Mihail Tiverios: The tomb was repeatedly looted

The new findings at the grave, like the marble head of the Sphinx that was found on the floor, on the threshold of the third chamber, leading archaeologists to formulate new conjectures.

At the same time, Dr Tiverios reiterates the view that the third chamber of the tomb of Amphipolis is the burial chamber. Speaking to Ethnos newspaper, Mihail Tiverios expresses his own opinion on the big questions "what now? and now who? " stating that the answer will be given by the excavation team.

"It is certain, however, that the next thing we expect is to find ourselves in front of the burial chamber, I am 95% convinced that of the third chamber is the last. There may be found a throne if the tomb belonged to a woman or a deathbed or marble case which would hold the funerary urn," says Dr Tiverios.

"The latter would be desirable for archeology, however, generally we expect to find what typically exists in Macedonian tombs. Also, we hope to find vessels that robbers did not loot because they had no special value for them," he adds.

Mihail Tiberios, also noted that "for too many years the tomb was left to the appetites of antiquities loeoters, which is evidenced by the destruction."

"As far as the excavation has extended the presence of grave robbers is very strong, continuous and uninterrupted for many many years," he said, adding: "There is no doubt that the robbers dislodged the heads of the Sphinxes, which were inlaid, like their wings."

"One scenario I can think of is that they took them with them because you took them home as decorative items or apotropaic images. Moreover, in the distant past superstitions were a common social phenomenon. Moving to the interior, however, they found something better, more valuable or more important to them and gave up the head. That's why it was found so far inside and robbers also smashed the marble door that has been found in pieces in the third chamber. They were so determined to enter and grab valuables, especially gold, that they shamelessly destroyed whatever stood in the way of their illegal activity. For the robbers the tomb had no emotional, historical, or cultural value. It was a place that brought them profit, gold and other items," he continues, and concludes by saying:

"The fact that different objects are located at different levels within the monument reflects, according to archaeologists, the fact that robbers were active over many periods. They came, took, and left. It was a place that was full of soil, and more soil filled in and continued filling in at different times."