'From Homer’s World: Tenos and the Cyclades in the Mycenaean Age' at the Benaki Museum, Athens

The exhibition showcases the finds from the Mycenaean tholos tomb at Agia Thekla on Tenos, a rare funerary monument in the entire Aegean, which was excavated by Georgios Despinis in 1979. Burial place of members of an “aristocratic” clan, the Agia Thekla tholos tomb is one of only three such Mycenaean tombs known in the Cyclades.

Clay model of a chariot from the Sanctuary of Phylakopi in Milos
(2nd half of 12th century BC) [Credit: Ephorate of Antiquities
of the Cyclades, K. Xenikakis]

The precious objects recovered from it reflect the high cultural level of the period and enhance aspects of the Mycenaean Civilization, which can be rightly considered one of the most splendid civilizations in the history of Europe.

Displayed too are antiquities from other important prehistoric sites in the Aegean, specifically from Naxos, Delos, Mykonos, Paros, Melos, Siphnos, Thera and Kea, thus offering visitors a fuller picture of the nature and importance of Mycenaean Civilization in the Cyclades.

Bovine figurine from Phylakopi in Milos from the Sanctuary of Phylakopi
in Milos (13th century BC) [Credit: Ephorate of Antiquities
of the Cyclades, K. Xenikakis]

Hydra with plastic snakes (12th / early 11th century BC) from the Apollo cemetery
in Naxos (12th/early 11th century BC) [Credit: Ephorate of Antiquities
of the Cyclades, K. Xenikakis]

False amphora with octopus depicting the Kamini cemetery
in Naxos (12th/early 11th century BC) [Credit: Ephorate
of Antiquities of the Cyclades, K. Xenikakis]

Small gold beads some of which are in the form of a pomegranate from the Cemetery 
of Kaminio in Naxos (12th/early 11th century BC)[Credit: Ephorate of Antiquities
 of the Cyclades, K. Xenikakis]

Clay figurine of a male figure from the Sanctuary of Phylakopi
 in Milos (12th century BC) [Credit: Ephorate of Antiquities
 of the Cyclades, K. Xenikakis]

Figurine of a female figure ("Lady of Phylakopi") from the Sanctuary
of Phylakopi in Milos (about the middle of the 14th century BC)[Credit: Ephorate of Antiquities of the Cyclades, K. Xenikakis]

Ivory warrior tile from Artemisio, Delos (14th-13th century BC)
[Credit: Ephorate of Antiquities of the Cyclades, K. Xenikakis]

Head of a statue of a male figure from Grotas, Naxos (14th century BC)
[Credit: Ephorate of Antiquities of the Cyclades, K. Xenikakis]

Gold leaf plate with representation of a small child from the Cemetery of Kaminio
in Naxos (12th/early 11th century BC) [Credit: Ephorate of Antiquities
of the Cyclades, K. Xenikakis]

The narrative is structured in units that shed light on basic human activities, such as everyday life, worship, war, funerary customs.

Mycenaean tholos tomb at Agia Thekla on Tenos [Credit: Ephorate of Antiquities
of the Cyclades, K. Xenikakis]

Selected objects, representative items of pottery, metalwork, the minor arts, figurine-modelling and jewellery-making, reveal facets of the remarkable cultural heritage of the Mycenaeans, who were source of inspiration for the pinnacles of world literature, the Iliad and the Odyssey.

The exhibition will remain open until 08/03/2020.

Source: Benaki Museum [October 30, 2019]



* This article was originally published here