No. 455. A Golden Shoulder-belt (τελαμών), with a fragment of the two-edged Sword. Sepulchre I. Size 1:4.
GOLDEN SHOULDER-BELT.
The now nearly mummified body was decorated with a golden shoulder-belt (τελαμών), 4 ft. long and 1¾ in. broad, which, for some cause or other, was not in its place, for it now lay across the loins of the body, and extended in a straight line far to the right of it. In its midst is suspended, and firmly attached, the fragment of a double-edged bronze sword (see No. 455), and to this latter was accidentally attached a beautifully-polished perforated object of rock crystal, in form of a jar (πίθος), with two silver handles. It is pierced in its entire length by a silver pin. This little object has unfortunately been detached in removing the treasure from Charvati to Athens, and thus I represent it separately (No. 456). Together with the shoulder-belt and the little crystal jar was found the small object of rock-crystal (No. 457), which has the shape of a funnel. In the extremity of the shoulder-belt, to the left of the spectator, are two perforations; at the other end there has probably been a clasp, because there are no perforations; on the fragment of the sword we see one of those small shield-like or button-like golden disks, with an ornamentation of repoussé work, which have decorated the sheaths of the swords in uninterrupted rows, their size being always determined by the breadth of the sheaths. The disk before us is divided by three concentric circles into three circular compartments, of which the outer and the central one represent a number of ornaments resembling horse-shoes. A glance at this shoulder-belt will convince every one that it is by far too thin and fragile to have been worn by living men. Besides, I feel certain that no living warrior has ever gone to battle with swords in sheaths of wood ornamented on either side with rows of gold plates, which are merely glued on the wood. Thus, we may consider it beyond all doubt that a great part of all the golden ornaments have been expressly prepared for funeral use. There was also found an alabaster stand for a vase.
No. 456. A small Jar of rock crystal. Sepulchre I. Actual size.
No. 457. A funnel-shaped object, of rock crystal. Sepulchre I. Actual size.
GOLDEN BREAST-COVER.
The massive golden breast-plate of this same body is perfectly plain, and it is therefore unnecessary to engrave it. It is 15⅗ in. long and 9½ in. broad; it has no ornamentation, but two protruding breasts can be distinctly seen; they are not, however, in the middle, as they ought to be, but more to the right of the spectator. While speaking of breast-covers, I may as well give here the breast-cover of the body at the southern end of this first tomb (No. 458). It is 1 ft. 9 in. long and 1 ft. 2⅗ in. broad. Here the two breasts are well represented by two protruding shield-like bosses, and the whole remaining space is richly ornamented with beautiful spirals in repoussé work.