Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Extended Reading List

Introduction

This post is regularly updated with new articles.

The Lion Tomb at Amphipolis is about to rewrite the history books. In this post is a list of well-written or interesting or unique articles about the Amphipolis tomb, hand selected by us! The list will continue to grow as time goes by and new information is discovered.

The following articles are presented in reverse chronological order (meaning the most recent articles are given first). Since each new discovery can completely change the interpretation of the tomb, many of the older articles are probably wrong at this point but they're still interesting as historical artifacts, to see how the process of discovery works.

Dorothy King's articles are heavily represented below: she's a professional classicist and scholar who has been blogging extensively on the Amphipolis tomb; her articles are highly knowledgeable and interesting. UPDATE:Dorothy King has stopped blogging about Amphipolis (October 15, 2014).

The primary source of information for the monument comes from press releases of the Greek Ministry of Culture. The press releases are in Greek, but we've translated them into English for you using an automatic translation tool plus occasional hand editing (not perfect translations but they're understandable). Click here for the translated press releases.

Reading List


Dorothy King answer's readers questions about the tomb


October 13, 2014: Answers to reader's questions; King talks about "inscription" found on wall surrounding the monument; it is a mark similar to marks found on coins from the Alexander III. era, indicating under whose government the work was commissioned(?); the mark may indicate that the work was initiated under Alexander III.; "my feeling all along was that [a monument of] this size could only have been built for Alexander"-- D. King; she suggests that Alexander would have built the tomb at Amphipolis because he wanted a clean break from his "hated" father and because it's where his fleet set out from (on his conquest of Persia); also discusses recent find of mosaic with psychopomp scene:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://phdiva.blogspot.com/2014/10/quick-answers-about-amphipolis.html

October 12, 2014: Request for more questions:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://phdiva.blogspot.com/2014/10/amphipolis-time-for-q.html

September 30, 2014: Answers to reader's questions:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://phdiva.blogspot.com/2014/09/amphipolis-more-questions-more-answers_30.html

September 22, 2014: Request for more questions:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://phdiva.blogspot.com/2014/09/amphipolis-please-post-more-questions.html

September 21, 2014: Answers to reader's questions:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://phdiva.blogspot.com/2014/09/amphipolis-more-questions-more-answers.html

September 20, 2014: Answers to reader's questions:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://phdiva.blogspot.com/2014/09/amphipolis-your-questions-my-answers.html

September 20, 2014: Answers to reader's questions:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://phdiva.blogspot.com/2014/09/quick-answers-about-amphipolis_20.html

September 19, 2014: Request for more questions:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://phdiva.blogspot.com/2014/09/amphipolis-who-has-questions.html

September 16, 2014: Answers to reader's questions:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://phdiva.blogspot.com/2014/09/todays-amphipolis-q.html

September 8, 2014: Answers to reader's questions:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://phdiva.blogspot.com/2014/09/quick-answers-about-amphipolis.html


More Dorothy King


October 13, 2014: A side discussion about art history and a conspiracy theory, not really relevant to the Kasta Hill monument but of interest to some:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://phdiva.blogspot.com/2014/10/did-sodoma-paint-amphipolis.html

October 12, 2014: Discussion of how Alexander the Great put his name on everything, with a suggestion that something of that nature was found on the monument but the Greek Ministry of Culture isn't talking:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://phdiva.blogspot.com/2014/10/alexander-was-here.html

October 12, 2014: Discussion of the October 12, 2012, Ministry of Culture press release about the newly-uncovered psychopomp mosaic scene:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://phdiva.blogspot.com/2014/10/amphipolis-mosaic.html

October 12, 2014: King alludes to information that she has gained through private channels that conclusively dates the monument and seems to link it to Alexander the Great, or at least his time period; in particular, a tantalizing reference to "Alexander's Horses" whatever that means:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://phdiva.blogspot.com/2014/10/amphipolis-alexanders-horses.html

