Culture Ministry Announces Protective Measures for Amphipolis Site

Entrance to the Amphipolis burial mound.

The culture ministry announced on Tuesday, that it was moving ahead with measures for the protection of the Amphipolis excavation site in northern Greece, which a year ago had the world on edge as to the identity of the person buried there, many hoping it was the grave of Alexander the Great.

The largest tomb discovered in the country, the Amphipolis site produced among others sculptures of sphinxes and caryatids, mosaics and coins depicting Alexander the Great… but also scientific and political controversy as to actual historic timeframe of the burial ground.

A mosaic of the god Pluto abducting Persephone covers the tomb’s second chamber’s floor.

Human remains were discovered under the floor of the third chamber of the large burial mound in Amphipolis.

Due to the sheer extent of the project, the time required for the completion of excavation works as well as the tedious restoration procedure, the ministry said it would have to proceed with the safeguarding of the site ensuring the avoidance of media exaggerations, and added that further findings and processes would be subject to examination by experienced specialists.

The ministry said in the statement that 200,000 euros have already been allotted for further works, but the restrictions imposed due to the economic crisis delayed the release of the funds.

In the meantime, Katerina Peristeri, the archaeologist who led the excavation works at Amphipolis, is up in arms over allegations that she had dated the findings wrongly and that the previous government had used the Amphipolis dig as a “media ploy”. Ms Peristeri insists that in the long run “time and the findings will justify” her initial assessments.

A drawing reconstruction of the burial mound at Kasta hill in Amphipolis, Greece, released by the Greek Culture Ministry.