Treasury of Atreus

Treasury of Atreus
The Treasury of Atreus is the name given to a ruined structure near the fortress of Mycenae in Argos on the eastern side of the Peloponnesian Peninsula; the treasury is made of stone and lies several hundred yards to the west of the fortress; the interior is shaped like an inverted cone and is often referred to as a beehive; the base is circular and the walls rise in ever smaller circles of blocks to a single stone at the apex.
Whether or not this structure was an actual treasury is a matter for conjecture because robbers looted any contents long before any serious archeological investigation was conducted; the size and shape of the structure could have accommodated a variety of activities but the idea that it was once used as a storehouse for valuables seems unlikely; the location of the structure outside the walls of the fortress and its odd shape makes me believe that it was probably a tomb rather than a vault but the name, Treasury of Atreus, is commonly used by scholars and tourists alike.
The treasury is situated under a hill with the entrance generally facing east towards the fortress of Mycenae; the walkway leading to the actual entrance is lined with megalithic stones which are unadorned; the interior of the treasury is 49 feet (14.935 meters) in diameter and has a height of 43 feet (13.106 meters); from the floor to the capstone there are 33 rows of stone blocks which gradually taper inward to meet the single stone at the apex.
Inside the treasury there is only one deviation to the beehive shape; as you enter the structure, there is a small alcove built into the wall on the right, i.e. the north side; entry into the alcove is forbidden but looking through the narrow doorway only reveals small room with a few loose stone blocks on the floor; the walls of the alcove are of the same stone block construction as the main structure but, not being able to actually enter, it was difficult to guess at its size but I would estimate that it is 12 by 15 feet (3.5 by 4.5 meters).

The entrance to the treasury is at the end of this walkway . . . from this vantage point, you can see the top of the hill which surrounds the stone blocks of the structure.

The only really large stone blocks used in the treasury are at the bottom layers of the entry way . . . this is one of the largest.

This is another view of the megalithic stones on the side of the walkway facing away from the treasury entrance.

This is what the actual entryway to the treasury looks like from the outside . . . we can assume that there was some sort of door in the rectangular opening and the triangular space at the top looks as if it might have had something similar to the carving over the Lions Gate at the fortress of Mycenae.

This view of the entryway to the treasury gives you a close-up look of the lintel over the rectangular doorway . . . the stone lintel is 26 feet (8 meters) long and is estimated to weigh 120 tons.

The stone blocks along the entryway are irregularly shaped and were laid in place without mortar . . . we can assume that this wall was once quite smooth but 2,500 years of weathering has reduced it to the crude appearance we see today.

Here is another look at the stone wall outside the treasury entrance.

This is a view from inside the treasury looking up at the triangular opening over the doorway . . . the curvature of the lintel stone can be clearly seen from this perspective.

The interior wall of the treasury is constructed from relatively small stone blocks . . . each successive level tapers inwards towards to apex to give the structure that distinctive beehive look.

The only deviation from the beehive appearance of the interior of the treasury is the small alcove to the right of the entrance . . . this area was barricaded to prohibit entry but I could get a glimpse in the doorway . . . there was not much to see except the two loose blocks on the floor.

This is the view from the entrance of the Treasury of Atreus looking west across a small valley . . . the bleached walls of the fortress of Mycenae can be seen at the bottom of the photo . . . the mountain in the background will give you an idea of what the terrain around Mycenae is like.