Abstract

Among the Chamber and Tholos Tombs that were built in Greece during the Late Helladic period are some that show a particular feature: a pair of grooves that are carved on the floor of the stomion (a short corridor that leads inside the tomb), leading from the dromos (a long road that leads towards the tomb itself) into the chamber. Archaeologists have suggested a number of explanations regarding their function; however, none of these seems entirely plausible. In this article, we offer a different kind of hypothesis mostly based on architectural evidence. We will suggest that, rather than being related to ritual practices, the grooves were mainly used to facilitate the construction of the graves.

Keywords: Greece

How to Cite:

Katsari, C. & Grigoriadou, P., (2001) “Reassessing the Function of Grooves in Mycenaean Tombs”, Papers from the Institute of Archaeology 12, 66-76. doi: https://doi.org/10.5334/pia.163