Agora Deposit: J 1:11
Title:   Mycenaean Chamber Tomb
Supervisor:   Brian Martens
Category:   Burial
Description:   Mycenaean Chamber Tomb J 1:11, located in the area north of Wall K, was partially excavated during the 2014 season. At this point the full western extent of the chamber has not been located because of a dividing baulk and a possible second chamber or passage appears to open at the northeast. At season-end, the chamber measures about 3x2.25 m. The ceiling collapsed over the center of the tomb in antiquity, but large segments are preserved along the walls indicating that the chamber was at least 1.25 m high.
The chamber was disturbed during the Late Geometric period (ca. 700 B.C or the decades shortly thereafter), when it was packed with fill, apparently as part of a deliberate operation.
Two articulated skeleton, both adult females (one with fetus in utero), were found along the northern and southern walls of the chamber, respectively. The skeleton along the southern wall wore a necklace of carnelian and glass-paste beads, which was excavated in situ. Just to the north, we excavated additional glass-paste beads, presumably part of a second strand.
The work on J 1:11 was concluded in the 2015 season. A small cutting at the northeastern boundary of the chamber was explored. We removed a segment of the preserved ceiling that measured about 1m by 0.50-0.60m, in order to reach this cutting safely. A wide and steeply sloping dromos was revealed, approaching the chamber from the west (with later well J 1:12 cutting through its eastern extent). The southern edge of the dromos, cutting into the marl bedrock, was excavated up to Wall 7. Only a small portion of the northern edge, cutting into the rocky red virgin fill, could be revealed; the remainder is presently concealed under the scarp of still-standing Wall P. the stomion and its intact blocking wall were found behind a thin layer of fill centered at the western side of the chamber. The blocking wall consists of typical rubble construction , but includes an unusual vertical slab that acted as a jam. At the end of season, a strip of fill remained atop the blocking wall.
Cf. Hesperia 87 (2018), p. 663.
Notes:   No additional finds associated with the deposit were excavated in 2015.
Bibliography:   Hesperia 89 (2020), pp. 609-615, fig. 16.
Chronology:   LHIIIA
Date:   27 June-4 August 2014
17 June-2 July 2015
Section:   ΒΖ
Grid:   J/15,18-1/6,8
    J/17-1/7,8
References:   Publication: Hesperia 89 (2020)
Report: 2019 Excavations
Report: 2015 Excavations
Report: 2014 Excavations
Report Pages (6)
Images (103)
Objects (22)