A “new” hippopotamus tusk from Mycenae

Katie Demakopoulou & Olga Krzyszkowska Αρχαιολογική Εφημερίς 148 (2009): 85-95.

From the Introduction

Systematic research over the past 25 years has revealed that hippopotamus ivory was used in the Aegean from pre-palatial times until the late Mycenaean period. In addition to finished objects made from this material, parts of tusks have been recovered at Knossos, Thebes and Mycenae. This article presents another hippopotamus tusk from Mycenae, found by Christos Tsountas and re-discovered in the storerooms of the National Archaeological Museum, Athens, by Katie Demakopoulou. The hippopotamus tusk was among the ivories from the old excavations of the Archaeological Society of Athens at Mycenae, conducted by Christos Tsountas. These ivories are now housed in the National Archaeological Museum, Athens. The tusk is registered as NM 10.601 in the inventories of the Prehistoric Collection of the Museum. In the entry the following indication for its provenance is cited: ‘Tsountas’ excavations at Mycenae 1895’.