Amphipolis – New announcements are coming

In just a few hours, we may know a lot more about the "occupant" of the tomb.

On Saturday morning, (22/11), the Minister of Culture and Sport, Mr. Tasoulas will give an interview at the Museum of Amphipolis, on the findings and the next phase of excavation in the Kasta tomb.

The announcements of the Ministry of Culture may shed light on many critical questions, but again maybe not...

Questions that require answers

Is the skeleton, which was found in the pit of the third chamber, the main dead or there is another burial? After the discovery of the skeleton in the pit of the third chamber, the questions surrounding the tomb of Kasta hill were multiplied dramatically.

Was the dead a man or a woman?

Nobody can answer for sure, if they do not first examine the bones, in a special laboratory.

Can the skeleton not to belong to the dead in the tomb?

Prima facie it does not seem to apply such a scenario. In other cases of Macedonian tombs, we have discovered later burials in the embankment which was created after the desecration of the grave.

In the case of the burial monument in Kasta tumulus, however, there is no such possibility, as the sandy material which filled the grave came either from flooding caused by the overflowing of the river Strymon, as many archaeologists believe, or it was added deliberately in order to seal the monument, according to the excavation team.

Why this particular dead was not cremated but was buried in a coffin?

"It's one of the many strange things of this tomb", said an archaeologist with extensive experience in Macedonian monuments, at the "Nea" newspaper. "All the bodies of the Macedonians in 100%, - with the exception of Alexander, - ended in pyre. It is very strange that this dead was buried under the floor. We should rethink the possibility to investigate what happens under the floors of the other tombs which have been looted already. Because if there were not the looters, which archaeologist would decide to look under the floor? ".

Why there were no grave goods?

Everything indicates that the robbers had swept the tomb. Even in looted tombs, archaeologists have found in the corners gold leaves, rings, bone decorations, which either escaped the attention of the looters or fell from their hands.

It is possible that the grave was looted more than once. "The first time, they took a potentially valuable urn and grave goods, probably from the third chamber", says an experienced archaeologist in the newspaper "Ta Nea". The archaeologist is puzzled about the fact that the only dead in the impressive monument is buried beneath the floor and thinks that perhaps there was another dead, whose corpse after combustion was in a vessel resting on the floor of the third chamber.

Announcements on Saturday 22/11

It is not yet certain whether they will be released new photos from the course of the excavations or other photos from previous excavation work.
Minister of Culture and Sport Mr. K. Tasoulas will give an interview at the Museum of Amphipolis, tomorrow Saturday 22/11 in one afternoon, on the findings and the next phase of work in Kasta tomb.

One week later, Saturday, November 29th at 11:00, the Inspector of Antiquities Serres K. Peristeri and partners, will present the results of the excavation season at the Kasta hill, in Athens, in the Auditorium of the Ministry of Culture.