Wednesday 17 March 2010

Vergina: New Royal Tombs?

Traces of Royal dead
A silver Urn, similar to that of the Prince of the Great Mound of Vergina, and an extremely rare and maybe even unique silver panathenian amphora was brought to light by the archaeological excavations in the agora of Aigai.
Ο ασημένιος παναθηναϊκός αμφορέας.
The silver panathenian amphora.


It should be noted that in the same area the team of archaeologists, lead by the professor of Archaeology of the Aristoteleian University of Thessolonike, Chrysouls Paliadeli, had found during the summer of 2008 a valuable grave ensemble.

Το χάλκινο σκεύος που περιείχε τη χρυσή οστεοθήκη
The bronze container that enclosed the golden ostuary

According to mrs Paliadeli, these finds belong to important graves within the walls of the old capital of the ancient Macedonians, dated to the first years of the rule of Kassander.

This is combined with the exceptional quality of the objects that make up the two burial ensembles - which are close to each other. The objects are closely comparable to the grave goods found in the rest of the royal tombs of the Great Mound, confirming that these too are royal graves.

When the first burial was discovered, during the summer of 2008, it had been identified by mrs Paliadeli as that of Herakles, the son of Alexander the Great and Barsina, who had been murdered by order of Kassander.

The Professor of the Aristoteleian University declares that she is convinced that the two rich burial ensembles from the Agora of Aigai are parts of the same burial proceedure, as they were located at the same depth, at a small distance from each other.


Source: Ethnos, 12.03.2010

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