Bones found in Magnificent Amphipolis Tomb belong to Five People, Ministry Announced

Ancient Origins

In 2015, the Greek Ministry of Culture announced the long-awaited results of the analysis on the bones found inside the 4th century BC tomb uncovered in Amphipolis in northern Greece. The news was quite unexpected – the bones belonged to not one, but five individuals, pointing to the likelihood that it is a family tomb. However, their has been a setback in their analysis since then. What’s next for the Amphipolis tomb and the remains that were found within?

 The tomb is located within Kasta Hill in what was once the ancient city of Amphipolis, conquered by Philip II of Macedon, father of Alexander the Great, in 357 BC. Experts have known about the existence of the burial mound in Amphipolis, located about 100 km (62.14 miles) northeast of Thessaloniki, since the 1960s, but work only began in earnest there in 2012, when archaeologists discovered that Kasta Hill had been surrounded by a nearly 500-meter (1640.42 ft.) wall made from marble. It was only in 2015 that they discovered the incredible chambers decorated with marble sphinxes and caryatids, an intricate mosaic floor, and a limestone sarcophagus containing hundreds of bone fragments.

Amphipolis Tomb by Greektoys.org (update) on Sketchfab.

According to the Ministry’s Press Release , archaeologists recovered a total of 550 bone fragments, both crushed and intact, including a skull in good condition. After a meticulous process of piecing the fragments together, scientists identified 157 complete bones.

 Following the macroscopic study of bone material, which was undertaken by a multidisciplinary team from the Universities of Aristotle and Democritus, researchers were able to determine that the minimum number of individuals is five – a woman aged around 60 years, two men aged 35-45 years, a newborn infant, and the cremated remains of another individual of unknown age and gender. In addition, they found a number of animal bones, most likely belonging to a horse.

Person 1: Female, approximately 60 years Scientists were able to identify person 1 as female based on the pelvic bones, the bones of the skull, the mandible, and the morphological features of the bones. Age was determined based on the loss of posterior teeth, degenerative lesions, particularly in the spine, and the presence of metabolic diseases such as osteoporosis and frontal hyperostosis. Her height is estimated at 157 cm (5.15 ft.)

Most of the bones found can be attributed to the female, and they were located approximately 1 meter (3.28 ft.) above the floor of the cist.

Bones belonging to the 60-year-old female in the Amphipolis tomb. Credit: Ministry of Culture

Persons 2 and 3: Two men, 35 to 45 years Two of the individuals identified are known to have been men, one around 35 years of age, and the other closer to 45 years of age. The younger of the two men, whose height is estimated at 168 cm (5.51 ft.), bears traces of cut marks on the left upper thoracic spine, two sides and cervical vertebra. His injuries are consistent with violent injury caused by a sharp instrument, such as a knife, which apparently caused his death (no healing indications could be distinguished.)

 The slightly older man, whose bones were found higher than the first man, measures around 162 cm (5.31 ft.) in height and has evidence of a fully healed fracture in his right radius, close to the right wrist. Both men show degenerative osteoarthritis and spondylitis.

Cut marks were found in multiple places in the bones of person 2 in the Amphipolis tomb. Credit: Ministry of Culture

Person 4: Newborn infant The fourth individual identified was a newborn infant, whose sex could not be determined. The determination of age was made based on the length and width of the left humerus and left mandible.

Bones found in the Amphipolis tomb belonging to newborn infant. Credit: Ministry of Culture

 Person 5: Cremated individual of unknown age and sex The fifth person is represented by only a few burnt fragments. While age and sex cannot be determined, the bones are believed to belong to an adult individual.

Person 5 bones (Amphipolis tomb) that have undergone the influence of high temperature, after burning. Credit: Ministry of Culture

The scientific team planned to continue to carry out in-depth studies of the bones, including DNA analysis, to obtain more detailed information about the individuals including their diet, their affinity and place of origin, whether they grew up in Amphipolis or had moved from elsewhere, when they were buried/cremated, and whether the individuals are related to each other. The hope was that the results would enable the researchers to piece together the social and historical context and finally determine the identity of the individuals buried inside this incredibly important funerary monument.

