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94-464: The story begins in 1986 when Coelho undertakes his initiation into the order Regnus Agnus Mundi (RAM), which he subsequently fails. He is then told that he must embark on a pilgrimage along the Camino de Santiago to find the sword that is the symbol of his acceptance into the ranks of RAM. He must do this to gain insight into the simplicity of life. The journey transforms him as he learns to understand

188-424: A 𐀐𐀫𐀯𐀊 , ke-ro-si-ja , (later γερουσία gerousia ), but Palmer believes that it was an organization of "bronze smiths". The land was held by the wanax, by the damos, and by individual land owners. It seems that people lived in small family groups or clans around the main citadel. Occupying a lower rung of the social ladder were the slaves, do-e-ro , ( cf. δοῦλος , doúlos ). These are recorded in

282-432: A 1980s novel is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . See guidelines for writing about novels . Further suggestions might be found on the article's talk page . Initiation Initiation is a rite of passage marking entrance or acceptance into a group or society. It could also be a formal admission to adulthood in a community or one of its formal components. In an extended sense, it can also signify

376-589: A capital city on the level of Thebes and Knossos. During LHIIIB, Mycenae's political, military and economic influence likely extended as far as Crete , Pylos in the western Peloponnese, and to Athens and Thebes . Mycenae was among the numerous Aegean sites destroyed as part of the Bronze Age Collapse around 1200 BC. The causes of these destructions are unknown, but proposed explanations include enemy attack, internal strife, and natural disasters such as earthquakes. Unlike many other sites, Mycenae

470-405: A closed 'family' which absorbs in members, who are often formally accepted, generally after a form of trial or hazing . In addition, there can be similar rites of passages associated with parts of naval and military life, which do not constitute true initiations as the participants are already and remain members of the same community. One such rite is associated with crossing the equator on board

564-507: A form of initiation, also known as "sex in", though they may also be "jumped-in" like their male counterparts. One study shows that female members who were "sexed-in" as part of gang initiation were thereafter viewed with lower respect than those that were "jumped-in", even when promised they would become full-fledged members. Another study found that sexed-in members face greater risks of sexual exploitation and abuse by fellow male members. Tribes often have initiations. The initiation done in

658-526: A major power during LHI (c. 1550 – c. 1450 BC) and is believed to have become the main centre of Aegean civilisation through the fifteenth century to the extent that the two hundred years from c. 1400 BC to c. 1200 BC (encompassing LHIIIA and LHIIIB) are known as the Mycenaean Age. The Minoan hegemony ended c. 1450 and there is evidence that Knossos was occupied by Mycenaeans until it too was destroyed c. 1370 BC. From then on, Mycenaean expansion throughout

752-432: A member of Mycenae's ruling dynasty. Certain archaeological features in the palatial centers like the architectural uniformity, the uniformity of the administrative system, the uniformity in pottery, the imperial language and some large scale projects (drainage systems, harbours, roads etc.) indicate that large parts of Greece may have fallen under the sway of a single king, with various degrees of control over local vassals:

846-544: A naval ship, but it can even be taken by passengers on board a cruise liner , who are not and do not become members of anything but the so-called "equator crossing club". Another form, "Kissing the Royal Belly" or "Royal Baby", calls for initiates to kneel before a senior member of the crew, who wears a mock diaper. This "Baby" usually has a huge stomach covered with greasy materials ranging from cooking oil to mustard, shaving cream, eggs, and oysters. Junior sailors must lick

940-503: A number of palaces and fortifications appear to be part of a wider kingdom. For instance, Gla , located in the region of Boeotia, belonged to the state of nearby Orchomenos. The palace of Mycenae probably ruled over a territory two to three times the size of the other palatial states in Bronze Age Greece. Its territory would have also included adjacent centers, including Tiryns and Nauplion , which could plausibly be ruled by

1034-528: A provincial official. (Homer mentions many basilees in Ithaca ). The land possessed by the king is usually called 𐀳𐀕𐀜 , te-me-no ( τέμενος , " témenos "), a word that survived in classical Greece (the temenos placed by Hephaestus on the shield of Achilles is called "royal"). In classical times the word has a religious connotation . Other important landowners were the 𐀨𐀷𐀐𐀲 , ra-wa-ke-ta ("lāwāgetas"), literally translated as "the leader of

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1128-474: A shepherding process where those who are at a higher level guide the initiate through a process of greater exposure of knowledge. This may include the revelation of secrets, hence the term secret society for such organizations, usually reserved for those at the higher level of understanding. One famous historical example is the Eleusinian Mysteries of ancient Greece, thought to go back to at least

