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Today we present something special: the Mona Lisa of archaeology… the Mask of Agamemnon. This funerary mask made of solid gold was discovered in 1876 at the ancient Greek ruins of Mycenae. The German archaeologist who discovered it, Heinrich Schliemann, believes he found the body of Agamemnon, king of Mycenae, leader of the Achaeans in the Trojan War in Homer’s Iliad . Modern archaeological research suggests that the masks date back to around 1600 BC, 300 to 400 years before the time of the legendary Trojan War.
The mask depicts the imposing face of a bearded nobleman. It is made of gold flakes with chiseled details. Two holes near the ears indicate that the mask was fastened to the face of the deceased with twine. It is made from a thick sheet of gold that is heated and hammered on a wooden background, after which details are carved with sharp tools. Upon discovery at the scene, Schliemann informed King George of Greece by telegram: “I have gazed into the face of Agamemnon.” His fascination was so strong that he later even named him after the legendary king son. Near the end of his life, the archaeologist accepted doubts about the true owner of the mask, quoting him as saying: “So this is not Agamemnon…these are not his ornaments? Well, let’s just call him Schultz.”
Gold, but humble!
PS Well, that’s a gold leaf mask! If you’re eager to see more gold from ancient Greece, we have some fine jewelry .
17 x 25 cm
National Archaeological Museum, Athens
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