October 2, 2014: Excellent coverage of the October 2, 2014, Ministry of Culture press release; King goes through many of the items on the press release, in order, translating them and explaining their significance; however, she does not cover every item in the press release so see our translation, also; King makes the interesting statement that, "images attributed to Haido Koukoulis-Chrysanthaki were neither sanctioned nor recent nor even of this tomb"; these may be the widely distributed 3D scans showing the inside of Kasta Hill:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://phdiva.blogspot.com/2014/10/todays-amphipolis-news.html

September 30, 2014: Brief discussion of latest press release; new photos showing complete caryatids on pedestals:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://phdiva.blogspot.com/2014/09/the-amphipolis-caryatids-and-news.html

September 26, 2014: Brief status of dig update: dirt being removed from hill to relieve pressure on third chamber:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://phdiva.blogspot.com/2014/09/amphipolis-update.html

September 23, 2014: Most developed theory about monument yet: It's not a tomb but either a symbolic tomb or cult center, probably for Alexander the Great:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://phdiva.blogspot.com/2014/09/amphipolis-tomb-or-heroon.html

September 22, 2014: Michaelis Lefantzis (architect associated with dig) claims that the following items are in special size ratio (namely, 10:1): walls of original city of Alexandria in Egypt, outer wall of tomb, lion statue (with base) on top of tomb:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://phdiva.blogspot.com/2014/09/amphipolis-measurements.html

September 15, 2014: Amphipolis: A Personal Clarification:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://phdiva.blogspot.com/2014/09/amphipois-personal-clarification.html

September 11, 2014: Video of Amphipolis Discoveries:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://phdiva.blogspot.com/2014/09/video-of-amphipolis-discoveries.html

September 10, 2014: Discussion of sphinxes, related to those found at tomb:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://phdiva.blogspot.com/2014/09/sphinxes-not-just-at-amphipolis.html

September 10, 2014: Mention of (since disproven) rumor about inscriptions found in tomb:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://phdiva.blogspot.com/2014/09/amphipolis-inscriptions.html

September 9, 2014: Discussion of why tomb was back-filled and walled up:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://phdiva.blogspot.com/2014/09/amphipolis-walling-up.html

September 7, 2014: Detailed discussion of caryatid statues:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://phdiva.blogspot.com/2014/09/the-amphipolis-caryatids.html

September 7, 2014: Mention of discovery of caryatid statues:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://phdiva.blogspot.com/2014/09/amazing-new-findings-in-amphipolis-two.html

August 28, 2014: Amphipolis Overview:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://phdiva.blogspot.com/2014/08/amphipolis-overview.html

August 26, 2014: Comment to journalists:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://phdiva.blogspot.com/2014/08/dear-journalists-etc-re-amphipolis.html

August 25, 2014: Were Alexander's Wishes Fulfilled?:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://phdiva.blogspot.com/2014/08/were-alexanders-wishes-fulfilled.html

August 24, 2014: Presentation of (overwhelming) evidence that Alexander was buried in Egypt:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://phdiva.blogspot.com/2014/08/alexanders-tombs-in-egypt.html

August 22, 2014: General discussion of tomb discovery:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://phdiva.blogspot.com/2014/08/amphipolis.html

August 21, 2014: Rethinking Achilles and PTSD - No, no, no.:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://phdiva.blogspot.com/2014/08/rethinking-achilles-and-ptsd-no-no-no.html

August 17, 2014: Urging readers not to jump to conclusions:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://phdiva.blogspot.com/2014/08/hold-your-alexanders-horses.html

August 12, 2014: Discussion of why archaeologists try not to preempt their peer's discoveries:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://phdiva.blogspot.com/2014/08/lets-talk-about-amphipolis.html

March 16, 2014: The latest on the Lion Tomb at Amphipolis:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://phdiva.blogspot.com/2014/03/the-latest-on-lion-tomb-at-amphipolis.html

August 24, 2013: Another post about why the Lion Tomb is not the tomb of Alexander the Great:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://phdiva.blogspot.com/2013/08/the-tomb-at-amphipolis.html

