tholos
9.9
A stone tomb shaped like a beehive with a round roof
- noun
- /ˈθoʊləs/
- Specialized
:
tólos
- The tholos was built as a burial site for important figures in Mycenaean society.
Examples
-
Archaeologists discovered several ancient tholoi in the ruins of Mycenae.
-
Inside the tholos, the beautifully crafted stonework showcased the architectural skills of the Mycenaeans.
-
There are two types of these tombs in the area, the tholos or beehive tombs and Grave Circle B.
Surface Forms
Etymology
Tholos comes from an old Greek word meaning 'dome' or 'round roof'. Think of a beehive or round stone roof — that is why a tholos is a beehive-shaped stone tomb with a domed chamber.
