Mycenae Excavation Records
The Mycenae Excavation Records consist primarily of original site plans, drawings and watercolours of artefacts, as well as a few notebooks and photographs, produced during the 1920-23 British School at Athens excavations at Mycenae led by then BSA Director, Alan Wace. Some of the areas explored in these early excavations include the Palace, Grave Circle, Lion Gate, Granary, and the Ramp House as well as numerous tombs including the Treasury of Atreus, Tomb of the Genii, Tomb of Aegisthus, and the Kalkani and Third Kilometre Cemeteries.
Most of these documents were deposited at the BSA by Alan Wace and Piet de Jong after the 1920-23 excavations while others were deposited in the 1930s either after they were published or after they returned to Athens from the 1936 exhibition, ‘British Archaeological Discoveries in Greece and Crete, 1886-1936’ hosted at Burlington House (Royal Academy of Arts) in London. Two notebooks by Winifred Lamb were added to the collection as part of the Lamb bequest in 1963 and two notebooks by Walter A. Heurtley were donated by Sylvia Benton in 1972. Additionally, some of the watercolour drawings, previously framed by Elizabeth B. French, were left to the British School at Athens in 1994 following her tenure as the BSA Director.
Watercolour drawing of Early Helladic pottery fragments from the strata of the foot of Great Ramp (M &N) and Test 62 (O). This drawing was originally included on an exhibition board for the BSA 1936 Exhibition at Burlington House, London. MYC 3/1/33/1 - MYC 3/1/33/4 are parts of MYC 3/33. This was published at the bottom part of Plate XII, ABSA 25 (1921-23) along with MYC 3/1/33/1.
Watercolour drawing of full cups and fragments of pottery from below the floor of the east lobby of the Palace's Grand Staircase. MYC 3/1/34/1 - MYC 3/1/34/4 are all included in 1936 Exhibition collection: 1936 EXH - 107
Watercolour drawing of shallow spreading cup from below the floor of the east lobby of the Grand Staircase. MYC 3/1/34/1 - MYC 3/1/34/4 are all included in 1936 Exhibition collection: 1936 EXH - 107
Watercolour drawing of cup decorated with spiral designs from below the floor of the east lobby of the Grand Staircase. MYC 3/1/34/1 - MYC 3/1/34/4 are all included in 1936 Exhibition collection: 1936 EXH - 107
Watercolour drawing of Vaphio cup decorated with spiral designs from below the floor of the east lobby of the Grand Staircase. MYC 3/1/34/1 - MYC 3/1/34/4 are all included in 1936 Exhibition collection: 1936 EXH - 107
Watercolour drawing of pottery fragments from cups with varying designs from below the floor of the east lobby of the Grand Staircase. MYC 3/1/34/1 - MYC 3/1/34/4 are all included in 1936 Exhibition collection: 1936 EXH - 107
Watercolour drawing of pottery sherds, a jug, and whorl from the Tomb of Aegisthus and Tomb 515, Kalkani Cemetery. MYC 3/1/35/1 - MYC 3/1/35/9 are all included in 1936 Exhibition collection: 1936 EXH - 108
Watercolour drawing of pottery fragments of palace style amphorae from the Tomb of Aegisthus. MYC 3/1/35/1 - MYC 3/1/35/9 are all included in 1936 Exhibition collection: 1936 EXH - 108
Watercolour drawing of jardecorated with double axes from the Tomb of Aegisthus. MYC 3/1/35/1 - MYC 3/1/35/9 are all included in 1936 Exhibition collection: 1936 EXH - 108
Watercolour drawing of a large bowl that is unidentified and without findspot. MYC 3/1/35/1 - MYC 3/1/35/9 are all included in 1936 Exhibition collection: 1936 EXH - 108
Watercolour drawing of two fragments of funnel rhytons from the Tomb of Aegisthus. MYC 3/1/35/1 - MYC 3/1/35/9 are all included in 1936 Exhibition collection: 1936 EXH - 108
Watercolour drawing of a spindle whorl from Tomb 515. MYC 3/1/35/1 - MYC 3/1/35/9 are all included in 1936 Exhibition collection: 1936 EXH - 108
Watercolour drawing of a fragment of funnel rhyton from the Tomb of Aegisthus. MYC 3/1/35/1 - MYC 3/1/35/9 are all included in 1936 Exhibition collection: 1936 EXH - 108
Watercolour drawing of a fragment from the Tomb of Aegisthus with fish scale pattern. MYC 3/1/35/1 - MYC 3/1/35/9 are all included in 1936 Exhibition collection: 1936 EXH - 108
B/W ink drawing of palace style amphorae from the Tomb of Aegisthus displaying an intricate pattern. MYC 3/1/35/1 - MYC 3/1/35/9 are all included in 1936 Exhibition collection: 1936 EXH - 108
Watercolour drawing of a fragment from the Tomb of Aegisthus. MYC 3/1/35/1 - MYC 3/1/35/9 are all included in 1936 Exhibition collection: 1936 EXH - 108
Watercolour drawings of L.H. II jugs, amphorae, alabastrons, cup, and rython from Tombs 515, 518, 529, & 532 of the Kalkani Cemetery. MYC 3/1/36/1 - MYC 3/1/36/8 are all included in 1936 Exhibition collection: 1936 EXH - 109.
