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Broken marble door of the third chamber in Amphipolis

02 October 2014 / 15:10:24  GRReporter
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Archaeologists have discovered the broken double-leaf marble door that leads to the third chamber of the tomb in Amphipolis, as reported by the Greek media. The chief of the excavation works, Catherine Peristeri, is mentioned as a source of this information.

In particular, after the removal of soil from the second chamber, in the wall in front of the third chamber archaeologists found pieces of a marble door. It is 14 cm thick, made of Thassian marble, and on its surface spike-like heads of nails are carved. A hinge has been discovered on the western side of the door.

Behind the statues of the Caryatids and in front of the door, archaeologists have found bronze and iron nails without it being clear whether they are part of funeral stretchers or of something else.

According to the archaeologist, "the collapse of the door is a result either of the bombing of the Bulgarian army in 1913, or of the strong earthquake of magnitude 6.8 on the Richter scale in the 6th century or of earthquakes in the 19th century". Meanwhile, Peristeri comments that they had not yet found evidence that the tomb had been robbed in the past.

Archaeologists involved in the excavation works believe that behind the door in the third chamber there is a staircase leading to a 2-metre-deep room.

Greek media commented that the discovery of the door dispels any doubts that the site in Amphipolis is not a Macedonian tomb. The Ministry of Culture has not yet issued an official statement for this discovery, of which no pictures have hitherto been published.

Two days ago, archaeologists revealed fully the pedestals on which statues of caryatids stand. They are 1.40 m high, 1.36 m wide and 0.72 m thick. The overall height of the statues together with pedestals is 3.67 m.

More details later

Tags: History tomb Amphipolis excavations marble door Catherine Peristeri
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