Page:History of Art in Primitive Greece - Mycenian Art Vol 2.djvu/50

Pit-Graves in the Mycenian Citadel. 29 by which the end of the Mycenian period, the transition period, is distinguished. That the process of soldering gold upon gold was freely employed about this time, is evidenced by a number of fine gold leaves collected both in the tomb at the Heraeum, in front of the Treasury of Atreus, and at Spata, together with quantities of glass beads, doubtless from bracelets and necklaces. On the other hand, the ornaments yielded by the citadel-graves are not soldered, and no glass beads have been found among them.^ A considerable advance in metal and glass work was made, then, between the closing of the pit-graves and the invention of new sepulchral types. In the former fibulae are not found, but they crop up in the vaults of the lower city (Fig. 253) ; where, too, iron — that surest sign of the approach of the classic age — is not very unfrequent. Schliemann was correct in identifying the graves enclosed within the ring of slabs with Fig. 253. —Bronze fibula. those of a royal race. The habit of burying treasures with a defunct king has never been out of fashion among barbarians. The testimony of Herodotus in this respect has been brilliantly confirmed by the results of excavations in Southern Russia, where the custom under notice was as firmly implanted as among the Goths, with whom it was found as late as the fourth century of our era. We read that when their King Alaric died in Italy, the flow of the Busento was turned aside, a pit was dug in its bed, and the mortal remains were deposited there with many costly objects ; and, that the site should ever remain secret, the slaves who had done the work were slain on the spot.*^ A glance at the stupendous works carried on here to ensure the ^ The observation is due to Stamakis. Schliemann mentions soldering but once, and that in a very vague sort of fashion {Mycetue), for the sake, as it were, of inserting Landerer's communication upon the use of borax by the ancients for soldering. The statement of Stamakis is much more positive. Schliemann also noticed the rare occurrence of glass in the tombs on the acropolis. 2 JORDANis, Gttica.