The Sphinxes Guarding the Lion Tomb Entrance at Amphipolis

[ΙΑΠΕΤΟΣ]

Quite dissapointing the latest PR, based on all the buιld up that was cultivated by various parts...

Only points to mention:
- No doorway on the north wall of Θ3, they made a mistake.....
- Found a portion of the neck from the head of the second sphinx's head
- Found portions of the missing part of the mosaic in Θ3
- Depth of Θ3 is now given as 7.53m, the dig is currently down to -0.5m from floor level
- Ready to release (when?? - they did while I was writting this) a reconstruction of the sphinxs' wings





The Ministry's reconstruction - The head (as expected) looks small in comparison to the body, probably in an attempt by the artist to emphasize the strength of the lioness body

Also of interest I think, is the fact that the sphinx wings are clearly of a Hellenistic style (both in direction and in wing makeup), not as we were used to by other sculptures up to now...

[agesilaos]

Now the wings do not fit either Why no photo of the head in situ, which allegedly happened, why no dating evidence?

Is what they thought was a door a false one, as in the tomb of 'Eurydike' ? Or was it just a mistake? Still, plenty of mound left to explore.

[agesilaos]

Just found on PHDiva

http://www.iefimerida.gr/news/175841/

looks like the incontrovertable dating does come from comparing coins and masonry and can therefore be dismissed.

[ΙΑΠΕΤΟΣ]

@agesilaos your link is dead.
If it is the different material thats bothering you, dont forget that the head was the only part of the statue that was representing skin, so it could merit from the translucent nature of marble...

When asked if we could be dealing wt a sealing floor, Mrs.Mendoni said that we could...

[agesilaos]

Best reached via her blog then sorry; half of it was greek

http://www.iefimerida.gr/news/175841/%C ... E%BE%CE%AC

this is how it appears here

Edited to say this works!

[ΙΑΠΕΤΟΣ]

Yes... Regarding Mrs.King theory (the plastered sign on one of the domoi) I think that Mrs.Mendoni said that during the revealing of the perimeter wall, a number of "masonry" signs were found and that those Greek letters were just that.... I cannot say that her explanation convinced me... I am not aware of the exact practice and I cannot say that I have noticed it in other monuments (it could be there but in difficult - or impossible - to see places)...
I dont know if the coins that are shown are part of Mrs.King data, but arent those signs of production/rulers?

[Alexias]

Ok, no door to a fourth chamber and half a metre off floor level in the third chamber, and no mention of a burial couch, sarcophagus, grave goods or bones? And no mention of grave robbing?

When asked if we could be dealing wt a sealing floor, Mrs.Mendoni said that we could...

What does this mean please? They intend digging up the floor to see if there is anything concealed underneath? Is this normal practice in a burial? Surely someone asked what they had found so far in the chamber?

From that picture, the mark could be a purely coincidental alignment of cuts. It doesn't look convincing. It is beginning to look as if there isn't going to be conclusive evidence as to the occupant of the tomb.

[agesilaos]

The monograms on coins identify mint officials or/and sometimes the celator/die-cutter, they do not relate to the issuing authority ie the king that is normally written in full, eg Alexandrou Basileou, for Alexander; the Alexander she illustrates is probably a posthumous issue, the feet being crossed, a type which replaced the earlier feet side by side design very late in the reign at a few mints before becoming general.

Yes, they are suggesting a hidden chamber presumably also full of earth below chamber 3, won't be holding my breath. But if this is a heroon, then it is likely attached to a tomb, like the one at Vergina, these are only three chambers on the edge of a massive mound it would be remarkable if there were no other structures to be found...but probably next year

[gepd]

I don't think they said anywhere about a fourth chamber beneath the third. However, it was indicated that the wing parts & broken mosiac were found under the limestone blocks. Since that is more likely to happen if those finds were placed there before the limestone, they cannot exclude the possibility that the blocks are used to hide sometthing, maybe the last 0.5-1 meters until the actual floor.

