An Ancient Tomb Repurposed Into A Healing Shrine Was Found Greece, Along With A Collection Of Artifacts
In southern Greece, a monumental ancient tomb was discovered to have been used as a burial site for centuries before later being repurposed as a healing shrine.
A collection of artifacts, including a gold signet ring of Apollo and small sculptures of human body parts, reflected its later use.
The 2,400-year-old tomb was found in 2024 in the ancient city of Tenea, located on the outskirts of Chiliomodi, a town near Corinth in Greece’s Peloponnese region.
According to Greek mythology, Tenea was established by Trojan prisoners of war who were permitted to build their own settlement by King Agamemnon after the Trojan War.
The tomb’s entrance was sealed with a slab as the door. It included a large burial chamber that measured nine by 24.3 feet.
Experts think it was constructed during the Hellenistic period because it resembles the Macedonian tombs from that era.
Archaeologists uncovered a large sarcophagus and five rectangular masonry boxes along the walls of the main burial chamber. A female skeleton was in the sarcophagus, but the other tombs had been looted.
For several centuries, the funerary monument was used for burials. During the late Roman period, it became a healing shrine.
There were artifacts inside the tomb dating back to the Hellenistic and Roman periods, including a gold ring with a semiprecious stone carved to depict Apollo, the god of medicine and healing.
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The ring also had an engraving of a snake, which had been a medical symbol for thousands of years. In addition, items such as two gold coins, small vases, iron and bronze objects, gold leaves from a wreath, perfume bottles, and glass beads were recovered from the tomb.
Other discoveries were of a silver coin depicting Philip III Arrhidaeus. A large quantity of animal bones were present, such as a tortoise shell.
Several clay fingers and part of a clay arm were unearthed from the dirt in and around the tomb. They are known as anatomical votive offerings, pointing to the monument’s use as a healing shrine.
They were likely left behind by people who sought healing or were grateful that their ailments had been cured by the gods.
The tomb was used as a burial site until the 4th century C.E., when it was sealed and abandoned. One can’t help but wonder just how many people passed through the doors of the tomb over the years, from looters to worshippers and mourners.
Excavation of the tomb has not yet been fully completed. The archaeologists are working to determine the original form of the complex, as well as the times it was used.
Additionally, they plan to investigate remains from the late Roman period in Chiliomodi, which include houses and a large kiln.
You can see photos of the ring and the other finds here.
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