too badly of Schliemann as he did generate a renewed interest in Greek and Mediterranean archaeology although his methods were inexcusable. How the Mycenaens were seen throughout the conflicts of the 20th century are enlightening especially regarding the Nazi regime but what is most rewarding is the fact that further excavations in the 1990's have revealed more information about the site, the people who lived there and their way of life.

[Nicole Cober-Lake · Rating 4 out of 5]

In *The Tomb of Agamemnon,* Cathy Gere provides an illuminating history of the ideological uses to which the archaeological discoveries from Mycenae have been put. Beginning with a brief recap of the Homeric material about Agamemnon and his role in the Trojan War, she leads the reader through the enamored initial reactions of classicists and gentleman scholars to the rediscovery of his traditional homeland by Heinrich Schliemann, Schliemann's notoriously irresponsible excavation and interpretation of the archaeological material in the late 19th century, and the deployment of the reawakened image of Mycenaean warrior culture to buttress the burgeoning nationalism of proto-fascism and Aryan superiority in the early 20th century. In the wake of the Second World War and its atrocities, the West became disenchanted with militarism, and once again changes in contemporary trends of cultural thought provoked a reinterpretation of Mycenae, this time as an example of cooperation between various groups of the Peloponnese.

This is such a smart book! Gere skillfully interweaves detailed site information with analysis that amounts to a reception history. While critiquing the 19th-century use of Homeric literature as an interpretive key to assessing the evidence from Mycenae, she demonstrates the lasting power of those ancient stories, and the versatility with which different eras redeployed them for their own purposes, re-mythologizing history again and again.

[Fletcher1 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good intro to the subject, well written and enjoyable (mostly). The things that interest me most are the descriptions of the site and the items that were found there and this was written extremely well - making me want to book a ticket to there right now. It was interesting to see the image of Mycenae through the ages through various eyes. there was just 1 chapter that didn't interest which was Chapter 7 about modern interpretations so skimmed through this very quickly.
Absolutely loved the last chapter describing the places and where to see the artifacts - this could have even been longer and more detailed and I'd have lapped up every word. She looked at it from a scientific/ neutral point of view which I thought was great but I'm sure scratching below the surface I could see a little side of her that also wanted the myth to be partly true. Great read.

[Γιώργος Λαουτάρης · Rating 4 out of 5]

Μια αναστοχαστική, πολύ έξυπνη εργασία για τη λειτουργία του μύθου και της αρχαιολογίας στις κοινωνίες και συγκεκριμένα για τις πολλαπλές σημασιοδοτήσεις που έλαβε από τον 8ο πΧ αιώνα και τον Όμηρο μέχρι τον 20ό αιώνα και τον Σεφέρη ο μύθος του Αγαμέμνονα και η ιστορία των Μυκηνών.
Η Gere δεν αφηγείται την ιστορία του μυκηναϊκού πολιτισμού, αν και δίνει ένα βασικό περίγραμμα. Διαβάζεται περισσότερο ως "ιστορία της αρχαιολογίας" με μελέτη περίπτωσης για τις Μυκήνες και την εποχή του χαλκού στην Ελλάδα.
Συνιστά επίσης έναν εξαιρετικό προκαταρκτικό οδηγό για όποιον σκοπεύει να επισκεφτεί τον αρχαιολογικό χώρο και το Μουσείο των Μυκηνών.

[Tracey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great read, as it really does an amazing job at looking how the discovery of Agamemnon's tomb turned into so much more. How it was appropriated by politics, how it was spun to reflect prevailing how historical theories and how it was used to build careers and reputations.
I never realised the extent of what occurred and how the discovery was overshadowed by these events. There is humour in the writing, plenty of balance and just a revelation. I mean how the discovery of a tomb would spark so much controversy on so many different levels.

[Gregory · Rating 2 out of 5]

I frankly had to force myself through this book. It is unclear to me exactly what it is about. I found the characterizations of evolving attitudes towards ancient Greece to be slightly interesting, but I was unable to really grasp what the overall thesis behind this book was. Perhaps this book is only really interesting to those seriously interested in archaeology. I would typify the style of this book as rambling, which is not good in a book this short because so many tangents were embarked upon in such a short span of pages that I was left with a profound feeling of incompleteness.

[Alex Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of the greatest books I have ever read about Agamemnon. It is a great book that talks about Agamemnon and how famous historians have discovered more about him. This book describes Mycenae's history, the times of Agamemnon, the time around the World Wars when many archeologists (from Axis, Allied, and Neutral countries). Great book, not extremely dense, but not an easy read either. I will be re-reading this book many a time.

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

The archaeology of ancient Greece: a tale of ego, politics, science, literature, and art. A fascinating history of the discovery and multiple interpretations (changing over time) of the ruins at Mycenae, which draws upon mythology, origins of Aryan racial constructions (and the uses of the swastika), Homer, the American poet H.D., the Linear B script, World War I and II, modern Greek politics, and the New Archaeology.

[kristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun introduction to Agamemnon and the story behind the famous tomb in Mycenae at the Lion Gate. This is entertaining history that covers alot of ground in a tiny book---from Bronze Age Greece to the history of the tomb's excavation and its influence on later generations. Not dry at all with a few good photos.

[Lisa]

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