[Efstathios]

After the official announcement by the Ministry, Mrs Peristeri was given a special annual award for her contribution of preserving and enhancing cultural heritage and she made the following remarks:
The tomb was constructed by Deinocrates and that they know this because of what they have found at the perivolos.
The dating is 325-300 B.C.
The dig has still a long way to go and needs time.
That she doesn't know whose tomb it is.
And, that the pressure from the media is not helping the dig.

Now, while Mrs Mendoni said that the floor of the 3rd room might be another sealing wall, Mrs Peristeri indirectly but clearly confirmed that. While it is almost self-evident that the rooms continue and most probably downwards, they cannot announce it without evidence first.

Mrs Mendoni also confirmed the symbols that Mrs Dorothy was talking about and we couldn't see. About them giving a precise dating, is another and long discussion, but Mrs Peristeri in her speech made it very clear that the dating is correct, so it's fair to assume that they know more than we do.

In my opinion Mrs Peristeri is a very good Archaeologist and she also seems like a good person too, from the start of this dig up to now she is smiling and is very down to earth. Her determination to dig the Casta hill and continue Mr Lazaridis' work has already revealed this massive and unique monument.

There are references at late Roman sources about a once grand temple of Artemis at Amphipolis that in the time of the author it had decayed along with the city. I'll find the source and quote it. One of Alexander's plans was to build temples in various cities, one of which was the Artemis' temple at Amphipolis. So, maybe that's the one, and it was also used as a tomb, cause the current findings refer to a tomb, or they could just be two completely separate buildings. Amphipolis is full of antiquities haven't been excavated.

[agesilaos]

This cannot be a temple to Artemis, not only is none of the symbolism Artemisian, her temple would be above ground, please do dig out the source though; Broneer's book on the Lion is available to read online at the Haithi Trust, there is a link at PHDiva (whilst I cannot agree with many of her ideas Dorothy King does post very useful links and she keeps calling Taphoi, Chubb ho ho)

i do not wish to doubt your English, Effi, but when you say '.. because of what they have found at the perivolos' what is the Greek? Is it 'peri' which might mean 'about' or 'around' ? As I am suspecting this is coming from the undateable single letters (unless they spell out 'Deinokrates' built me'!) or the erroneous conclusions from the measurement.

I am not saying Mrs Peristeri is not a good archaeologist, but there seems to be an idea that has taken hold and become an idee fixe vis-a-vis Deinokrates; it easily happens, NGL Hammond was a good scholar but was a frequent sufferer,for example.

They might find there was less media pressure if they were open about the finds they have. The wall of silence fuels speculation and frustration, Mrs Pigeons (as Google translate renders Peristeri) can hardly vilify Palagaia's suggestion that the thing might be Roman on the grounds of evidence she still has not made public; it certainly seems Hellenistic to me but the style seems later than that to which the archaeologists are wedded, but arguments from style are quite imprecise. There is alot more to dig, I just hope they are remembering that the construction of the mound itself is also an important aspect of understanding its history and function. I am just not hearing anything about that topic.

[Efstathios]

It's the surrounding wall yes, and i think the evidence Mrs Peristeri has may be more than markings and analogies. This remains to be seen of course. I'll find the source for the temple later on.

By the way, Effi is a female nickname for Efstathia and other similar greek names, so just call me Stathis, or Stathi as it would be the proper conjuration(?) in the greek grammar, whichever you prefer.

[agesilaos]

The proper 'contraction', Sthathi, I appreciate the correction, the vocative was never a strong point and certainly not in the 'familiar' Yes, we will have to wait and see.

[gepd]

One reference to an Artemis temple at Amphipolis is below (description following Perseus's lost battle at Pydna):

44. At Amphipolis the news of the battle had by now arrived; there was a gathering of the matrons in the temple of Diana whom they call Tauropolos, to pray for help. Diodorus, who was in charge of the city, feared that the Thracians, two thousand of whom were in the garrison, would plunder the city during the confusion....

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/tex ... amphipolis

Not sure, however, if that is a temple constructed based on Alexander's wishes.

[Efstathios]

There is another more modern reference, i'll try and find it. Of course the Casta monument doesn't resemble a typical ancient Greek temple, but who knows.