1222-505: A situation not dissimilar from the contemporary Hittite world, although the archaeological evidence remains ambiguous. A loose confederacy of city-states under the king of Mycenae, Agamemnon , is mentioned by Homer in Iliad . Much of the Mycenaean religion survived into classical Greece in their pantheon of Greek deities , but it is not known to what extent Greek religious belief

1316-421: A transformation in which the initiate is 'reborn' into a new role. Examples of initiation ceremonies might include Christian baptism or confirmation , Jewish bar or bat mitzvah , acceptance into a fraternal organization , secret society or religious order , or graduation from school or recruit training . A person taking the initiation ceremony in traditional rites, such as those depicted in these pictures,

1410-737: Is Mycenaean, nor how much is a product of the Greek Dark Ages or later. Moses I. Finley detected only few authentic Mycenaean beliefs in the 8th-century Homeric world, but Nilsson suggested that the Mycenaean religion was the mother of the Greek religion . From the history traced by Nilsson and Guthrie , the Mycenaean pantheon consisted of Minoan deities, but also of gods and goddesses who appear under different names with similar functions in East and West. Many of these names appearing in

1504-546: Is an archaeological site near Mykines in Argolis , north-eastern Peloponnese , Greece . It is located about 120 kilometres (75 miles) south-west of Athens ; 11 kilometres (7 miles) north of Argos ; and 48 kilometres (30 miles) south of Corinth . The site is 19 kilometres (12 miles) inland from the Saronic Gulf and built upon a hill rising 900 feet (274 metres) above sea level. In the second millennium BC, Mycenae

1598-618: Is believed they were never able to hold substantial roles of power in the civilizations. The particular positions held and responsibilities performed within Mycenae's social structure are not well understood. According to the traditional view, Mycenae or any other palatial center of mainland Greece was not an empire, and the mainland consisted of independent city-states. This view has in recent years, however, been challenged by various specialists, such as Jorrit Kelder and, most recently, Birgitta Eder and Reinhard Jung . Kelder pointed out that

1692-439: Is called an initiate . William Ian Miller notes the role of ritual humiliation in comic ordering and testing. Mircea Eliade discussed initiation as a principal religious act by classical or traditional societies. He defined initiation as "a basic change in existential condition", which liberates man from profane time and history. "Initiation recapitulates the sacred history of the world. And through this recapitulation,

1786-406: Is currently in charge of the site. In 1999, a scientific committee for Mycenae was created and numerous projects for the preservation, improvement, and stabilization of both archaeological sites have been completed by this scientific body. The committee also sought to improve visitor access to the monuments at the locations by laying out walkways and establishing information stations. It appears that

1880-446: Is occurring, initiation is not taken so seriously as before, although there are still certain areas which still perform initiations. In some African tribes, boys take about 3–4 months participating in initiation rites and girls take about 1–2 months. Australian Aboriginal tribes usually had long periods of time to help prepare adolescent boys, teaching them traditional lore before they were ready to attend large elaborate ceremonies at

1974-514: Is then thought to produce feelings of strong group attraction among initiates after the experience, because they want to justify the effort used. Rewards during initiations have important consequences in that initiates who feel more rewarded express stronger group identity. As well as group attraction, initiations can also produce conformity among new members. Psychology experiments have also shown that initiations increase feelings of affiliation . A spiritual initiation rite normally implies

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2068-459: The Bapedi tribe of South Africa is normally regarded as a stage where a boy is to be taught manhood and a girl to be taught womanhood. In many African tribes, initiation involves circumcision / genital mutilation of males and sometimes circumcision / genital mutilation of females as well. Initiation is considered necessary for the individual to be regarded as a full member of the tribe. Otherwise,

2162-518: The Circle B graves , which were found at a later date, although Circle B are the earlier graves, dated c. 1650 BC to c. 1550 BC and entirely within MHIII. Circle A is dated to the sixteenth century BC, including the transition from Middle to Late Helladic IA (LHIA; c. 1550 – c. 1500 BC). The contents of Circle B are less wealthy than those of Circle A. Pottery material spanning the entire Early Helladic

2256-626: The Early Helladic (EH, c. 3200–c. 2000 BC) and Middle Helladic (MH, c. 2000–c. 1550 BC) periods. EN Rainbow Ware constitutes the earliest ceramic evidence discovered so far. The population had grown considerably by the Middle Helladic. As elsewhere, a dominant Cretan influence prevailed from c. 1600 BC, the first evidence of this coming from the shaft graves discovered in 1876 by Heinrich Schliemann . Schliemann's shaft graves came to be known as Circle A to distinguish them from

