From around 1500 BC, leaders of society were buried in tholos graves. These were constructed by sinking a horizontal shaft (dromos) into the hillside and cutting a circular chamber at its end. Both dromos and chamber were walled with massive stones, the chamber tapering upwards in a corbelled vault constructed with courses of projecting stones, shaped like a beehive.
Nine of these tombs have been found at Mycenae, of which the most impressive was the so-called 'Treasury of Atreus.' Originally the walls of this tomb were decorated with numerous bronze rosettes and the tomb sealed with bronze doors (now gone). A rock-cut antechamber on one side contained pits in which burials were placed, along with rich grave goods which have long since been looted.
The façade of the tomb was originally lavishly decorated with geometric patterns. After each funeral the tomb was sealed but the dromos remained open and was the scene of periodic funerary ceremonies.
