Vaphio beehive tomb, Bronze Age beehive tomb in Vafeio, Greece
The Vaphio beehive tomb is a Mycenaean burial structure with a stone corridor about 30 meters long that leads to a circular chamber about 10 meters across, where the burial space is cut into the floor. The walls stand at approximately 6 meters in height after restoration work was completed.
Archaeologist Christos Tsountas excavated this Mycenaean burial site in 1889, finding artifacts dating from 1500 to 1450 BCE during the Late Bronze Age. The discoveries provided key evidence about how people lived and died in mainland Greece at that time.
Gold cups found here and now displayed in the National Archaeological Museum of Athens show different methods of capturing bulls, connecting artistic traditions of mainland Greece with those of Minoan Crete. These depictions reveal the cultural exchange that linked distant Bronze Age societies.
The site sits about 8 kilometers south of Sparta on the right bank of the Eurotas River and is accessible by road from the city. Visiting works best in good weather since the location is open and exposed, and you can walk around the chamber and corridor freely.
Forty-three finely carved stone and gold seals were discovered in the tomb, forming the largest known collection of Mycenaean and Minoan seals in the Aegean region. These seals show how widespread craftsmanship and trade connections were across Bronze Age societies.
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