TombII hunting scene

[Efstathios]

Now that Theseus asked me to find the painting on tomb II, i remembered the link that i provided some time ago when we were discussing about the identity of the body at this tomb. It was from a Greek researcher, Papazois.

http://tdpapazois.gr/en_mel/7.htm

He believes that this painting depicted the Vactriani' hunting scene. But if zoomed in, Alexander looks young. The man that is aledged to be Philip can also be seen from the side, and we cannot see his right eye which was wounded. That is another element that leads to the conclusion that this man is indeed Philip. Because he wouldnt be depicted in a painting with the wounded eye shown.

Therefore, we can say that the scene depicts both Alexander and Philip. Alexander is on the center of the painting, so there is little doubt about his identity. The question is why the painter drew Alexander on the middle, and not Philip, since it is supposed to be Philip's tomb. But that can be explained with the fact that Alexander was made king the same day that Philip died, and the painting was created afterwards, so the painter depicted the king in the middle.

So, this is another element that contributes to the original Andronikos' announcement, that it is Philip's tomb.

Now we have to ponder how the tomb remained unlooted, in contrast with the other tombs. Maybe Gonatas was able to successfully protect the tomb. Or they just didnt have the chance to open it. Afterwards Gonatas sealed the tombs. Would he have done so, if Philip's tomb had been looted? As far as i know there was little at the other tombs. So he sealed it in order to protect something. And that would be Philip's tomb which was unlooted.

My 2 cents.

[Theseus]

Now that Theseus asked me to find the painting on tomb II, i remembered the link that i provided some time ago when we were discussing about the identity of the body at this tomb. It was from a Greek researcher, Papazois.

http://tdpapazois.gr/en_mel/7.htm

He believes that this painting depicted the Vactriani' hunting scene. But if zoomed in, Alexander looks young. The man that is aledged to be Philip can also be seen from the side, and we cannot see his right eye which was wounded. That is another element that leads to the conclusion that this man is indeed Philip. Because he wouldnt be depicted in a painting with the wounded eye shown.

Therefore, we can say that the scene depicts both Alexander and Philip. Alexander is on the center of the painting, so there is little doubt about his identity. The question is why the painter drew Alexander on the middle, and not Philip, since it is supposed to be Philip's tomb. But that can be explained with the fact that Alexander was made king the same day that Philip died, and the painting was created afterwards, so the painter depicted the king in the middle.

So, this is another element that contributes to the original Andronikos' announcement, that it is Philip's tomb.

Now we have to ponder how the tomb remained unlooted, in contrast with the other tombs. Maybe Gonatas was able to successfully protect the tomb. Or they just didnt have the chance to open it. Afterwards Gonatas sealed the tombs. Would he have done so, if Philip's tomb had been looted? As far as i know there was little at the other tombs. So he sealed it in order to protect something. And that would be Philip's tomb which was unlooted.

My 2 cents.

Now this link worked for me! Thanks again. I know there is a debate as to if this tomb is Phillips or Alexander's half brother. Either way it is an amazing find and is linked to Alexanders family. I wish I could see the picture more clearly, but as you say it is blury. You can tell his hair is fair in color compared to the other people in the portrait. I love ancient art.

[Theseus]

Here is a link to pictures of some items from Phillip's tomb. The last three pics aren't from his tomb.
http://cobalt.rocky.edu/~moakm/macedonia.htm
They found a lot of amazing items in this tomb. I know they say it was "mostly" untouched just like King Tutankhamun's. These type of tombs allow us to see into the past. I hope there are more to be found.

[Efstathios]

And here is the picture from the other site that you asked for.

[Theseus]

And here is the picture from the other site that you asked for.

You're amazing! Thank you so much! That is so much clearer.
Do they allow tours of those tombs still? I know they had to stop tours of some Egyptian tombs due to damage happening to the tombs. I guess some people were touching the paintings on the walls and the oil from your skin breaks it down. If people would take better care and think, then others wouldn't have to pay for those peoples stupidity.

[Efstathios]

I think that they allow tours. It's all a matter of proper security. The painting is on the top of the tomb's entrance, so it's not that accessible for people touching it.

http://www.greeklandscapes.com/image-sl ... na003.html

[Efstathios]

Updated info:

The tombs are surrounded by glass, so you cannot approach them, just look at them.

[Theseus]

Updated info:

The tombs are surrounded by glass, so you cannot approach them, just look at them.

That's a great idea. I know some of the Egyptian ones are the same way. It's so important to protect these tombs. It's just so amazing the detail left behind after thousands of years.

[ruthaki]

This first time I saw the tombs there were not surrounded by glass. You just stood there in awe at them. Now they have done much more work on the tombs but the last time I was there four years ago, I can't recall them being behind glass. They must have done this recently. I've spent awhile studying this painting. It's quite remarkable.

[Theseus]

Okay I was really bored today and was doing some of my internet surfing and came across this and remembered our discussion on the debate of who tomb II belongs to:

PALEOANTHROPOLOGY:
Is Alexander the Great's Father Missing, Too?
Robert Koenig
On page 511, a paper by a Greek paleoanthropologist argues that close-up photographic analysis of the remains of Philip II, father of Alexander the Great, actually belonged to his son (and Alexander's half-brother) Philip III Arrhidaeus. The new report also offers the tantalizing possibility that some of the tomb's artifacts, including a helmet and a ceremonial shield, may have actually belonged to the great conqueror himself.


The Eye Injury of King Philip II and the Skeletal Evidence from the Royal Tomb II at Vergina
Antonis Bartsiokas

The Royal Tomb II was discovered in Vergina, Greece, in 1977. It contained a male skeleton and a rich array of grave goods. Evidence of trauma supposedly in the orbital bones of the skull has been thought to correspond to an eye injury that King Philip II is historically known to have suffered. However, reexamination of the orbital morphology showed no evidence of such pathology. Therefore, the skeleton does not belong to Philip II. New skeletal evidence shows that the skeleton belongs to King Philip III Arrhidaeus. In this case, the tomb may well contain some of the paraphernalia of Alexander the Great.
http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/s ... 8/5465/511