March 30, 2013: Roxanne Tomb, Amphipolis - more details:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://phdiva.blogspot.com/2013/03/roxanne-tomb-amphipolis-more-details.html

March 27, 2013: News: The Tomb of Roxane, Amphipolis:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://phdiva.blogspot.com/2013/03/news-tomb-of-roxane-amphipolis.html

March 22, 2013: Greek Lion Tombs:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://phdiva.blogspot.com/2013/03/greek-lion-tombs.html

January 23, 2013: "Something Big" at Amphipolis:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://phdiva.blogspot.com/2013/01/something-big-at-amphipolis.html

August 2, 2008: Lions as Military Monuments:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://phdiva.blogspot.com/2008/08/lions-as-military-monuments.html

Greek Ministry of Culture press releases (translated)


http://amphipolis-tomb.blogspot.com/2014/10/moc-press-release-21-10-2014.html
http://amphipolis-tomb.blogspot.com/2014/10/moc-press-release-16b-10-2014.html
http://amphipolis-tomb.blogspot.com/2014/10/moc-press-release-16a-10-2014.html
http://amphipolis-tomb.blogspot.com/2014/10/moc-press-release-12-10-2014.html
http://amphipolis-tomb.blogspot.com/2014/10/moc-press-release-02-10-2014.html
http://amphipolis-tomb.blogspot.com/2014/09/moc-press-release-30-09-2014.html
http://amphipolis-tomb.blogspot.com/2014/09/moc-press-release-26-09-2014.html
http://amphipolis-tomb.blogspot.com/2014/09/moc-press-release-21-09-2014.html
http://amphipolis-tomb.blogspot.com/2014/09/moc-press-release-14-09-2014.html
http://amphipolis-tomb.blogspot.com/2014/09/moc-press-release-12-09-2014.html
http://amphipolis-tomb.blogspot.com/2014/09/moc-press-release-11-09-2014.html
http://amphipolis-tomb.blogspot.com/2014/09/moc-press-release-10-09-2014.html
http://amphipolis-tomb.blogspot.com/2014/09/moc-press-release-09-09-2014.html
http://amphipolis-tomb.blogspot.com/2014/09/moc-press-release-07-09-2014.html
http://amphipolis-tomb.blogspot.com/2014/09/moc-press-release-02-09-2014.html
http://amphipolis-tomb.blogspot.com/2014/08/moc-press-release-31-08-2014.html
http://amphipolis-tomb.blogspot.com/2014/08/moc-press-release-30-08-2014.html
http://amphipolis-tomb.blogspot.com/2014/08/moc-press-release-26-08-2014.html
http://amphipolis-tomb.blogspot.com/2014/08/moc-press-release-25-08-2014.html
http://amphipolis-tomb.blogspot.com/2014/08/moc-press-release-24-08-2014.html
http://amphipolis-tomb.blogspot.com/2014/08/moc-press-release-21-08-2014.html
http://amphipolis-tomb.blogspot.com/2014/08/moc-press-release-20-08-2014.html
http://amphipolis-tomb.blogspot.com/2014/08/moc-press-release-18-08-2014.html


Miscellaneous


21/10/2014: (In Greek; translation link given) (Note: there are many sites in Greek that discuss the monument; this is just an example) Discussion of mosaic; claim that it is the earliest pictorial mosaic from the Greek era(?) and another claim that a lion on the tomb means the occupant was male and died in battle:
http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=el&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.newsbomb.gr%2Fpolitismos%2Fstory%2F508851%2Fi-persefoni-krata-to-kleidi-toy-mystirioy

19/10/2014: Part 5 of Andrew Chugg's continuing piece on why the monument might have been for Olympias:
http://greece.greekreporter.com/2014/10/19/is-the-mother-of-alexander-the-great-in-the-tomb-at-amphipolis-part-5-the-family-of-the-occupant

18/10/2014: Comparison between psychopomp mosaic and one of similar style and date at another site; also an innovative theory that maybe the prominent holes in the monument were escape holes; the idea is that cult members would enter the tomb from another (unknown) entrance then exit the tomb via the small holes above the doorway, thus symbolically being reborn after death(?):
http://rogueclassicism.com/2014/10/18/implications-of-the-hadespersephone-mosaic-at-amphipolis

