Petros Themelis, a distinguished professor of classical archaeology spoke to TheTOC.gr about the latest finds in the Amphipolis tomb -namely the recently uncovered Sphinx head.
While he believes that the tomb has certainly been looted, he states that uncovering the remains of the tomb's occupant remains a distinct possibility.
The tomb has been looted
“Yes the tomb has been looted – it is not just me saying so, finally, but others as well. It was obvious, to me at least, from the first moment – from the entrance.
"The broken heads and wings of the Sphinxes, the absence of iron and lead bolts were clear indications. Who took them?"
The broken heads and wings of the Sphinxes, the absence of iron and lead bolts were clear indications. Who took them?
"Earthquakes and natural phenomena are not interested in metal, nor for the Sphinx heads. People are the scavengers who search for metals, seek gold and valuable artifacts and take to barbarisms and vandalisms. And we attribute it to nature, but it is people, inhabitants of Greek lands, opportunist grave robbers.”
Ancient grave-robbers
“The looting did not take place recently, it happened long ago. The tomb was covered in earth, and the earth penetrated from cracks and rifts and a short while after the deceased was buried, when memories of the greatness of the deceased were still fresh. That is when the looting of the tomb took place.”
It was not only friends and relatives who attended funerals
"From the moment the door was shut, sealing the monument, the tomb was a draw. Everyone knew what it was, it wasn’t only friends and relatives who attended funerals. Everyone knew that the people who are buried in these magnificent monuments were very wealthy and hid their treasures inside for use in the afterlife. The ‘faith’ that we will take our riches with us will destroy us… But that is a part of human nature, unfortunately.
Everyone knew what it was, it wasn’t only friends and relatives who attended funerals.
What does an empty tomb mean?
“I mean empty of valuable items, gold and silver, movable objects. I don’t mean immovable items that are sometimes found in main burial chambers such as a built marble bed, a throne that cannot be easily moved – which cannot be removed from the tomb and sold.
Mobile artifacts are what interested the grave robbers. And as we have said, grave robbers are usually in a hurry. We have seen it in other, simpler tombs, in crypts. They are interested in the little Sphinxes, in jewelry, gold earrings, rings, bracelets etc., and the looting is so hurried that their interference leaves traces.
Will we find human remains?
Is there is a possibility that the cremated remains of the deceased will be found?
“Because they do not interest grave robbers, I don’t rule it out. Archaeologists sift through everything. From time to time we have found wooden objects, even fabrics – or to be more exact, traces of fabric."
"We find evidence even if a tomb has been previously looted, so we are not disheartened. Because if, for example, there is an urn, something made of an inert material, from stone, it will still be there.”
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