Vaphio beehive tomb

Vaphio, Vafio or Vapheio is an ancient site in Laconia, Greece, on the right bank of the Eurotas, some south of Sparta. It is famous for its tholos or beehive tomb, excavated in 1889 by Christos Tsountas. This consists of a walled approach, about long, leading to a vaulted chamber some in diameter, in the floor of which the actual grave was cut. The tomb suffered considerable damage in the decades following its excavation. During conservation work in 1962 the walls were restored to a height of about . The main objects found there were transferred to the National Archaeological Museum of Athens, where many remain on display. Many are regarded as Minoan art, while others are thought to have been made on mainland Greece. The pottery in the tomb dates to around 1500 to 1450 BC, but the gold and carved gem seals might have been old when buried. The Cretan one of the famous pair of gold Vaphio Cups perhaps dates to the previous century. Objects found The objects include a large number of carved gem seals and amethyst beads, together with articles in gold, silver, bronze, iron, lead, amber and crystal. Many of the seals and rings found in the tholos have such strong affinities in style and subject matter with contemporary Minoan seals that archaeologists find it impossible to determine whether they were locally made or imported from Crete. Sinclair Hood believed that at this date "it was broadly speaking possible to classify the finer seals as being of Cretan, the more crudely engraved of mainland manufacture", but that "this criterion no longer applies after the mainland conquest of Crete c. 1450". Vaphio is the largest find in the Aegean of Mycenaen and Minoan seals (as opposed to "sealings" - impressions on clay). Like Grave Circle A at Mycenae, the group has generated much discussion as to the origin of many pieces. The 43 seals in the tomb include a variety of fine stones, and gold, and several have parallels in Cretan finds. The princely figure buried there seems to have worn them on his wrists, like a modern charm bracelet.