Reply To: Myth Becomes History

[Tamara Toy]

While both Sir Arthur Evans and Heinrich Schliemann did a lot of damage as amateur archaeologists, I feel that Schliemann’s actions were worse than Evans. Given the idea that he altered the Mask of Agamemnon is devastating as to think about, as we now have no idea what the mask looked like before he ‘restored’ the mask. Even though we now know that this mask predates Agamemnon bu around 300 years, the name still sticks to this piece. The seems to be other events of similar issues, although not as altering as the mask, at least as far as we know, all in the name of publicity. Schliemann’s desire to tie this to Homer as changed the way many people look at Mycenaean culture and art.
As for Evans, he did much the same as far as referring to the Complex at Knossos as a palace, although his atrocities are not as severe as we have no proof, at least as far as Evans altering a find. Still, his grand scheme of the grand royal palace, when it most likely was an aristocrat’s home paints Minoan culture and art with a romantic brush to most people. He most likely did so with other finds, all to fit his idea of what this wonderful archeological find was.