2350-615: The Guru and also implies that the Chela (student or disciple) agrees to the requirements (such as living an ethical lifestyle, meditating, etc.) One of the most recognized religious initiation rites is Baptism within Christianity . Christian Baptism is seen as both part of the individual's faith and conversion as well as their initiation into the Church. In unionised organizations ,

2444-747: The Hindus , this sky-deity becomes " Dyaus Pita ". In Latin he becomes "Deus Pater" or Jupiter ; we still encounter this word in the etymologies of the words "deity" and "divine". Later in some cults, Zeus is united with the Aegean Great Goddess , who is represented by Hera , in a "holy wedding" ( hieros gamos ). At some point in their cultural history, the Mycenaeans adopted some Minoan goddesses like Aphaea , Britomartis , Diktynna and associated them with their sky-god. Many of them were absorbed by more powerful divinities, and some like

2538-474: The Homeric epics. The earliest examples of the Greek language are also visible at Mycenae and Tiryn, preserved on Linear B tablets. A stringent legal framework was established to safeguard the integrity of the Mycenae and Tiryns sites against vandalism and other forms of damage and disturbance to the remains. The Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports monitors the two archaeological sites. To maintain

2632-505: The Linear B inscriptions can be found later in classical Greece, like Zeus , Hera , Poseidon , Athena , Hermes , Eileithyia and Dionysos , but the etymology is the only evidence of the cults. There are several reasonable guesses that can be made, however. It seems that originally the Mycenaeans, like many Indo-Europeans , considered divine any object that inherited an internal power ( anima ). Certain religious beliefs were mixed with

2726-480: The Mycenaean Hagia Triada sarcophagus (1400 BC), which combines features of Minoan civilization and Mycenaean style. It seems that the blood of a bull was used for the regeneration of the reappearing dead. Probably most of these cults existed in the Mycenaean period and survived by immemorial practice. A secondary level of importance was the cult of the heroes, which seems to have started in

2820-440: The Mycenaean period or " Bronze Age ". In the context of ritual magic and esotericism , an initiation is considered to cause a fundamental process of change to begin within the person being initiated and its "evolution operates within both the material world and the spiritual world". The person conducting the initiation (the initiator ), being in possession of a certain power or state of being, transfers this power or state to

2914-611: The Roman period in Greece its ruins had become a tourist attraction. The ancient travel writer Pausanias , for example, visited the site and briefly described the prominent fortifications and the Lion Gate, still visible in his time, the second century AD. Pausanias also describes being led to the site by shepherds, showing that the surrounding area was never completely abandoned. The Ministry of Culture, Education, and Religious Affairs

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3008-461: The Tomb of Aegisthus – are dated to LHIIA. Burial in tholoi is seen as replacing burial in shaft graves. The care taken to preserve the shaft graves testifies that they were by then part of the royal heritage, the tombs of the ancestral heroes. Being more visible, all the tholoi had been plundered either in antiquity or in later historic times. At a conventional date of 1350 BC, the fortifications on

3102-565: The Urapmin people used to practice a type of male initiation known in Urap as ban . These elaborate rituals were a central part of Urapmin social life. The ban was a multistage process which involved beatings and manipulation of various objects. At each stage, the initiate was offered revelations of secret knowledge (Urap: weng awem ), but at the next stage these would be shown to be false (Urap: famoul ). These initiations were abandoned with

3196-432: The chthonic deities, or deities of the earth. Walter Burkert warns: "To what extent one can and must differentiate between Minoan and Mycenaean religion is a question which has not yet found a conclusive answer." He suggests that useful parallels will be found in the relations between Hellenistic and Archaic Greek culture and religion, or between Roman and Etruscan culture. The pantheon also included deities representing

3290-561: The vegetation goddesses Ariadne and Helen survived in Greek folklore together with the cult of the "divine child", who was probably the precursor of Dionysos . Athena and Hera survived and were tutelary goddesses, the guardians of the palaces and the cities. In general, later Greek religion distinguishes between two types of deities: the Olympian , or sky, deities (including Zeus), who are now commonly known in some form or another; and

