Alexander-era tomb contains bones of woman, baby, men

Toronto Sun ^ | Monday, January 19, 2015 | Reuters

[SunkenCiv]

The culture ministry said research on the tomb's bones showed the buried woman was over 60 years old and about 1.57 metres tall while the two men were aged 35 to 45 years old.

One of the men had cut marks in his left chest that were most likely from mortal injuries inflicted by a knife or small sword, the ministry said. The men had an estimated height of 1.62 to 1.68 metres.

The few burned bone remains of the fifth interred person, who was cremated, could not reveal the person's gender and authorities said further testing would be carried out.

Further analysis will also be done on the bones of the woman and two men to determine if they were related.

"Part of the analysis will look into a possible blood relationship ... but the lack of teeth and cranial parts that are used in ancient DNA analysis may not allow for a successful identification," the ministry said.

Excavations at the site near Greece's second city of Thessaloniki began in 2012 and captured global attention last August when archaeologists announced the discovery of a vast tomb guarded by two sphinxes and circled by a 497-metre marble wall.

Since then the tomb has also yielded a colourful floor mosaic depicting the abduction of Persephone, the daughter of Zeus, the supreme deity of ancient Greece, as well as two sculpted female figures known as Caryatids.

[SunkenCiv]

A grave is seen inside the site of an archeological excavation at the town of Amphipolis, in northern Greece, in this handout photo taken November 7, 2014, and distributed by Greece's Culture Ministry on November 12, 2014. (REUTERS/Hellenic Culture Ministry/Handout via Reuters)

[SunkenCiv]

from the FRchives:

• Coolest Archaeological Discoveries of 2014 [CHEESE!]
• Amphipolis skeleton from Alexander's time found in Greece
• Large mosaic in ancient tomb uncovered in Greece [Amphipolis update]
• Remains of Alexander the Great's Father Confirmed Found
• Have they found Alexander the Great's tomb? Or maybe his mother's?
• Fever mounts as stunning statues found at ancient Greek tomb (Amphipolis)
• Historian Claims The Louvre Museum Holds Ancient Amphipolis Tomb Treasures
• Greek archaeologists enter large underground tomb [Amphipolis update]
• Greek tomb at Amphipolis is 'important discovery'
• Mystery over massive Alexander-era tomb unearthed in Greece
• Have archaeologists discovered the grave of Alexander the Great?

[SunkenCiv]

This is an update, thanks TEXOKIE for the link!

[SunkenCiv]

original (text only from where I’m sitting):
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2015/01/19/us-greece-tomb-idUKKBN0KS1AB20150119

http://news.yahoo.com/mystery-greek-tomb-contained-least-5-corpses-experts-113543352.html

for later (can’t see it right now):
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/life-style/art-and-culture/2015/01/19/After-diplomatic-push-35-000-year-old-human-skeleton-to-Egypt.html

http://odysseus.culture.gr/h/3/eh351.jsp?obj_id=2403

http://news.google.com/news/section?q=Greek+Culture+Ministry+amphipolis&hl=en&pz=1&cf=all&ned=us&js=0

[BenLurkin]

Interesting.

[MuttTheHoople]

Cougar and her boy toys?

[MrEdd]

Noble woman and her body guards perhaps. Politics were pretty cutthroat back then.

[DanielRedfoot]

I wonder whats in Grants tomb???

[ApplegateRanch]

No mystery at all, really: It’s Amphipolis. The tomb was built by (slaves of) the Amazons.

The remains are Xena; Gabrielle; Joxer The Mighty; and Autolycus, the King of Thieves.

Only uncertainty is the identity of the newborn.

[Chuckster]

At barely five feet tall, I’m thinking too short for Xena.

[Bratch]

Only uncertainty is the identity of the newborn.

Donna Troy?

[Rides_A_Red_Horse]

when archaeologists announced the discovery of a vast tomb guarded by two sphinxes and circled by a 497-metre marble wall.

---

It’s guarded by two sphinxes and it’s got a great big marble wall around it. The archaeologists just open it up wondering what’s in there that the’d go through that much trouble to secure it? Way to go dudes!

[gleeaikin]

And let’s not forget Catherine the Great, and the Orlov brothers among others. Still was pretty cut throat two thousand years later.

[SunkenCiv]

Here’s a link to a new article, updating the Amphipolis tomb find, in an FR topic about a year old.

Inscription Spurs Debate Over Mysterious Greek Tomb : Discovery News
http://news.discovery.com/history/inscription-spurs-debate-over-mysterious-greek-tomb-160302.htm

[Katya]

These tombs are amazing...hope to go visit them. I was lucky enough to go see Vergina, Philip II’s tomb last summer...awe inspiring.

[bert]

And then there is Hillary. Last body count I think there was 147

[kanawa]

Another link...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/greece/11355324/Mystery-of-Greeces-Alexander-the-Great-era-tomb-deepens-with-body-discoveries.html

[SunkenCiv]

:’) And the campaign season isn’t over yet.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks!