The use of ivory for small scale sculpture, for furniture inlays and other decorative elements is one of the hallmarks of Mycenaean civilisation, demonstrating the extent of its trading contacts, the prosperity of its users and the skill of its craftsmen. The pieces found during the excavation of the 'Cult Centre' area at Mycenae greatly extend our knowledge of their range and character. In this fascicule, the leading expert on the study of Aegean ivories, Dr Olga Krzyszkowska, provides a full discussion of the material supported by a detailed catalogue and wide range of photographs and line drawings. The material includes not only the well known head and lion, fully published here for the first time, but also an intriguing range of raw material, prepared blanks, off-cuts and waste pieces. Dr Krzyszkowska also presents the wide range of items of bone and antler which reflect practical everyday use in contrast to the exotic imports of elephant and hippopotamus ivory.
As with the previous fascicules in the series, the key text and illustrations are provided in the printed text of 80 pages with 15 figures and 21 plates. The supporting data and full illustration of over 175 objects and other items are supplied on 350 pages on 2 CDs.