3384-455: The "initiation" is typically no more than a brief familiarization with basic procedures and the provision of a copy of the appropriate collective bargaining agreement that governs the work performed by members of the union. Some unions also charge a one-time initiation fee, after which the joining person is officially deemed to be a member in good standing. Some communities on board a military vessel and also of military soldiers tend to form

3478-505: The Aegean was unhindered until the massive disruption of society in the first half of the twelfth century (LHIIIC), which ended Mycenaean civilisation and culminated in the destruction of Mycenae itself c. 1150 BC. Outside the partial circuit wall, Grave Circle B , named for its enclosing wall, contained ten cist graves in Middle Helladic style and several shaft graves, sunk more deeply, with interments resting in cists. Richer grave goods mark

3572-583: The Archaic Period. A Mycenaean contingent fought at Thermopylae and Plataea during the Persian Wars . In 468 BC, however, troops from Argos captured Mycenae, expelled the inhabitants and razed the fortifications. Mycenae was briefly reoccupied in the Hellenistic period, when it could boast a theatre (located over the Tomb of Clytemnestra ). The site was subsequently abandoned, and by

3666-616: The Baby's navel area, while the "baby" grabs and shakes their head to better smear the goo onto their faces. Gangs often require new members to commit crimes before accepting them as part of the gang. New members may be physically beaten by fellow gang members to demonstrate their courage, also known as "beat-in" or "jump-in", which occasionally results in a fatality. One study indicates that young people are more likely to be hurt in gang initiation than they are by refusing to join. Female members may be required to have sex with male members as

3760-423: The Mycenaean civilization. Mycenae and Tiryns, which stand as the pinnacle of the early phases of Greek civilisation, provided unique witness to political, social and economic growth during the Mycenaean civilization. The accomplishments of the Mycenaean civilisation in art , architecture and technology, which inspired European cultures, are also on display at both locations. These sites are strongly connected to

3854-485: The Mycenaean era. These were great men of the past who were exalted to honor after death, because of what they had done. According to an old Minoan belief, beyond the sea there was an island called Elysion , where the departed could have a different but happier existence. Later, the Greeks believed that there could live in human form only heroes and the beloved of the gods. The souls of the rest would drift unconsciously in

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3948-457: The Mycenaean state was ruled by kings identified by the title 𐀷𐀙𐀏 , wa-na-ka ("wanax") in the Linear B inscriptions at Knossos and Pylos . The wanax had the supreme authority and was represented by a number of officials. In the Homeric poems, the word form is anax ( ἄναξ ), often translated in English as "lord". Some inscriptions with a list of offerings indicate that the king

4042-572: The Telestas are religious officials while others believe they were given land in return for services. Under the Telestas is believed to be the Hequetia, who are believed to be either military workers or warriors or companions of the king. Under the Hequetia are the general laborers which includes artisans, farmers, fisherman, and more. At the bottom of the social hierarchy slaves, which are commonly believed to be women. Even when women were not slaves it

4136-482: The acropolis and other surrounding hills were rebuilt in a style known as Cyclopean because the blocks of stone used were so massive that they were thought in later ages to be the work of the one-eyed giants known as the Cyclopes . Within these walls, much of which can still be seen, successive monumental palaces were built. The final palace, remains of which are currently visible on the acropolis of Mycenae, dates to

4230-496: The adoption of Christianity, and the Urap have expressed relief at no longer having to administer the beatings which were involved. The Sateré-Mawé people of Brazil use intentional bullet ant stings as part of their initiation rites to become warriors. Among the various Austronesian peoples , head-hunting raids were strongly tied to the practice of tattooing . In head-hunting societies, tattoos were records of how many heads

4324-435: The beliefs of the local populations as it appears in the old cults of isolated Arcadia , which survived up to classical Greece . In these cults, Poseidon appears usually as a horse, representing the river spirit of the underworld, as usually happens in northern European folklore. The precursor goddesses of Demeter and Persephone are closely related with springs and animals, and especially with Poseidon and Artemis , who

4418-627: The burials as possibly regal. Mounds over the top contained broken drinking vessels and bones from a repast, testifying to a more than ordinary farewell. Stelae surmounted the mounds. A walled enclosure, Grave Circle A , included six more shaft graves, with nine female, eight male, and two juvenile interments. Grave goods were more costly than in Circle B. The presence of engraved and inlaid swords and daggers , with spear points and arrowheads, leaves little doubt that warrior chieftains and their families were buried here. Some art objects obtained from