17/10/2014: Support for monument being Roman era (after 168 B.C.):
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/10/17/amphipolis-tomb-yields-amazing-finds-but-mysteries-linger.html

2/10/2014: Discusses a 1941 paper from Harvard University claiming that a man named Laomedon is buried in the monument; claim seems based solely on the Amphipolis lion statue and written historical records:
http://greece.greekreporter.com/2014/10/02/harvard-study-amphipolis-tomb-belongs-to-laomedon/

2/10/2014: The only interview with lead excavator Katerina Peristeri so far; says they hope to have enough information by Christmas, 2014, to judge who the tomb was for; again publicly asserts that this is not a Roman era monument:
http://neoskosmos.com/news/en/Amphipolis-uniqueness

30/9/2014: Part 3 of Andrew Chugg's article reasoning that the monument was built for Olympias (mother of Alexander the Great):
http://greece.greekreporter.com/2014/09/30/is-the-mother-of-alexander-the-great-in-the-tomb-at-amphipolis-part-3/

30/9/2014: Brief mention of seaplane businesses wanting to ferry tourists to the Amphipolis area:
http://greece.greekreporter.com/2014/09/30/seaplanes-gearing-up-for-amphipolis-tourist-market/

29/9/2014: German aution house takes advantage of current hype about Amphipolis to sell related coins; pictures of the coins:
http://greece.greekreporter.com/2014/09/29/german-auction-house-sells-macedonian-coins-allegedly-from-amphipolis/

25/9/2014: Short post of little significance, but mentions that door in fourth wall is not centered suggesting a stair or ramp behind it that turns, and notes that the Ministry of Culture does not call the fourth wall a "diaphragmatic wall"; also a nice cross section image of tomb taken from site Protothema:
http://archaeologynewsnetwork.blogspot.com/2014/09/fourth-chamber-may-hold-key-to.html

24/9/2014: Andrew Chugg provides further support for the case that the tomb held Alexander's mother Olympias, citing the (female) caryatid sculptures as implying a female occupant:
http://greece.greekreporter.com/2014/09/24/is-the-mother-of-alexander-the-great-in-the-tomb-at-amphipolis-part-2/

21/09/2014: Late September, 2014, summary of what is known so far about the monument:
http://rogueclassicism.com/2014/09/21/catching-up-with-developments-at-amphipolis/

20/9/2014: Good brief overview of leading theories on who (if anyone) was buried in the "tomb":
http://greece.greekreporter.com/2014/09/20/13-alexander-era-figures-who-may-be-buried-in-the-amphipolis-tomb

10/9/2014: Report (later proved false) of inscriptions found on wall:
http://www.protothema.gr/article/408852/vrethikan-duo-epigrafes-ston-tafo-tis-amfipolis

10/9/2014: Disclaimer of inscription from Greek government (in Greek): "yes the ministry was very clear that no inscriptions were found inside the tomb today":
http://news.in.gr/culture/article/?aid=1231346454

9/9/2014: Superb brief summary of key information about the tomb:
http://en.protothema.gr/faq-ancient-tomb-of-amphipolis/

9/9/2014: Better coverage of 1999 seismic tomography study of Kasta Hill(?) giving some idea of what is inside the hill; however, this may be based on the images that Dorothy King claimed on October 2, 2014, were not about Kasta Hill:
http://en.protothema.gr/ancient-amphipolis-seismic-tomography-of-the-tomb/

9/9/2014: A few more details about the supposed seismic tomography study of Kasta Hill (Dorothy King seems to think the study happened somewhere else(?)); mention of results being "published in 2004 in a special British Archaeology magazine," so maybe someone can look this up:
http://www.alexandersgrave.com/amphipolis-the-seismic-tomography-of-the-tomb

9/9/2014: First "exploded view" of tomb so far:
http://greece.greekreporter.com/2014/09/09/how-ancient-amphipolis-tomb-looked-like

