Christofilis Maggidis (Associate Professor, Dickinson College; President, Mycenaean Foundation; Field Director of Excavations, Lower Town of Mycenae) will give a lecture titled “The ‘Throne of Agamemnon’. The archaeological discovery and identification of the royal throne of Mycenae”. The event is organized by The Mycenaean Foundation.
Abstract
The recent discovery (2014) of a huge stone fragment of the Mycenaean royal throne in the dry riverbed of Chavos, right below the palace of Mycenae, stirred strong academic and public interest on account of the unique find (the only throne of a Mycenaean palace ever found so far on mainland Greece), its archaeological importance and special semantic value as a symbol connected with myth and ancient literary tradition. The multifaceted interdisciplinary study of the find proved that it can be securely identified as the throne of the last phase of the Mycenae palace (1250-1200 BC). Such identification is based on solid, diverse and interlaced argumentation, including archaeological, morphological, technical, geological, topographical, and literary evidence, comparanda, comparative study of dimensions and proportions, and examination of impact traces. The fothcoming publication, restoration and cultural management of the throne of Mycenae are imperative, as this may prove to be one of the most splendid finds of the Mycenaean civilization.
Reception to follow