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September 12, 2008 7:56 AM
by Daniel Flynn and Renee Maltezou
ATHENS - Archaeologists have unearthed gold jewellery, weapons and pottery at an ancient burial site near Pella in northern Greece, the birthplace of Alexander the Great, the culture ministry said.
The excavations at the vast cemetery uncovered 43 graves dating from 650-279 BC which shed light on the early development of the Macedonian kingdom, which had an empire that stretched as far as India under Alexander's conquests.
Digg it!
Among the most interesting discoveries were the graves of 20 warriors dating to the late Archaic period, between 580 and 460 BC, the ministry said.
Some were buried in bronze helmets alongside iron swords and knives. Their eyes, mouths and chests were covered in gold foil richly decorated with drawings of lions and other animals symbolising royal power.
"The discovery is rich in historical importance, shedding
light on Macedonian culture during the Archaic period," Pavlos
Chrysostomou, who headed the eight-year project that
investigated a total of 900 graves, told Reuters.
Pavlas said the graves confirmed evidence of an ancient
Macedonian society organised along militaristic lines and with
overseas trade as early as the second half of the seventh
century BC.
Among the excavated graves, the team also found 11 women
from the Archaic period, with gold and bronze necklaces,
earrings and broaches.
Nine of the graves dated to the late classical or early
Hellenistic period, around the death of Alexander the Great in
323 BC.
Alexander, whose father Philip II unified the city states
of mainland Greece, conquered most of the world known to the
ancient Greeks before dying at the age of 32 in Babylon.
Educated by the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle, Alexander
was never defeated in battle.
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