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Atlas of Mycenae Introduction
The Archaeological site of Mycenae, located in southern Greece, was first excavated in 1841.
Since this time, the citadel and the surrounding areas have undergone much survey work and
excavation. The Archaeological Atlas of Mycenae compiles much of this information in one
place, thereby making it a highly useful resource for those looking to study Mycenae. By
digitizing the maps in the atlas, this project aims to utilize the information already documented
within the framework of a GeoDatabase in order to conduct various kinds of spatial analysis
and archaeological research.
Materials and Methods
The Archaeological Atlas of Mycenae has served as the primary source material for this
project. An Overview Map, as well as all 12 individual Detail Maps were scanned at 600 DPI
to maintain accuracy. These maps were then georeferenced to the Greek Grid national
coordinate system and mosaiced to form a high detail map of the entire area. Features’ XY
coordinate values were recorded, along with any other pertinent attributes from the index.
The contour lines included on the atlas maps were also digitized and vectorized to produce a
high resolution digital elevation model (DEM) of the site.
Viewshed
The traditional belief of Mycenaean settlements is that
there was a fear and reverence of the dead. For this
reason, graveyards faced away from the domestic
spaces, yet were still visible as a reminder of their
ancestors. A Viewshed analysis, conducted using the
DEM and the Tholos Tombs as observer points,
reveals very few areas that do not look upon the
Tholos tombs. In fact, almost all the known
Mycenaean structures fall within the Visible area.
Spatial Distribution
In the Atlas of Mycenae, Chamber tombs are all
symbolized in the same way. This, however, can
be misleading since some of these “tombs” are
actually cemeteries containing upwards of 18
tombs. When symbolized to reflect this, a new
distribution pattern can be observed that is, that
there are 3 main chamber tomb centers: one
centrally located by the Citadel, one to the
northwest and one to the southeast.
Predictive Model
Knowing where to dig is a fundamental problem in archaeology.
Surface survey is often used to identify possible locations for
excavation however GIS offers another way. By analyzing the
various features shown in the Atlas, areas can be identified which
are more likely to contain Mycenaean remains and a predictive
model made. This predictive model can be used to direct excavation
efforts in order to increase the efficacy. Elevation and slope data for
this area were extracted and other areas which shared these values
were identified (Probability). The structures near the Citadel also
appear to be located in close proximity to Chamber tombs so the
Probable Areas were ranked to reflect this proximity. Additionally, it
is interesting to note that with the exception of the SE areas, the
other probable areas also in view of the Tholos Tombs.
Conclusions
The goal of this project was to create a database
which would assist in archaeological research.
Many features have been recorded in this database
as well as important attribute data. The information
has been used to create the predictive model which
will be tested during the 2012 study season to
determine its accuracy.
Sources: Archaeological Atlas of Mycenae, Iakovidis, Spyros et a., Archaeological Society of Athens, 2003
Dan Ehrlich