The announcements of new finds will be made on Friday, at an event at the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki by the University Interdisciplinary Group responsible for the Vergina Excavation.
Traces of huntite and Tyrian purple on 350 bones and bone fragments in the two golden urns, confirm the notion that the dead person was adorned with an elaborate construction, which he wore in life and as a sign of honor and recognition of his station, it was placed on his face before being placed on the funeral pyre.
As he stated to newspaper "Ethnos", the Director of Research and Head of the Laboratory of Archaeometry at the Democritus institute, Giannis Maniatis, who identified the huntite and Tyrian purple, believes that these were part of a mask that "was a complex construction, using laminated fabric that is found for the first time in Macedonia. It was meticulous with 6-7 layers of materials, huntite and Tyrian purple, and Philip wore it during religious ceremonies, possibly as high priest of the Orphic mysteries. It was a personal and sacred object that accompanied the dead and was cremated with him. "
According to a report, the amount of research material weakens the theory that it was a piece of cloth they used to wrap the bones before cremation and enhances the theory of a mask, but questions remain about the origin of huntite, as it is a material extremely scarce, according to Mr Maniatis. For this reason Mr. Maniatis continues his research in the study of burials of other influential figures of Macedonia.
However, huntite often occurs in combination with hydromagnesite. Mixed reserves of these minerals are known in Turkey and Greece and commercially exploited for their fire retardant properties. Huntite thermally decomposes over a temperature range of about 450–800 °C, releasing carbon dioxide and leaving a residue of magnesium and calcium oxides. This would mean that during cremation the mineral would decompose and therefore one would find traces of magnesium and calcium oxides.
A similar survey was done by archaeologist Demosthenes Kechagias , who studies the imprints of fabric found on bone material. As he said, his preliminary study concerns residues of Tyrian purple cloth used to wrap the bones of the dead, an ancient practice, but rarely used in Macedonia.
The skeletons in the tomb
At the same event anthropologist Theodoros Antikas will present new findings on the skeletons of the tomb, which show most clearly that the dead are Philip II and the daughter of the Scythian king Athea.
Mr. Antikas said the anthropological analysis of bones showed that the man suffered from chronic sinusitis, perhaps because of the serious problem to his vision, and bore degenerative changes and indicators suggesting he was aged 41-49 years and had equestrian activity. Moreover he had a wound in his left hand, which was mentioned by Demosthenes in his oration "On the Crown."
The characteristics of the female bones exclude women who had previously been suggested (Cleopatra and Midas, wives of Philip and Adea and Eurydicewives of Philip III Arideos) and supports the view that it is daughter of Skythian King Athea.
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