Archaeological Find Of The Century?

[poliphilo]

The Greeks have announced that they've found a huge tomb in Macedonia which if it isn't the tomb of Alexander the Great has to be that of someone who died at around the same time and was at least as important as he was. It has sphinxes, frescoed walls- and they're going to be opening the tomb chamber at the end of this month....

Comments

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

"It looks like the tomb of a prominent Macedonian of that era," said a second culture ministry official. Alexander the Great died in Babylonia, in modern Iraq, and his actual burial place is not known.

Eh? Didn't Ptolemy take his body to Alexandria?

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I'm very far from being an expert but I understand that our records for Alexander are hardly reliable.

[strange-complex.livejournal.com]

That's what the literary sources say, and it's probably true, but as Dorothy King has pointed out, if that was an unplanned hijack, it is possible that a large tomb had already been constructed for Alexander in Macedonia before it happened.

My cynicism regarding Alexander's tomb is pretty high after a life-time of watching its 'discovery' being announced more or less every year (much like Cleopatra's), and I'm certainly not renouncing it just yet, but this evidently is an important tomb, whoever it belongs to. Again, as Dorothy says, it's the largest ever discovered in Greece, and it also looks a lot like it might be the proto-type for Augustus' Mausoleum in Rome, which indicates its status in the ancient world. If it's not Alexander's, it must belong to one of the Macedonian kings.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Whatever it is, it's exciting. There's something remarkable there.

Knocks Richard III's car park grave into a cocked hat.

[lblanchard.livejournal.com]

Richard III's car park grave has fascinations of a wholly other sort.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

That's true.

I'm glad they've got the go-ahead to bury him in Leicester cathedral. York has plenty of attractions already, whereas Leicester- a fine old city- had nothing- until now- to bring in the tourists.

I like the design for the tomb.

[charliemc.livejournal.com]

It's quite exciting, whomever is buried there.

Love the Richard III mention! Hahaha! (Not many people seem to know that...)

[cmcmck.livejournal.com]

They found his father, Phillip's tomb some time back.

Still think Ness of Brodgar tops it as the most important find of the century.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Well, we don't yet know quite how remarkable the burial chamber is going to be.

[artkouros.livejournal.com]

Personally, I hope it turns out to be Alexander's boyfriend.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Which one?

[charliemc.livejournal.com]

Well asked!

[halfmoon-mollie.livejournal.com]

Well make sure Geraldo Rivera is nowhere around.

Wait..you might not understand that...

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

He's some kind of news anchor?

[halfmoon-mollie.livejournal.com]

Way way back in the 80's, there was a great big huge heavily advertised TV special . They had discovered the lost vault of Al Capone (I think...) and they were going to open it up on National Television.

There was absolutely nothing in it. Geraldo looked like an ass. It wasn't the first time....

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Awww.

I remember the dig at Silbury Hill- which was televised back in the 80s (I think). They found nothing either- apart from lots of chalk.

[charliemc.livejournal.com]

Good mention. That was quite a letdown at the time...

[arielstarshadow.livejournal.com]

Oooo, thanks for the heads-up!

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

You're welcome.

[sovay]

It has sphinxes, frescoed walls- and they're going to be opening the tomb chamber at the end of this month....

No matter what, it should be fascinating to see what's inside.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

If it's Alexander perhaps they mummified him!

[athenais.livejournal.com]

This is very exciting no matter whose tomb it is!

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Everyone in a position of responsibility is very carefully trying to damp down expectation but I'm sure they all want it to be Alexander (and quietly believe that it is)