7/9/2014: Part 1 of Andrew Chugg's article reasoning that the monument was built for Olympias (mother of Alexander the Great):
http://greece.greekreporter.com/2014/09/07/is-the-mother-of-alexander-the-great-in-the-tomb-at-amphipolis/

5/9/2014: Greek Culture Minister Kostas Tasoulas urges public to be patient with the dig process, which will be slow; says public should support the effort for "the pleasure that discoveries bring"; says reminders of Greek history will help Greeks get through the difficult times:
http://greece.greekreporter.com/2014/09/05/greek-culture-minister-comments-on-amphipolis/

2/9/2014: Mention of 3D scanning of Kasta Hill and also some crazy ideas about the ancients placing important monuments over vast distances in geometrically-meaningful ways, like along the rim of a circle centered at Amphipolis (c.f., ley lines):
http://en.protothema.gr/all-about-amphipolis-egyptian-style-c-p-r-scanning-and-mathematical-equations-see-photos/

1/9/2014: Author suggests tomb was made for Alexander but he was buried in Egypt; it then would have been politically impossible to put anyone else in tomb, so it was turned into a monument or cult center:
http://rogueclassicism.com/2014/09/01/thinking-out-loud-about-the-amphipolis-tomb-the-rogueclassicist-speculates/

26/8/2014: Argues that evidence does not indicate tomb was plundered:
http://rogueclassicism.com/2014/08/26/amphipolis-tomb-possibly-looted-in-antiquity-i-am-officially-confused/

24/8/2014: General summary of information from other sources, but with one interesting story: "Former antiquities guard Alekos Kochliaridis told the AP that robbers tried to excavate the mound in 1952, brazenly turning up in broad daylight with a mechanical digger.":
http://www.news.com.au/technology/science/amphipolis-tomb-reveals-third-chamber-with-a-glimpse-of-colour-within/story-fnjwl1aw-1227058001527

22/8/2014: Discussion of Amphipolis being treasury city of Alexander:
http://greece.greekreporter.com/2014/08/22/amphipolis-the-eldorado-of-ancient-greece/

12/8/2014: Author is cautious but excited by early hints of a big discovery at Amphipolis:
http://rogueclassicism.com/2014/08/12/brace-yourselves-news-from-amphipolis-is-coming

12/8/2014: Greek prime minister mentions the tomb as important:
http://greece.greekreporter.com/2014/08/12/samaras-says-important-tomb-found-in-northern-dig

12/2/2014: Notice about digs at Amphipolis and elsewhere:
http://greece.greekreporter.com/2014/02/12/northern-greece-treasure-hunters/

21/8/2013: Early speculation that tomb belongs to Alexander the Great:
http://greece.greekreporter.com/2013/08/21/tomb-of-alexander-the-great-unearthed

6/4/2013: Article speculates about tomb being for woman based on lion statue being female, then Michaelis Lefantzis (architect of the excavation) corrects author in the comments section. Lion statue is male and other evidence like shield decoration indicates male occupant for tomb:
http://makedonia-alexandros.blogspot.com/2013/04/roxanes-tomb-linked-to-lion-of.html

6/10/2012: Early mention of tomb, with speculation it could belong to Alexander's wife and son:
http://greece.greekreporter.com/2012/10/06/tomb-near-serres-wife-son-of-alexander

??/11/2010: Good description of the general Amphipolis site (with panoramic photos) by a tourist who visited there in 2010, long before the current hype:
http://thaumazein-albert.blogspot.com/2010/11/travel-diaries-amphipolis-in-2000.html



Multimedia


17/10/2014: Appears to be a browser-based 3D model of tomb (have not tried it):
http://greece.greekreporter.com/2014/10/17/new-3d-video-on-amphipolis-mosaic

??/10/2014: Very short 3D computer animation showing journey into monument; nicely modeled:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdUK8K2Ec4Y

??/10/2014: A video 3D tour of the monument (including top), with "Grand Theft Auto" style animation; models are simplified, so lower realism:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3l4lTZA_DE

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