4512-417: The center of a wall to the side of the hearth, allowing an unobstructed view of the ruler from the entrance. Frescos adorned the plaster walls and floor. The room was accessed from a courtyard with a columned portico. A grand staircase led from a terrace below to the courtyard on the acropolis. In the temple built within the citadel, a scarab of Queen Tiye of Egypt , who was married to Amenhotep III ,

4606-518: The center of the Mycenaean civilization, its outstanding architecture and its testimony to the development of Ancient Greek civilization . The Lion Gate, the Treasury of Atreus and the walls of Mycenae and Tiryns are examples of the noteworthy architecture found in Mycenae and Tiryns. The structures and layouts of these discoveries exemplify the creative talent of the time. Greek architecture and urban planning have been significantly influenced by

4700-467: The ceremonies involved. Nearing the late parts of the ceremony, the initiate gains an alias, or a " Courtesy name "; thereafter use of their personal name is strictly prohibited except before parents and rulers. [REDACTED] Media related to Initiation at Wikimedia Commons Mycenae Mycenae ( / m aɪ ˈ s iː n iː / my- SEE -nee ; Mycenaean Greek : 𐀘𐀏𐀙𐀂 ; Ancient Greek : Μυκῆναι or Μυκήνη , Mykē̂nai or Mykḗnē )

4794-559: The corpses were lightly exposed to fire in order to preserve them. Mycenaean religion certainly involved offerings and sacrifices to the deities, and some have speculated that their ceremonies involved human sacrifice based on textual evidence and bones found outside tombs. In the Homeric poems, there seems to be a lingering cultural memory of human sacrifice in King Agamemnon 's sacrifice of his daughter, Iphigenia ; several of

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4888-505: The end of LHIIIB around 1200 BC, another, final extension to the citadel was undertaken. The wall was extended again on the northeast, with a sally port and also a secret passage through and under the wall, of corbelled construction, leading downwards by some 99 steps to a cistern carved out of rock 15 m below the surface. It was fed by a tunnel from a spring on more distant higher ground. Already in LHIIIA:1, Egypt knew *Mukana by name as

4982-406: The end of the second millennium BC, when the Mycenaean palaces collapsed, it seems that Greek thought was gradually released from the idea that each man was a servant to the gods, and sought a "moral purpose". It is possible that this procedure started before the end of the Mycenaean age, but the idea is almost absent or vague in the Homeric poems, where the interference of the gods is not related to

5076-493: The fall of the Mycenaean civilization and the end of the Greek Dark Ages, the original Mycenaean religion persisted and adapted until it finally emerged in the stories of human devotion, apostasy, and divine capriciousness that exists in the two great epic poems of Homer . Classical Greek myths assert that Mycenae was founded by Perseus , grandson of king Acrisius of Argos , son of Acrisius's daughter, Danaë and

5170-537: The gloomy space of Hades . Gods and men had common origins, but there was an enormous gap between the immortal gods and mortal men. However, certain elements indicate that the Mycenaeans probably believed in a future existence. Two well-preserved bodies were found in Shaft Grave VI, and Wolfgang Helbig believed that an embalming preceded the burial. In the shaft graves discovered by Heinrich Schliemann ,

5264-401: The god Zeus . Having killed his grandfather by accident, Perseus could not, or would not, inherit the throne of Argos. Instead he arranged an exchange of realms with his cousin, Megapenthes , and became king of Tiryns , Megapenthes taking Argos. After that, he founded Mycenae and ruled the kingdoms jointly from there. Perseus married Andromeda and had many sons. His son, Electryon , became

5358-412: The gods were conceived as animals and birds, in a surrounding of animal-headed daemons . Later the gods were revealed in human forms with an animal as a companion or symbol. Some of the old gods survived in the cult of Dionysos ( Satyrs ) and Pan (the goat-god). The Mycenaeans adopted probably from the east a priest-king system and the belief of a ruling deity in the hands of a theocratic society. At

5452-637: The graves are the Silver Siege Rhyton , the Mask of Agamemnon , the Cup of Nestor and weapons both votive and practical. The chemical compositions of the silver objects indicate that the silver was sourced from several locations. Alan Wace divided the nine tholos tombs of Mycenae into three groups of three, each based on architecture. His earliest – the Cyclopean Tomb, Epano Phournos, and

5546-399: The individual may not be allowed to participate in ceremonies or even in social rituals such as marriage. A man will not be allowed to marry or have any special relationship with a woman who did not go to an initiation, because she is not considered to be a woman. Initiation may be thought of as an event which may help teens prepare themselves to be good husbands and wives. Where modernization