However, an update on the research project shows that three and a half years after the fascinating discovery in 2015, the work has come to a standstill. A lack of funding for the project has raised some eyebrows on the current government’s views on the archaeological site. Currently the human remains are being stored in the Amphipolis Museum. They’ve been there ever since the initial macroscopic analysis was completed.

Despite the obstacle in discovering more about the people who were buried inside, there is movement at the Amphipolis tomb. In fact, heavy restoration work has been underway to have the site ready to open to the public in 2020 .

Top Image: Marble sphinx and limestone sarcophagus found at Amphipolis. Source: Greek Ministry of Culture

By April Holloway

Archaeologists May Have Identified 2nd Tomb at World-Famous Amphipolis Site

Ancient Origins

Archaeologists believe they have identified a second monument at the famous Kasta Hill in Amphipolis, Greece, which made headlines around the world when a highly-decorated Macedonian tomb complex, possibly linked to Alexander the Great, was discovered in 2012. The results of geophysical prospecting, carried out by the Applied Geophysics Lab of the Aristotle University of Macedonia, revealed a structure two meters deep on the west side of the hill.


The Mystery of Tomb of Amphipolis
The ancient site of Amphipolis was discovered and described by many archaeologists during the 19th century, even though excavations didn’t really begin until after the Second World War. The Greek Archaeological Society under Dr. Lazaridis excavated in 1972 and 1985, uncovering a necropolis, the city wall, the basilicas, and the acropolis. Further excavations have since uncovered the river bridge, the gymnasium, Greek and Roman villas and many tombs. Parts of a lion monument and tombs were discovered during World War I by Bulgarian and British troops whilst digging trenches in the area.

Officers of the 2nd King's Shropshire Light Infantry with skulls excavated during the construction of trenches and dugouts at the ancient Greek site of Amphipolis, 1916. (public domain) The site became famous worldwide only recently, when in 2012 a team of Greek archaeologists excavated a huge tomb within Kasta Hill, the biggest burial mound ever found in Greece, northeast of Amphipolis. The tomb comprises three chambers separated by walls. There are two sphinxes just outside the entrance to the tomb. Two of the columns supporting the roof in the first section are in the form of Caryatids, in the 4th century BC style. The excavation uncovered a pebble mosaic depicting the abduction of Persephone by Hades directly behind the Caryatids and in front of the Macedonian marble door leading to the "third" chamber. Hades' chariot is drawn by two white horses and led to the underworld by Hermes. The mosaic verifies the Macedonian character of the tomb.

Artistic representation of the caryatids in the Amphipolis tomb, © Gerasimos G. Gerolymatos.

As the head of one of the sphinxes was found inside the tomb behind a broken door, it is clear that there were intruders, probably in antiquity. The identity of the burial remains a mystery and the excavation is continuing, even though many historians and archaeologists have claimed that the burial chamber couldn’t be that of Alexander the Great as it was built after his death. Nevertheless, it may contain the remains of one of his family members or a general who served in his army.






New Monument May Be “Laying” Under the Amphipolis Tomb Complex The director of the Lab, Dr. Grigoris Tsokas claims that “targets” had been spotted west of the ruin that required a closer examination, “We have the distribution of resistance in a 3-dimensional depiction, and we can see that there is something there. We are speculating that is a second monument, a lot smaller (than the one already found), at a depth of about two meters, which must be explored”, he said at archaeology news network. Tsokas adds that there had been a full geophysical prospecting of the Casta Hill where a buried valley had been found, “The geophysical study of Casta was assigned to our Lab in 2014 and the University fully funded the project. We have already explored the hill and are processing the data collected, a difficult task due to the sheer volume, while there have been findings that warrant archaeological certification, which is why we are trying to find funds to continue”, the professor underlined. It’s also important to notice that a piece of coal find excavated at the foundations of the memorial showing that the monument goes back to 300 BC.


