Amphipolis-architraves with female and male form

The Ministry of Culture revealed in the press conference of Mr. Tasoulas in the reporters, the existence of painted human figures in the architraves which have been sent in the museum of Amphipolis.

The two painted human figures, one male and one female, drawings, objects and performances, which were painted with red, blue and bright yellow paint on the architrave of the second chamber and are revealed gradually, perhaps they "speak" for the dead who was hiding for 23 centuries in the tomb of Amphipolis.

According to the "Ethnos" newspaper, while awaiting the award of the anthropological study, the excavation team explains that the bones of the skeleton show no traces of embalming while about whether and when will take place a DNA analysis, he notes that this will depend on the situation of the skeleton.

As announced on Saturday (22/11) the Minister of Culture Mr. Tasoulas, the paintings began slowly to be revealed during maintenance work on the architrave sections that were found in the second chamber and were transferred to the Museum of Amphipolis.

The announcement came as a surprise to members of the archaeological community, stating that have never found paintings in architraves in Macedonian tombs, before. These parts of the architrave were found on September 10, in the soil behind the Caryatids, before the revelation of the mosaic floor of the second chamber.

The excavation team and the Ministry of Culture hope that the interpretation of the decoration may provide answers to some of the questions that have arisen. However, they do not exclude the possibility to be merely a decorative element, which would not have decisive contribution to research. The anthropological study of the skeleton may give critical answers, but the members of the excavation team have lowered the bar of expectations as to the identity of the deceased.

Tiberius - In no other Macedonian tomb have been found depictions in architraves

"I do not know if there are depictions in architraves in Macedonian tombs, elsewhere", said to the newspaper "Ethnos" the Emeritus Professor of Classical Archaeology at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and scholar, Michael Tiberios.

Then, the professor added: "Perhaps there is another surprise. This tomb, anyway, had many surprises so far."

He avoided, due to the absence of evidence, to form a view about the importance of disclosure, and for whether the specific representations can shed light on the excavation and answer questions related to the identity of the deceased.

"Maybe can tell us about the dead, but maybe not. We do not know at present what is depicted in these representations, nor their place in the monument, such as, for example, if they were in the inner or outer side of the architrave", he said.