5640-457: The king was the Lawagetas, believed to be the leader of the army, based on Homer's works. The Lawagetas are thought to have gotten their power by owning the most land. Other opinions think Lawagetas were a sort of prince, having no military power. Under the Lawagetas are numerous craftsmen employed by the Lawagetas. Other groups commonly mentioned in landholding texts are the Telestas. Some think

5734-465: The lord or spouse of the Earth goddess . Athena whose task was to protect the olive-trees is a civic Artemis. The powers of animal nature fostered a belief in nymphs whose existence was bound to the trees and the waters, and in gods with human forms and the heads or tails of animals who stood for primitive bodily instincts. In Arcadia were depicted animal-headed gods, indicating that in the remote past

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5828-592: The name of the city is spelled Mykḗnē (Μυκήνη). The later form, Mykē̂nai (Μυκῆναι), was the result of a well-known sound change in Attic - Ionic , which shifted some instances of ā to ē . Mycenae, an acropolis site, was built on a hill 900 feet (274 metres) above sea level, some 19 kilometres (12 miles) inland from the Gulf of Argolis. Situated in the north-east corner of the Argive plain, it easily overlooked

5922-419: The nature of truth through the simplicity of life. He begins his journey with a guide, also a member of RAM, who goes by the alias Petrus. During the journey Petrus shows him meditation exercises and introduces him to some of the more down-to-earth elements of Western mystical thought and philosophy , and teaches him about love and its forms: agape , philia and eros . This article about

6016-680: The north wall. One of the few groups of excavated houses in the city outside the walls lies beyond Grave Circle B and belongs to the same period. The House of Shields, the House of the Oil Merchant, the House of the Sphinxes, and the West House. These may have been both residences and workshops. The largest stones including the lintels and gate jambs weighed well over 20 tonnes; some may have been close to 100 tonnes. Somewhat later, toward

6110-454: The officials. Leonard Robert Palmer suggests that the "telestai were the men of telos- the fief holders". The 𐀁𐀤𐀲 , e-qe-ta ( ekwetai , "companions" or "followers") were a group of nobles (aristocrats), who followed the king in peace and war. It seems that they were representatives of the king among military groups and religious personnel. There is also at least one instance of a person, Enkhelyawon at Pylos, who appears titleless in

6204-407: The people", and sometimes interpreted as a given kingdom's military leader, though this is not confirmed by the inscriptions. Alternatively, he may have been the crown prince or, if one follows the argument of a single Mycenaean state, a local king who was a vassal to the overarching wanax / Great King. Below these two elevated persons, Linear B texts situate the 𐀳𐀩𐀲 , te-re-ta ("telestai"),

6298-524: The person being initiated. Thus the concept of initiation is similar to that of apostolic succession . The initiation process is often likened to a simultaneous death and rebirth, because as well as being a beginning it also implies an ending as existence on one level drops away in an ascension to the next. Initiation is a key component of Judaism , Sufism and Shiism , Vaishnavism , Sant Mat , Surat Shabd Yoga , Vajrayana Buddhism , Wicca , and similar religious gnostic traditions. It denotes acceptance by

6392-586: The powers of nature and wildlife, who appear with similar functions in the Mediterranean region. The "Mistress of the Animals" ( Potnia Theron ), later called Artemis , may be identified as the Minoan goddess Britomartis /Dictynna. Poseidon is the lord of the sea, and therefore of storms and earthquakes, (the "Earth shaker" in Linear B tablets). He may have functioned as a pre-Hellenic chthonic Zeus,

6486-487: The quality and conditions of the Mycenaean and Tiryn sites, archaeological study is conducted methodically and systematically. The Greek Antiquities Law No 3028/2002, on the ‘Conservation of Antiquities and Cultural Heritage in General’, governs the preservation and protection of the sites. Ministerial Decree No 2160 of 1964 created and safeguarded the limits of Mycenae in addition to the sites themselves. The acropolis and

6580-473: The rightness or wrongness of men's actions. Later, Hesiod uses a lot of eastern material in his cosmology and in the genealogical trees of the gods, and he introduces the idea of the existence of something else behind the gods, which was more powerful than they. The Olympian Pantheon is an ordered system. The Greek divinities live with Zeus at the helm and each is concerned with a recognizable sphere. However, certain elements in some Greek cults indicate

