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The Royal Tomb of Philip II in Vergina, Greece
One of the most important archaeological discoveries of XX century are the excavations in the village of #Vergina, Northern Greece – former capital of the antient #Kingdom of #Macedon called Aigai. The excavations include several tombs which are protected by #UNESCO. The Royal Tomb of Philip II of Macedon is undoubtedly one of the most impressive ones with enormous worldwide impact.
The funeral of #Philip II in 336 BC was performed, as imposed by tradition, in the capital Aigai. It was the most lavish funeral ceremony held in #Greece. In a monumental death chamber, laid on an elaborate gold and ivory deathbed wearing his precious golden oak wreath, the king was surrendered to the funeral pyre. His son #Alexander became the king of Macedon. An army leader and a legislator, Philip, the hero, descended to his eternal residence, which was reached by a ramp and was in the form of an underground barrel-vaulted building with two chambers and a monumental facade. The concept of the "Macedonian tomb", similar to the platonic concept of the leaders' burial in an ideal state, interweaves a palace and a temple. The portraits of the two kings, father and son, are depicted in the hunting scene of the tomb's facade, as well as on the gold deathbed in the chamber.
Philip's Thracian wife, Meda, was buried with him in the tomb's antechamber.
The imposing protective installation covering the royal burial cluster of Philip houses an exhibition of the #artefacts once touched by kings and people that took part in the sacred ritual of the heroic royal transit to the world of eternity. At the same time, the visitors of Vergina have a unique chance to admire the whole spectrum of ancient Greek #art in the late Classical times (architecture, painting, artistic metalwork, weaponry, jewellery).
http://www.aigai.gr/
http://www.visitgreece.gr/
http://www.historyofmacedonia.org
Memorial House
Paleondology