Mycenæ: a narrative of researches and discoveries at Mycenæ and TirynsSchliemann, Heinrich
History
Mycenæ: a narrative of researches and discoveries at Mycenæ and Tiryns
Schliemann, Heinrich
Mycenae (Extinct city); Tiryns (Extinct city)
There were further found two golden diadems which, like the former, are
of thin gold plate, but neither of them is piped. Both are so small
that they could only fit round the heads of children; one is 1 ft. 4½
in., the other 1 ft. 1/3 in., long. The former is ornamented, between
two borders of points, with five shield-like circles in the middle, of
which three represent rosettes, the other two a wheel in motion. The
remaining space to the right and left is filled up with small shield-like
circles, together with two larger ones representing again a wheel in
motion, and with spirals. The other diadem has, between two borders of
concentric circles, in the middle a shield-like circle representing a
wheel in motion, and to the right and left a similar circle representing
rosettes. Above the second circle from the middle one, to the right of
the spectator, is represented a bird. The remaining space is filled up
with a beautiful and very symmetrical ornamentation of spirals, with two
shield-like circles representing wheels in motion, and again with spirals
or concentric circles. Both these diadems have at each end a fine wire
for fastening them round the head.
[Illustration: Nos. 357, 358.
A Belt and "belle Hélène" of gold. Sepulchre IV. Size ⅓ (one-third
size).]
Nos. 357 and 358 represent from the same sepulchre a small
beautifully-ornamented golden belt and a golden "belle Hélène," that
is, a fillet or frontlet. Both are of strong plate, but so short that
they also seem to have been used as ornaments for a child. The belt is
ornamented with seven shield-like circles, representing wheels in motion;
it has at either end a perforation for fastening it with fine wires.
[Sidenote: ORNAMENTED GOLD RIBBON, ETC.]
The "belle Hélène" is ornamented with rosettes and crosses of _repoussé_
work; it has two perforations in the rim, a little way from either
end, from one of which is still hanging the fragment of a very fine
chain (_a_), and a similar one has, no doubt, been suspended to the
other perforation.[320] Both the chains must have been much longer, and
ornaments must have been attached to them, as to the Trojan diadems,[321]
which Mr. Gladstone is right in identifying with the Homeric
"πλεκταὶ ἀναδέσμαι." Attached to each extremity of
this frontlet is a fine golden wire for fastening it round the head.
I also picked up in this tomb a small golden belt-ornament, a golden
greave-ornament, two golden ribbons, and two golden leaves, all with an
ornamentation in _repoussé_ work, such as we have repeatedly passed in
review, and therefore I do not give the engravings of them here.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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