La morte dell’Eroe
Simboli di potere aristocratico dal Caucaso all’Egeo nell’Età del Bronzo
abstract
The phenomenon of the so-called ‘royal tombs’ of the Bronze Age runs over the whole geographical area that extends from the slopes of the Caucasus to the shores of the Aegean Sea. These extraordinary archaeological discoveries demonstrate how the traditional values of the ‘hero’s figure’, narrated for example in the Homeric poems, have very ancient roots, located in a well-defined geographical area. These heroes are not only legendary characters but also representatives of a ruling class that maintains its power through war and whose emblems of authority are the precious objects found inside the tombs that accompany them even after their death.
Keywords: Heroes • Archaeology • Bronze Age • Southern Caucasus • Royal Tombs