Page:History of Art in Primitive Greece - Mycenian Art Vol 2.djvu/48

Pit-Graves in the Mycenian Citadel. 27 dispatch of public business, at once more spacious and nearer to the vast majority of the citizens than its predecessors had experienced in the upper city. Then, for the first time, the acropolis became inconveniently crowded ; space was not only scanty, but on account of its uneven surface very inappro- priate for building purposes. The free plot of ground was eagerly pounced upon, and presently covered with habitations;, much after the fashion which caused our cathedrals in the old days to be surrounded by wretched hovels and shops. The new dwellings filled up every inch of ground, and leant on one side against the inner face of the circuit-wall, and on the other against the talus of the sacred enclosure. From that day, the only unbuilt part was towards the north-east, where stood the palace gate, to which probably led the ramp rising on the western side of the hill. It is represented in the background of our perspective view by a gap in the middle of the wall. The other entrance in the north wall is the Lions Gate. It stands in the left corner of our picture, and gives a back view of the triangular block upon which is carved the celebrated relief. In the centre of the circle occurs a swelling, produced by an enormous boulder which Schliemann found deeply em- bedded in the soil, but slightly protruding above the surface.^ Did it belong to the original plan ? Was it a rustic platform, a *' bema," whence the orator harangued the multitude gathered here ? We know not. As will be observed, there occurs a considerable gap in the circle towards the south ; this was brought about by landslips which destroyed a certain number of the slabs, or about a third of the total circumference. The question may be asked whether a gate facing the entrance did not stand here ? In regard to the horizontal slabs placed on the vertical ones (Fig. 100), they have been purposely left out, in order that the reader might have a better view of the peculiar arrangement of this enclosure; had they been retained, they would have conveyed the false impression of a solid wall. Although the esplanade and stelae do not belong to the oldest period in the existence of the Mycenian people, the graves and their contents, which the excavators found undis- turbed in 1876, are among the oldest instances we possess of that remote age. Mycenian civilization could already look back ^ Schliemann, Mycence,