6674-727: The scarab here. Wace's second group of tholoi are dated between LHIIA and LHIIIB: Kato Phournos, Panagia Tholos, and the Lion Tomb. The final group, Group III: the Treasury of Atreus , the Tomb of Clytemnestra and the Tomb of the Genii, are dated to LHIIIB by a sherd under the threshold of the Treasury of Atreus, the largest of the nine tombs. Like the Treasury of Minyas at Orchomenus the tomb had been looted of its contents and its nature as funerary monument had been forgotten. The structure bore

6768-477: The second of the dynasty, but the succession was disputed by the Taphians under Pterelaos , another Perseid, who assaulted Mycenae, lost, and retreated with the cattle. The cattle were recovered by Amphitryon , a grandson of Perseus, but he killed his uncle by accident with a club in an unruly cattle incident and had to go into exile. The throne went to Sthenelus , third in the dynasty, a son of Perseus. He set

6862-414: The start of LHIIIA:2. Earlier palaces must have existed but they had been cleared away or built over. The construction of palaces at that time with a similar architecture was general throughout southern Greece. They all featured a megaron , or throne room, with a raised central hearth under an opening in the roof, which was supported by four columns in a square around the hearth. A throne was placed against

6956-401: The stories of Trojan heroes involve tragic human sacrifice. In the far past, even human beings might be offered to placate inscrutable gods, especially in times of guilty fear. Later sacrifice became a feast at which oxen were slaughtered. Men kept the meat, and gave the gods the bones wrapped in fat. Beyond this speculation we can go no further. Somewhere in the shades of the centuries between

7050-434: The survival of some older cults from a less rationalized world: old cults of the dead, agrarian magic, exorcism of evil spirits, peculiar sacrifices, and animal-headed gods. In the Homeric poems, the avenging Fate was probably originally a daemon acting in parallel with the gods. Later, the cult of Dionysos Zagreus indicates that life-blood of animals was needed to renew that of men. A similar belief may be guessed from

7144-494: The texts as working either for the palace or for specific deities. Archaeological evidence supports the idea that the social hierarchy of Mycenae was a monarchy. The difference in the grave goods shows how the society was clearly separated by class. The king or the wanax was at the top of the hierarchy, who lived in the palaces and made laws for the people. It is believed that the kings came into power not because of great leadership duties, but because of hereditary succession. Below

7238-520: The time of initiation when they were finally recognized as full-fledged men in their society. Most tribes had circumcision and scarification as part of the male initiation rituals, while many Central Australian tribes also practiced subincision . A salient shared cultural feature of the Min peoples of the New Guinea Highlands is initiation into a secret male religious cult. For example,

7332-457: The traditional name of "Treasury". The pottery phases on which the relative dating scheme is based (EH, MH, LH, etc.) do not allow very precise dating, even augmented by the few existing C-14 dates due to the tolerance inherent in these. The sequence of further construction at Mycenae is approximately as follows. In the middle of LHIIIB, around 1250 BC or so, the Cyclopean wall was extended on

7426-534: The warriors had taken in battle, and was part of the initiation rites into adulthood. The Sande society in West Africa initiates girls into adulthood by rituals including female genital mutilation . Chinese boys, under the Rites of Zhou , initiate their adulthood when they are 20 years old (加冠) and girls when they are 15 (及笄). Yili (儀禮), a text in the chapter of the rites(?) (士冠禮) describes various details of

7520-411: The west slope of the acropolis, which was at least partially enclosed by the earliest circuit wall . In the absence of documents and objects that can be precisely dated, events at Mycenae can be dated only relatively within the constraints of Helladic chronology , which relies on categorisation of stratified material objects, mainly pottery, within an agreed historical framework. Mycenae developed into

7614-462: The west slope to include Grave Circle A. The main entrance through the circuit wall was made grand by the best known feature of Mycenae, the Lion Gate , through which passed a stepped ramp leading past circle A and up to the palace. The Lion Gate was constructed in the form of a "Relieving Triangle" in order to support the weight of the stones. An undecorated postern gate also was constructed through

7708-523: The whole area and was ideally positioned to be a centre of power, especially as it commanded all easy routes to the Isthmus of Corinth . Besides its strong defensive and strategic position, it had good farmland and an adequate water supply. There are only faint traces of Neolithic settlement on the site although it was continuously occupied from the Early Neolithic (EN, c. 5000–c. 4000 BC) through

7802-516: The whole world is sanctified anew... [the initiand] can perceive the world as a sacred work, a creation of the Gods." Eliade differentiates between types of initiations in two ways: types and functions. These can be broken into two types: In the study of certain social forms of initiation, such as hazing in college fraternities and sororities, laboratory experiments in psychology suggest that severe initiations produce cognitive dissonance . Dissonance

