The kasta tomb

1. 5th High School of Serres
Dringopoulos Panagiotis
Class : A2
Teacher :Thanasouda Evaggelia
THE KASTA TOMB

2. The Tomb
The Kasta Tomb, also known as the
Amphipolis Tomb, is an ancient Macedonian tomb
discovered in Amphipolis, Central Macedonia, in
northern Greece in 2012 and first entered in August
2014. The tomb is the largest burial monument ever
discovered in Greece and by comparison dwarfs the
tomb of Philip II of Macedon, father of Alexander
the Great, in Vergina. The Tumulus Tomb of
Amphipolis lies on the hill of Kasta inside a 500-
meter long surrounding wall of marble and
limestone. The Marble wall is almost a perfect

3. Simulation of the tomb as it would be with the Amphipolis Lion on its top

4. The marble wall around the tomb

5. The Lion
Originally on the top of the Tomb there was a
great Stone Lion, the Lion of Amphipolis. The Lion
it's self is 5.3 meters high and had a stone base that
makes a total [with Lion] height of 15.84 meters.
The sculpture who carved the two entry Sphinxes is
the same person that sculpted the colossal Lion.

6. The huge lion

7. The entrance & 1st chamber
The Entry of the Tomb is 13 steps down from the
surrounding Wall. The Entry Arch contains two
headless/wingless Sphinxes, amazing works of
classic art which are approximately 2m tall . In
front of the Arch and Sphinx Portal there is a
Limestone wall protecting and concealing the entire
entry of this vast tomb. The design of the Entry and
surrounding wall are unique to the ancient Greece
world. The first chamber is 6m long and 4.5m wide.
Its spectacular floor just beyond the Sphinx Portal
opening is in great condition (considering that it is

8. The Sphinxes

9. The well-preserved floor of the 1st chamber

10. The 2nd chamber
The second chamber is 4,5 meters wide and 3,0
meters long. Its entrance was found between two
amazing female statues of the Caryatid type which
support the entrance to the second compartment of
the tomb. The height of each Caryatid is 2.27 m .
The Caryatids are on a pedestal 1.40 m tall (4.5 ft),
making the total height of the statues 3.67 m
The chamber floor is covered with a pictorial
mosaic in glorious colors and detail. The mosaic
covers the entire floor surface of the 2nd Chamber.
It is in white, black, grey, blue, red and yellow and

11. The Caryatids

12. The almost intact face of the western Caryatid

13. Simulation of the two statues as they were 2300 years ago

14. The colourful mosaic

15. The 3rd chamber
The third chamber is 4.5 meters
long and wide. Its marble door is
broken. The parts of it as well as the
head of the eastern Sphinx (which
height is 60cm) and fragments of the
Sphinxes’ wings were found during
the excavation in the chamber. In
front of the door, archaeologists
found iron and bronze nails. The

16. The head of the eastern Sphinx

17. The grave

18. Items found in the grave

19. UNESCO
In response to the magnitude of the finds, the
authorities of Central Macedonia have requested
and were granted a heavy 24-hour police guard of
the dig site, and have also begun procedures to have
the Kasta Tomb included in UNESCO's list of
World Heritage Sites as a "top priority."

20. Simulation of all the chambers & the entrance

21. Nothing has ended yet…
During the next months, excavations will be
continued. We have explored only a small part of
this huge tomb and archaeologists believe that that
there are many more thing to be found…