The ‘Mona Lisa’ of the Classical World

The ‘Mask of Agamemnon’ formed the basis for Homer’s golden Mycenae.

Gold death-mask, known as the “Mask of Agamemnon” from 16th-century B.C. Mycenae. The two holes near the ears suggest that the mask was tied in place with twine. Public Domain

One of the greatest surviving wonders of antiquity is not an architectural ruin or monumental sculpture but rather a small-scale, intimate work of art. Expertly hammered from gold, this 16th-century B.C. Mycenaean funerary mask is known the world over as the “Mask of Agamemnon,” though this is a misnomer. Historian Cathy Gere dubbed the Greek object “the Mona Lisa of prehistory.” Its image has been mythologized, conjuring Homeric tales of heroism, heritage, war, love, and tragedy.

‘Rich in Gold’

The main entrance of the Bronze Age citadel of Mycenae, called the Lion Gate. Artem Kniaz/Shutterstock