Artifacts from UC Classics discovery on display in Greece for first time

Exquisite Bronze Age jewelry, weapons help tell story of Mycenaean civilization

Bronze Age artifacts discovered by University of Cincinnati researchers Jack Davis and Sharon Stocker will go on public display in Greece this year for the first time, according to the Greek Reporter.

Davis, a professor of UC Classics, and Stocker, a senior research associate, made the startling discovery of a 3,500-year-old tomb of a Mycenaean leader while working in Pylos, Greece, in 2015.

An exhibition called Princes of Pylos will open in Kalamata, Greece, on Feb. 15 showcasing the Bronze Age artifacts dating back more than 3,000 years. The exhibition will come to the United States in June at the Getty Villa in Malibu, Calif., before returning to Greece at the National Archaeological Museum in Athens.

Jack Davis and Sharon Stocker stand in front of the Colosseum.

UC Professor Jack Davis and Senior Research Associate Sharon Stocker pose in front of the Colosseum. Photo/Provided

Davis and Stocker followed a long tradition of UC Classics archaeological research in Pylos dating back to famed UC Professor Carl Blegen's discovery of the Palace of Nestor in southwestern Greece.

Their discovery was hailed as one of the most spectacular Greek finds in two generations. The tomb included armor, weapons and jewelry, including an exquisite agate sealstone depicting mortal combat in such fine detail that Archaeology magazine declared it “a Bronze Age masterpiece.”

They called the leader the Griffin Warrior for the mythological figure of a griffin inscribed on an ivory plaque.

In 2016, Davis and Stocker turned to former UC anthropology professor Lynne Schepartz, now at the University of Arizona, to do a digital reconstruction of the warrior’s facial features.

“He was a young man, and wealthy, who served different functions: a religious or sacred function, as an outstanding warrior and as leader of his people,” Stocker said at the time.

In 2017, Davis and Stocker found gold-covered princely tombs at Pylos that likewise contained gold jewelry and artifacts that are helping historians understand ancient Greece.

A subsequent analysis of ancient DNA confirmed the suspicions of Davis and Stocker that the Griffin Warrior was from the area he would come to rule.

In 2022, Davis and Stocker published a book titled “Greek State in Formation“ examining Mycenaean civilization through the prism of their discoveries and scholarship. This year they will publish another book, available on preorder, taking a closer look at the exquisite craftsmanship and artistry behind the artifacts they discovered.

In the years since their discovery, Davis and Stocker have been recognized around the world for their contributions to the study of ancient civilizations.

Davis was named this year to the prestigious American Academy of Arts and Sciences. In 2019, the president of Greece bestowed the Commander of the Order of the Phoenix upon Davis and Stocker. The award is given to foreigners who contribute to enhancing the stature of Greece in fields such as science, the arts and industry.

The Archaeological Institute of America in 2020 also bestowed its highest honor upon Davis, a Gold Medal for Distinguished Archaeological Achievement.

Read the Greek Reporter story.

Featured image at top: A golden ring found in the tomb of the Griffin Warrior depicts iconography of bulls and wheat. Photo/UC Classics