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Re: Yet ANOTHER potential tomb...

Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2014 7:47 pm
by neneh
Thank you all for your links and general input. If it's the grave of Alexander IV and/or Roxane, that would be amazing as well though obviously a bit of a let-down compared to finding the grave of Alexander himself.

This isn't a reliable comparison on any level, but what you are saying about the implications of the lions, Alexias, makes me think of when the burial mounds in Gamla Uppsala were excavated. The largest one (I think - I'm writing from memory here) contained at least one sword and possibly other weaponry as well, leading the archeologists to presume that the person buried within was a man. It wasn't until much later when they examined the skeleton that they realised it was actually a woman's grave.

Anyway, thank you forum members for quick and interesting responses. I will be looking forward to finding out more about this. system1988, Pauline, you seem to be in the best position for information. If there are any interesting updates on the Greek end, so to speak, will you share them?

Re: Yet ANOTHER potential tomb...

Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2014 10:48 pm
by Paralus
If that's the message Pauline, I do hope the archaeologists act on it!

Re: Yet ANOTHER potential tomb...

Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2014 11:15 pm
by Alexias
Is there any particular reason Cassander held Roxane and Alexander IV at Amphipolis? Was it an area that was particularly loyal to him, or was it just that the city was far enough away from a random attempt to snatch them?

Re: Yet ANOTHER potential tomb...

Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2014 8:57 pm
by system1988
neneh wrote:Dear all,

Because I am that awful sort of forum member who only turns up every seven or so years (somewhat like a comet, I suppose), I am completely out of touch with what happens here these days. If I'm breaking any sort of formal or informal rule here (by speculating wildly on no grounds whatsoever, for instance), I'm sorry. Also, I'm hoping this is not a repost of what will probably (depressingly) turn out to be competely insignificant news.

I just read on a Swedish news site that a tomb has been found in Amphipolis and that although someone from the Greek Ministry of Culture denies that there are any links (as of yet :wink: ) to Alexander the Great, the press are making that rather predictable connection anyway. Apparently the burial contains two sphinxs and archeologists are hoping to enter it by the end of August.

Any thoughts, good people here? And if this is already well known to you, does anyone have a link to an English news site where I might be able to read some more about it?

Swedish source: http://www.dn.se/nyheter/vetenskap/grav ... viloplats/
Hi Neneh
We discuss about the matter since 2013 ( threads " So big a mystery" and ' Have archeologists discovered the grave of Alexander?"
As announced the archeologists will enter the grave at the end of the mounth approximately.
For a different photo ( long distance ) : http://www.athensvoice.gr
Best
Pauline
PS It seems that the photo non longer exists today (15-8-2014) I am sorry.
.......................................................................................................................................................
It has started to became a police thriller...Last news : They saw inside the tomb ( with a microcamera) a large room...
Try again www.athensvoice.gr, i think there is a possibility of an english version.

Re: Yet ANOTHER potential tomb...

Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2014 2:23 am
by Xenophon
They should have got Tony Robinson and his eccentric crew of archaeologists from "Time Team" ( an English archaeology TV programme)to investigate the site !

They'd have had it all sorted in their customary three days....... :lol: :lol: :lol:

Re: Yet ANOTHER potential tomb...

Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2014 5:30 am
by Paralus
I second that recommendation. Then again, Phil Harding would be hard pressed to find a pint of decent 'real' ale in Amphipolis. He'd have to settle for a Mythos.

Re: Yet ANOTHER potential tomb...

Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2014 2:17 pm
by marcus
Paralus wrote:Oh dear..
Allow people their dreams, dear Paralus ... :D

Re: Yet ANOTHER potential tomb...

Posted: Mon Aug 18, 2014 12:28 am
by Xenophon
System1988 wrote Fri 15 Aug:
It has started to became a police thriller...Last news : They saw inside the tomb ( with a microcamera) a large room...
Try again http://www.athensvoice.gr, i think there is a possibility of an english version.
Yes, there is an auto-translate function it seems.....as one has come to expect, though, we are essentially told nothing beyond what system1988 wrote.....a later item says there will be an announcement in 3 weeks or so.... :evil:

Anyone care to bet against the likely outcome being that the tomb has been long since looted and emptied in antiquity, and that there are no clues as to who the occupant(s) was/were ??






edited for typos:

Re: Yet ANOTHER potential tomb...

Posted: Mon Aug 18, 2014 2:34 pm
by gepd
Hi all,

here are some updates from the greek media:

a) The news that they put a microcamera inside a small opening was denied by the ministry of culture
b) Today they started the procedure of removing the blocks from the entrace. They actually refer to the blocks of the protective wall, so I assume they mean the part in front of the Sphinxes.
c) There were some news this morning about moving the sphinxes, but that was also denied shortly after.
d) According to one source, the archaeologists confirm the presence of a mosaic with rombii, behind the wall and at the entrace of the tomb, which appears to continue behind the entrace.
e) They also seems to confirm that sounding of the tumulus revealed three big rooms inside, but they caution that the measurement method can have errors.
f) The lead of the excavation is quoted saying that she expects the tomb to belong to one or more generals. She did not mention that these are Alexander's generals, but maybe that is implied. It is not mentioned if the basis of her assumption is on recent evidence from the excavation or whether it is just her best guess.
g) The Ministry of Culture promised frequent updates, and hopefully that is true. Nevertheless, there appears to be a great interest about the excavation and a lot of journalists are now piling up in Amphipolis, so that would naturally force updates to be as frequent as possible.

Re: Yet ANOTHER potential tomb...

Posted: Mon Aug 18, 2014 11:43 pm
by Paralus
gepd wrote:(f) The lead of the excavation is quoted saying that she expects the tomb to belong to one or more generals. She did not mention that these are Alexander's generals, but maybe that is implied. It is not mentioned if the basis of her assumption is on recent evidence from the excavation or whether it is just her best guess.
That, too, would be my guess - whether those of Alexander or later. I do hope I've not made the nursing home by the time some hard facts emerge publicly!