An enlightening brief guide to the archaeological site (a fortified hill in the Peloponnese), its history and current scholarship on the Bronze Age. Originally excavated by Heinrich Schliemann, the archaeology of the site has been much debated over the years. With a guide to the site at Mycenae. The remarkable gold artifacts from the site, including the famous mask of Agamemmnon, are among the treasures of the national archaeological museum.  (GRE252, $19.95)

Wonders of the World series