Painted Decoration Studies in a Fourth Century BC Vergina Tomb
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1047-Y03-04
Painted Decoration Studies in a Fourth Century BC Vergina Tomb E. Pavlidou1, A. Kyriakou2, E. Mirtsou3, L. Anastasiou1, T. Zorba1, E. Hatzikraniotis1, and K. M. Paraskevopoulos1 1 Physics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, 54124, Greece 2 Faculty of History and Archaeology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, 54124, Greece 3 Archeological Museum of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece ABSTRACT Aegae, the first capital of the Macedonians, in Northern Greece, is being excavated since 1938. The most impressive findings come from the unlooted tombs of the Great Tumulus, where the grave of Philip II, father of Alexander the Great, was discovered. Not far from the Great Tumulus, in the “Tumuli cemetery”, the most ancient part of the graveyard (1000-700 B.C.), recent excavations brought to light three looted graves dated in the mid-fourth century B.C., with very interesting finds such as weapons, gilded wreaths, pieces of jewelry, remains of decoration of wooden furniture, ceramic vases broken in small pieces and wall paintings. This paper describes studies carried out on the binding and the painting materials used for the decoration of the above wall paintings and ceramic vases. The characterization was performed through Optical Microscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Scanning Microscopy (SEMEDS). It was found that the fresco technique was used, while all the pigments were identified. The results are discussed and related with other findings in that period in the Greek area. INTRODUCTION n Northern Greece, not far from the city of Veroia, lies Vergina, a modern village, in the fields where the first capital of the Macedonians, Aegae is being excavated since 1938. Although the capital was transferred to Pella in the beginning of the fourth century B.C, Aegae was still the royal necropolis of the Macedonians. The most impressive finds come from the unlooted tombs of the Great Tumulus, where the grave of Philip II, father of Alexander the Great, was discovered. Not far from the Great Tumulus, in the “Tumuli cemetery”, the most ancient part of the graveyard (1000-700 B.C.) lies the second largest burial mound after the one with the royal tombs of the Great Tumulus. The excavation brought to light three looted graves with very interesting finds, since the looters took no interest in the iron weapons and the remains of the cremation pyres. These were carefully studied and revealed many elements concerning the social status of the deceased as well as aspects of the burial customs. Two cist-graves enclosed with stone slabs bear painted decoration inside: a myrtle branch and white garland and red ribbons hanging from blue nails depicted with perspective in one grave, and a simple red zone in the other. In these two graves were deposed the bones of the dead after cremation in addition to weapons, gilded wreaths, pieces of jewelry, remains of decorated wooden furniture and ceramic vases broken in small pieces. The vases, a local, rather unique production, bear polyc
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