Mycenaean architecture

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Mycenaean architecture. Architecture in and around Mycenae on the Greek mainland of c.1500–1200 BC, of which the megaron, propylaeum, in antis (see anta) portico, court, and tholos were features of monumental building. At Tiryns there were two propylaea leading to the fortified palace complex: the outer gateway was the model for all the great Greek gateways, including that on the Athenian Acropolis, while in the centre of the palace was a large and impressive megaron with distyle in antis porticoes. The finest existing tholos of Mycenaean design is the so-called Treasury of Atreus (c. C15 BC), approached by a dromos or open passage lined with masonry, and constructed of courses of stone laid on a circular plan, each course a slightly smaller diameter, so that a corbelled or pseudo-vault was constructed. At the end of the dromos the entrance to the tholos was framed by two tapering columns with zig-zags cut in the shafts. With Mycenaean architecture ordered planning reached a high degree of sophistication.

Bibliography

Cruickshank (ed.) (1996);
Dinsmoor (1950);
D. S. Robertson (1945);
Jane Turner (1996)

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