The graves of the Middle Helladic period present a wide range of types. The different grave types which were employed at the same time, the simple shaft graves, the cist graves and the pithos burials were imposed by the various traditions and custom practices.

The factors that effected the selection of the type of grave were the features of the area, e.g. the hardness of the soil and the availability of the building materials as well as the facts of each case such as the height of the dead and the degree of luxury imposed by the person's social prestige. In addition, the need for regular access to the grave was also taken into account.

The frequency of the grave types differs slightly from one region to another. Thus, the cist grave was common in Central Greece and Thessaly while in the Peloponnese people were buried in simple pits.