Tholos Tomb IV is located a short distance northeast of the acropolis with the Palace of Nestor. It was excavated in 1953 by Carl Blegen’s team and was reconstructed in 1957 by the Greek Archaeological Service. The tomb was built before the palace was at the height of its power. Those responsible likely lived on the hill of Englianos in houses now under the later palace, and probably also built the fortification wall that surrounded the acropolis during the Early Mycenaean period (16th-15th cent. B.C.).

The tomb was robbed in antiquity. Among the finds that remained in it were small objects of precious materials, jewelry, gold-foil cut-outs with representations of owls, a royal gold seal with an engraving of a winged griffin, and a gold signet ring showing a scene of worship at a peak sanctuary of Minoan type. The grave was used for at least thirteen royal burials from the 16th to the 14th century BC.