Mycenaean dagger
The large number of weapons which found in the
tombs shows that the dead Mycenaeans were, among other, very good
warriors. These are bronze big swords with elaborate handles from other
materials - gold ivory, bone, stone - daggers, and knives-axes. Famous are
the bronze daggers , with inlaid decoration in the blade of gold, silver
and nickel with painted depictions. The finest and best known is the
dagger from the tomb IV, which represents from the one side of the blade
hunting lion from well-armed Mycenaeans. The hunters carry spears and
bows, and protect themselves with tower-shaped and figure-of-eight
shields. One lion has been hurt and a man lies on the ground, while two
more lions escape. On the reverse, a lion hunts deer. These performances
symbolize the valor of the Mycenaeans, who dare to fight with the
strongest animals of the nature.
The photo shows a bronze dagger with
inlaid decoration depicting a lion hunt.
