Grave Circle B, Mycenae, Royal cemetery in Mycenae, Greece

Grave Circle B is a Bronze Age burial ground in Mycenae made up of 26 graves arranged within a circular stone wall. It contains 14 shaft graves and 12 cist graves distributed across the enclosed area in an irregular pattern.

Grave Circle B was found by chance in 1951, when workmen were digging at the nearby Tomb of Clytemnestra. Ioannis Papadimitriou and Georgios Mylonas excavated it in 1952 and for two years after. The 26 graves date to about 1675/1650–1550 BCE, and their unlooted contents allowed a detailed picture of early Mycenaean society.

Men buried here were placed with bronze weapons and drinking vessels, while women received jewelry and ornaments. These differences show how Mycenaean society divided roles and status between men and women.

The site is a short walk west of the Lion Gate and easy to reach from the main entrance of the archaeological area. The ground between the graves is uneven, so sturdy shoes make the visit more comfortable.

The graves escaped ancient looting, unlike the later tholoi tombs, so their contents survived intact. A death mask of electrum was found not on a face but inside a wooden box beside the deceased. Ancient DNA from the Gamma shaft showed two occupants were brother and sister.