7896-453: The wider surroundings are also covered by the extension of protection conferred by this ministerial decree. Ministerial Decrees No 102098/4753 of 1956 and 12613/696 of 1991 both provide protection for the Tiryns archaeological site. The name Mukanai is thought not to be Greek but rather one of the many pre-Greek place names inherited by later Greek speakers. Legend has it that the name

7990-417: The written record but whom modern scholars regard as being probably a king. From the existing evidence, it seems that the kingdom was further subdivided into sixteen districts. The 𐀒𐀩𐀮 , ko-re-te was the "governor of the district" and the 𐀡𐀫𐀒𐀩𐀮 , po-ro-ko-re-te was the "deputy". It is possible that these represent koreter and prokoreter . The 𐀅𐀗𐀒𐀫 , da-mo-ko-ro ( damokoros )

8084-400: Was an official appointment but his duties are not very clear. The communal land was held at the hands of 𐀅𐀗 , da-mo (literally, "people", cf. Attic δῆμος , dễmos ), or "plot holders". It seems that the da-mo was a collective body of men, representing the local district and that it had certain power in public affairs. It is suggested that qa-si-re-u had a council of elders,

8178-402: Was connected to the Greek word mykēs (μύκης, "mushroom"). Thus Pausanias ascribes the name to the legendary founder, Perseus , who was said to have named it either after the cap ( mykēs ) of the sheath of his sword or after a mushroom he had plucked on the site. Homer connected the name to the nymph Mycene, the daughter of the river god Inachos of Argos ( Odyssey 2.120). In the Iliad

8272-575: Was discovered 1877 by Panagiotis Stamatakis at a low depth in the sixth shaft grave in Circle A. Further EH and MH material was found beneath the walls and floors of the palace, on the summit of the acropolis and outside the Lion Gate in the area of the ancient cemetery. An EH–MH settlement was discovered near a fresh-water well on top of the Kalkani hill south-west of the acropolis. The first burials in pits or cist graves manifest in MHII (c. 1800 BC) on

8366-752: Was in 1700, during a survey conducted by the Venetian engineer Francesco Vandeyk on behalf of Francesco Grimani, the Provveditore Generale of the Kingdom of the Morea . Vandeyk used Pausanias 's description of the Lion Gate to identify the ruins of Mycenae. In 1999 the archeological site of Mycenae was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List , along with the nearby site of Tiryns , because of its historical importance as

8460-530: Was one of the major centres of Greek civilisation, a military stronghold which dominated much of southern Greece, Crete , the Cyclades and parts of southwest Anatolia . The period of Greek history from about 1600 BC to about 1100 BC is called Mycenaean in reference to Mycenae. At its peak in 1350 BC, the citadel and lower town had a population of 30,000 and an area of 32 hectares (79 acres). The first correct identification of Mycenae in modern literature

8554-461: Was partly rebuilt after this destruction, though it was no longer the centre of a centralised literate bureacuracy. Pottery finds suggest that Postpalatial Mycenae eventually regained some of its wealth, before burning once again. After this period, the site remained sparsely populated until the Hellenistic era. A temple dedicated to Hera was built on the summit of the Mycenaean citadel during

8648-544: Was placed in the Room of the Idols alongside at least one statue of either LHIIIA:2 or B:1 type. Amenhotep III's relations with m-w-k-i-n-u , *Mukana, have corroboration from the inscription at Kom al-Hetan - but Amenhotep's reign is thought to align with late LHIIIA:1. It is likely that Amenhotep's herald presented the scarab to an earlier generation, which then found the resources to rebuild the citadel as Cyclopean and then, to move

8742-421: Was probably divine, but the term "for the king" is usually accompanied by another name. It is possible that a priest-king system was adopted from the East and the title probably indicates that his right to rule was given by the god. The term 𐀣𐀯𐀩𐀄 , qa-si-re-u ( cf. βασιλεύς , " basileús "), which was later used in Greece for "king", was apparently used for the "chief" of any group of people, or for

8836-467: Was the first nymph . Mycenaean religion was almost certainly polytheistic, and the Mycenaeans were actively syncretistic, adding foreign deities to their pantheon of deities with ease. The Mycenaeans probably entered Greece with a pantheon of deities headed by some ruling sky-deity, which linguists speculate might have been called *Dyeus in early Indo-European . In Greek, this deity would become Zeus (pronounced Zeus or Dias in ancient Greek ). Among

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