The Kasta Tumulus, the largest known burial monument from ancient Macedonia, is now visible along its entire circumference and height for the first time. Restorers have exposed the full peribolos, the marble enclosure wall that surrounds the tomb, a perimeter 497 meters (1631 feet) long. Areas of loss on the southern side of the peribolos were filled with ancient blocks scattered around the immediate vicinity of the tomb and a small number of custom-made artificial stones.
Inside the monument, the structure has been stabilized and strengthened with new metal supports and the old, clunky metal supports and pillars removed making the interior entirely visible. Future repairs are planned that will reinstall the monumental ancient Macedonian marble door to the burial chamber, and the wings and heads broken off the sphinxes.
The tomb was excavated in 2014 amid much excitement due to its size and sculptural decoration, but proved to have been extensively ransacked during antiquity and was bereft of grave goods. It was dated to the last quarter of the 4th century BC and the battered, scattered skeletal remains of five people were found inside – a woman aged over 60, two men aged 35-40, a newborn baby and an adult who had been cremated.
The late 4th century B.C. was the era of Alexander the Great, and the sheer enormity of the tomb’s scale suggests there was a connection to him or the royal family. One hypothesis is that it was the tomb of Hephaestion, Alexander’s closest friend and general who died in Persia in 324 B.C., although no direct evidence supporting the attribution has been discovered.
Last fall, the Ministry of Culture launched the AmphiPoly project to scientifically document, scan and analyze the Kasta Tumulus with the aim of creating an accurate digital reconstruction of the monumental tomb. Archaeometric analyses, high-resolution 3D scanning, photogrammetry and data visualization applications will be used by researchers in collaboration with visual artists to recreate the original colors and iconography of the painted marble friezes and mosaic, even elements that are no longer visible or identifiable to the naked eye today. Ultra-high-resolution imaging an spectroscopic analyses of art in other Macedonian tombs, including the famous abduction of Persephone from Tomb I at Aigai, will provide additional information to help fill in the blanks.
With the data they collect, researchers plan to create virtual tours and interactive virtual reality models for museum visitors to experience the tumulus as it was. The digital reconstructions will also be used to create physical replicas of features like the façade with the sphinxes, the pedestal with the lion and the Persephone pebble mosaic. The AmphiPoly research will also aid in the long-term protection and preservation of this unique monument of exceptional archaeological significance.
The project will run concurrently with the restoration of the tomb and construction of the new visitor’s center and museum on the grounds. Members of the public will only be allowed inside the tumulus eight people at a time for no more than 20 minutes, so a visitor’s center where people can wait safely for the next tour is prudent. The Kasta Tumulus and new facility are scheduled to open in early 2028.
* This article was originally published here
