Greek archaeologists enter large underground tomb [Amphipolis update]

Phys.Org ^ | 08/25/2014 | Staff

[Red Badger]

Archaeologists excavating an ancient tomb under a massive burial mound in northern Greece have entered the underground structure, which appears to have been looted in antiquity.

The Culture Ministry said Monday that archaeologists have partially investigated the antechamber of the tomb at Amphipolis and uncovered a marble wall concealing one or more inner chambers. However, a hole in the decorated wall and signs of forced entry outside the huge barrel-vaulted structure indicate the tomb was plundered long ago. The excavation will continue for weeks.

The tomb dates between 325 B.C.—two years after the death of ancient Greek warrior-king Alexander the Great—and 300 B.C. Its discovery, and a visit there by Greece's prime minister, have sparked extensive speculation on its contents.

Alexander was buried in Egypt.

[Red Badger]

In this handout photo released by the Greek Culture Ministry on Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2014, front paw of a large stone sphinx is seen topping the entrance to an ancient tomb under excavation at Amphipolis in northern Greece. Archaeologists excavating the large grave mound on Thursday asked politicians and others seeking guided tours of the site to leave them in peace until the dig is completed. The partially uncovered tomb, from the end of Greek warrior-king Alexander the Great's reign, has captivated the public imagination, fueling wild speculation that it may contain rich treasure and the bones of an ancient celebrity. (AP Photo/Culture Ministry, HO)

In this handout photo released by the Greek Culture Ministry on Thursday, Aug. 21, 2014, two large stone sphinxes are seen under a barrel-vault topping the entrance to an ancient tomb under excavation at Amphipolis in northern Greece. Archaeologists excavating the large grave mound on Thursday asked politicians and others seeking guided tours of the site to leave them in peace until the dig is completed. The partially uncovered tomb, from the end of Greek warrior-king Alexander the Great's reign, has captivated the public imagination, fueling wild speculation that it may contain rich treasure and the bones of an ancient celebrity. (AP Photo/Culture Ministry, HO)

In this handout photo released by the Greek Culture Ministry on Thursday, Aug. 21, 2014, workers using a crane remove one of the large stone blocks from a wall originally sealing the entrance to an ancient tomb under excavation at Amphipolis in northern Greece. Archaeologists excavating the large grave mound on Thursday asked politicians and others seeking guided tours of the site to leave them in peace until the dig is completed. The partially uncovered tomb, from the end of Greek warrior-king Alexander the Great's reign, has captivated the public imagination, fueling wild speculation that it may contain rich treasure and the bones of an ancient celebrity. (AP Photo/Culture Ministry, HO)

[Red Badger]

PINGGG!..................

[Verginius Rufus]

325 was two years before Alexander’s death...and he was Macedonian, not Greek. At least the Greeks of the time did not consider him one of their own.

[TigersEye]

Nice! Thanks for posting.

[minnesota_bound]

They found a small gold statue and a round boulder.
http://www.schoolofleadership.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Blog-post-Boulder.jpg

[Red Badger]

They found a small gold statue and a round boulder.

The first Emmy?............

[Red Badger]

Well, it’s Greek to me..........................

[aMorePerfectUnion]

“Plundered” and “looted.”

Professional jealousy over getting there second.

[Red Badger]

Probably missed it by only 2300 years....................

[Red Badger]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/3197243/posts?page=1

[Constitution Day]

Bump for later

[longtermmemmory]

That is utter garbage. Alexander was Greek. It is just like California or NY or Texas not liking each other.

The entire fiction of your propaganda spin is a product of Marshal Tito from the yougosalia days trying to weasel a mediteranian port for the ussr.

Alexander’s wife and son are buried in Pella in Macedonia, Greece. The Former yougoslave republic of Macedonia (tito’s fiction) constantly spins to deny the unifying of greek language culture and history of the time. The fyrom area even tries to dismiss alexander’s 16 point star as a solar symbol when in fact each point represented a god and the quarters represented seasons.

[GeronL]

That claw is amazingly detailed!!

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Red Badger.

[Constitution Day]

Amphipolis: New Photos Released (link from yesterday)

[Red Badger]

Wow, a terrazo floor!
That’s gonna cause some discussions................

[Constitution Day]

I found that interesting too!

I have been following this story closely...I can’t wait to see what, if anything, is inside the tomb.

[Red Badger]

From Wiki:

Terrazzo was originally invented by Venetian construction workers as a low cost flooring material using marble chips from upscale jobs. The workers would usually set them in clay to surface the patios around their living quarters. Consisting originally of marble chips, clay, and goat milk (as the sealer), production of terrazzo became much easier after the 1920s and the introduction of electric industrial grinders and other power equipment.

Newly-set terrazzo will not look like marble unless it is wet. The goat’s milk acts as a sealer and preserves the wet and marble-like look.

---

This upends that theory.......................

[Constitution Day]

Interesting! It looks like terrazzo, anyway.

[Red Badger]

Yes, and according to the Wiki, terrazzo wasn’t ‘invented’ until the Middle Ages sometime in Venice..................This puts it back a thousand or more years..................