The Kingdom of Pylos

Presenting archaeological objects from the rich tombs of warrior-princes and the best-preserved Bronze Age palace on the Greek mainland, this volume features the latest discoveries from the dynamic world of Mycenaean Messenia. Ancient Pylos has long captivated travelers, archaeologists, and historians familiar with Homer‘s Iliad and Odyssey and his account of King Nestor, the prudent elder counselor in the Trojan War. Excavations begun in 1939 unearthed the storied Palace of Nestor in Messenia, an epicenter of Mycenaean civilization. The Kingdom of Pylos features spectacular arts and crafts, many recently excavated at sites across Messenia, including goldwork of unparalleled artistry, masterfully carved sealstones, weapons, and wall paintings. Essays by international scholars examine the latest discoveries, including the Linear B tablets--the earliest written form of the Greek language--which document the political, religious, and economic organization of the prosperous Pylian realm. New research and cutting-edge science cast light on the 2015 find of the grave of the Griffin Warrior, an extraordinary, intact burial that held thousands of artifacts, including the celebrated Pylos Combat Agate, perhaps the finest work of art from the prehistoric Aegean. With over 300 illustrations, this is the first major publication in English to reconstruct the society of Pylos and settlements in its orbit during the Late Bronze Age (1700-1070 BCE). This volume is published to accompany an exhibition on view at the Archaeological Museum of Messenia in Kalamata from February 15 to April 27, 2025, the J. Paul Getty Museum at the Getty Villa from June 25, 2025, to January 12, 2026, and the Hellenic National Archaeological Museum in Athens from March 1 to June 30, 2026.