Watercolour drawing of L.H. II alabastron with wave pattern from Tomb 529. MYC 3/1/36/1 - MYC 3/1/36/8 are all included in 1936 Exhibition collection: 1936 EXH - 109.
Watercolour drawing of L.H. II ostrich egg rhyton from Tomb 518. MYC 3/1/36/1 - MYC 3/1/36/8 are all included in 1936 Exhibition collection: 1936 EXH - 109.
Watercolour drawing of L.H. II askos from Tomb 529. MYC 3/1/36/1 - MYC 3/1/36/8 are all included in 1936 Exhibition collection: 1936 EXH - 109.
Watercolour drawing of L.H. II three-handled amphorae from Tomb 515. MYC 3/1/36/1 - MYC 3/1/36/8 are all included in 1936 Exhibition collection: 1936 EXH - 109.
Watercolour drawing of L.H. II jug with horizontal lip from Tomb 518. MYC 3/1/36/1 - MYC 3/1/36/8 are all included in 1936 Exhibition collection: 1936 EXH - 109.
Watercolour drawing of L.H. II alabastron from Tomb 532. MYC 3/1/36/1 - MYC 3/1/36/8 are all included in 1936 Exhibition collection: 1936 EXH - 109.
Watercolour drawing of L.H. II vaphio style cup from Tomb 532. MYC 3/1/36/1 - MYC 3/1/36/8 are all included in 1936 Exhibition collection: 1936 EXH - 109.
Watercolour drawing of L.H. II alabastron with continuous wave design from Tomb 529. MYC 3/1/36/1 - MYC 3/1/36/8 are all included in 1936 Exhibition collection: 1936 EXH - 109.
Watercolour drawing showing detailed reproduction of the pattern on a palace style amphorae from the tomb of Aegisthus. MYC 3/1/37/1 - MYC 3/1/37/7 are all included in 1936 Exhibition collection: 1936 EXH - 110.
Watercolour drawings of amphorae and alabastrons from the Tomb of Aegisthus and Tombs 518 & 529 of the Kalkani Cemetery. MYC 3/1/37/1 - MYC 3/1/37/7 are all included in 1936 Exhibition collection: 1936 EXH - 110.
Watercolour drawing of alabastron No. 8 from Tomb 529 decorated with an ivy leaf with curved lobes. MYC 3/1/37/1 - MYC 3/1/37/7 are all included in 1936 Exhibition collection: 1936 EXH - 110.
Watercolour drawing of L.H. II Three Handled Amphorae No. 2 from Tomb 529 decorated with palm fronds. MYC 3/1/37/1 - MYC 3/1/37/7 are all included in 1936 Exhibition collection: 1936 EXH - 110.
Watercolour drawing of L.H. II Three Handled Amphorae No. 3 from Tomb 529 decorated with a network pattern. MYC 3/1/37/1 - MYC 3/1/37/7 are all included in 1936 Exhibition collection: 1936 EXH - 110.
Watercolour drawing of vertical sided alabastron from Tomb 518. MYC 3/1/37/1 - MYC 3/1/37/7 are all included in 1936 Exhibition collection: 1936 EXH - 110.
Watercolour drawing of alabastron No. 7 from Tomb 529 decorated with alternating ivy leaves and buds on curved stems. MYC 3/1/37/1 - MYC 3/1/37/7 are all included in 1936 Exhibition collection: 1936 EXH - 110.
Watercolour drawing of alabastron No. 28 from Tomb 518 decorated with solid ivy leaves and curved stems. MYC 3/1/37/1 - MYC 3/1/37/7 are all included in 1936 Exhibition collection: 1936 EXH - 110.
Watercolour drawing of “Close Style” stirrup-vase with a frieze of "aquatic birds" found in East basement of the Granary. It has annotated labels: "2" on the front upper left corner in pencil and "c" underneath the vase in ink. A photograph of the vase represented in this drawings can be found as "g" on Pl. X of ABSA v. 25 (1921-23)
This notebook is a continuation of notebook MYC 1/2 and is written in June of 1922. The first half mostly records the tombs of the Kalkani Cemetery and the second half documents excavations back at the Palace, both inside and the areas around it including details on the Hearth, Throne Room/Megaron, Terrace of Pithoi; as well as the Ramp House, the Granary, and some of the Tholos Tombs. She also has made sketches and written notes on several artefacts and the iconography of some frescoes.