Amphipolis tomb , 2 days ago

[system1988]

I will explain some details tomorrow .Its hot here, despite aircondition

17-7 -24
This is a lecture in today s Amphipolis by the architect of the monument Kasta ,Michael Lefantzis.Up to 2:52 min L.talks about the oldest excavation ,that took place in 1970 by the archeologist Lazarides ,but did not proceed due to lack of means.Then he continues by refering to the recent excavation that began in 2012 by the archeologist K. Peristeri and the same They began to uncover the great circular wall, and -after many studies- found that 2000 marble members were missing from it , during the Roman period . they found many scattered members of the wall in the surrounding villages ,but also members that had been incorporated into the Lion of Amphipolis.This sculpture stood on the top of the tumulus ,but later broke and had been moved away.At the beginning of the 20th century a restoration of the lion was made ,where members of the wall were also incorporated into the base of the lion
They found also 500 pieces of the wall embedded in a nearly dam (this dam has till today other members of the wall very deep in water) All these pieces were incorrporated into their ancient position

The mound( tumulus) has TWO phases : A .Classical era : Placement of a wooden pillar as trophy on the top of the hill .This trophy was connected with a battle that took place on the west side of a hill east of the hill 133 .A small burial monument -heroon was build on the mound below, which includes the box -shaped case and above it the current porous floor.
B.Early Hellenistic period :Construction of very big perimeter wall , construction of the marble lion on the top of the hill (the wooden pillar incorporated into the sculpure ) and around the box shaped case a lavish large burial monument with the Caryatids, mosaic etc
I shall continue tomorrow .

[system1988]

19-9-24
The entrance to the whole monument -tumulus and tomb -was through a porch which rested ON the perimetrc wall This proves ,according to L. that the trophy -the marble lion- at the top of the hill was more important in relation to the tomb itself
In the following minutes ,refers to the maitenance and welding work ,carried out on all sculptures as well as the ecceptional mosaic that will be seen with all its decoration .
At the 10.8 minutes he mentions the EXACT dating of the tomb , which was carried out by the ashes of the outer surface of the arch inside the tomb.It is the ash mentioned by Alexias in the june 30th post. In the photo in the right are very clealy visible. The ash was dated in the USA and belong to 300bC plus or minus 20 years (SYSTEM 88 : this means 320 bC, 300 BC ,OR 280 BC)
In the following L.mentions the realization of a simple model of the porch (vanished in the roman period) and its placement which was deemed necessary to show the burial monument as it was in reality
Towards the end ,he mentions that he has little time for a fuller presentation of his work and team, although he would very much like it ,since it is the first time , he gives a lecture in the city of Amphipolis ,and receives an award from the mayor of the city .

[system1988]

Some considerations :
I would like to apologize if there are language mistakes but the meaning of the lecture is this . I also want to remind you that this lecture is about the arhitectural expanation of the monument not the archeological one .He did not mention at all the inscriptions ('i receive HEPHAESTION S ...) etc , that are outside and inside the monument, he did not mention the skeletons , nor the frieze with all its scenes (it will reveal a lot) he did not mention the vases etc.
Considered ,the most important element about the whole place is its phases : In the classical period they carried out many battles in this area -Brasidas the Spartan general fought there and was heroically killed , and worshiped by the whole citizens of Amphipolis as liberator of this region from the Athenians, and became the new founder of the polis -an enormous honor.Another very important element is of course the revelation of the date of the tomb at the beginning of the Hellenistic period. Professor Tiberius recently considered Nearchus as the most likely candidate of the grave. If i remember correctly an observation of the K. Peristeri was that the person whom the grave was build for ,was the skeleton of the case under the porus floor, all the others skeletons fell with the dirt from other graves ,when the Macedonians filled the grave with sand to protect it from the invasion of the Romans.
Its a complicated issue this monument , and we shall learn many things from its final publication , where the epigraphists too shall date the epigraphies.But for the moment we have a sure date of the construction of the tomb .

[Alexias]

Thank you very much for this, System1988.

Brasidas is perhaps a bit of a distraction as he died in 422 BC and is believed to be buried in the city itself, near the agora. It looks like we can forget about most of the remains in the tomb. I think I need to do a bit of digging to get it clear in my mind.

[chris_taylor]

Some considerations :
I would like to apologize if there are language mistakes but the meaning of the lecture is this .

I wish my Greek was as good as your English!

thanks for this. really good stuff.

[Jeanne Reames]

This is all very interesting. Thank you. I'm skeptical of an early date (320-ish), but the 300-280 date is, I think, more reasonable. It *feels* third century to me, not 4th (even tail-end). Archaeology is always +/- 20/25 years, without something to date it more securely.