Top image: Kasta Hill, Amphipolis, Greece

 By Theodoros Katasavvas

Ancient Amphipolis Tomb was Commissioned by Alexander the Great for his Closest Friend and General, Hephaestion, New Evidence Shows

Ancient Origins

New evidence has emerged that the massive underground tomb in Amphipolis, Greece, which was hailed last year as the archaeological discovery of the decade, was commissioned by Alexander the Great for his close companion and general in his army, Hephaestion.
The Amphipolis Tomb, which lies within the Kasta Hill burial mound, approximately 100 kilometres east of Thessaloniki in Greece, captured worldwide attention last year when two marble sphinxes were found guarding its entrance. It lies in what was once the ancient city of Amphipolis, conquered by Philip II of Macedon, father of Alexander the Great, in 357 BC, and dates back to the fourth century B.C. The tomb, measuring 500 metres (1,640 feet) in circumference, was found to contain sculptures of caryatids, an ornate mosaic, and coins featuring the face of Alexander the Great.
Head archaeologist Katerina Peristeri long suggested that the tomb may have been commissioned for a general in Alexander the Great’s army. However, the discovery of rosettes painted in blue, red, and yellow, which are similar to those found on the coffin from the tomb believed to belong to Philip II, Alexander the Great’s father, suggested that the tomb at Amphipolis may have instead belonged to a Macedonian royal, with the most popular theory pointing to Olympias, Alexander’s mother.

Amphipolis Tomb by Greektoys.org (update) on Sketchfab.

New inscriptions found

Greek news site Ekathimerini reports that new evidence has emerged that may finally solve the mystery of the tomb’s original owner.
During a conference in Thessaloniki, Peristeri and her head architect Michalis Lefantzis announced that they found three inscriptions within the Amphipolis tomb with the monogram of Hephaestion, a general, and the closest friend of Alexander the Great. The inscriptions are project contracts for the construction of the monument.
According to the Greek Reporter, the inscriptions suggest that the monument was commissioned by a powerful individual of that era, and Peristeri maintains that individual may have been Alexander himself.

The monogram of Hephaestion found in three separate inscriptions within the Amphipolis tomb. Credit: Greek Ministry of Culture

Hephaestion, general in the army of Alexander the Great

Hephaestion was a Macedonian nobleman that grew up with Alexander, studying with him under the tutelage of Aristotle. They became close personal friends, as well as comrades. Hephaestion became a member of Alexander’s personal bodyguard and went on to command the Companion cavalry. He was entrusted with many important roles, including diplomatic missions, the bridging of major rivers, sieges and the foundation of new settlements.
When Hephaestion died suddenly in Ecbatana, Iran, in 324 BC, Alexander petitioned the oracle at Siwa to grant him divine status, and organized an elaborate funeral at Babylon, in which Hephaestion was said to have been cremated in the presence of the entire army. According to ancient historian Plutarch, Alexander then ordered a series of monuments to be built for Hephaestion across his empire.

A painting by Charles Le Brun depicting Alexander and Hephaestion (in red cloak), facing Porus, during the Battle of the Hydaspes.
While the Amphipolis monument may have been constructed in Hephaestions honor, Peristeri maintains that there is no evidence that Hephaestions remains were ever buried there.
When a sarcophagus was finally uncovered within the Amphipolis tomb, archaeologists found a total of five skeletons – an elderly woman, two men, a newborn baby, and the cremated remains of an individual of unknown age and gender.
The tomb is believed to have been in use from the fourth century BC until Roman times, and is known to have been looted in antiquity, so there is no way to know who those five individuals were.
Featured Image: Artistic representation of the caryatids in the Amphipolis tomb
By April Holloway