A Macedonian tomb in Xanthi, Greece, opens its doors to the public tomorrow morning. The monument remains closed, as there is no permanent security guard on the spot, while those wishing to visit, have to contact the relevant Archaeological Ephorate to arrange for an appointment and tour. “The tomb is in very good condition. Anyone who wishes to visit, can call our service and arrange for the monument guard to open it for them and for an archaeologist to give them a tour,” said to “thrakitoday” website the archaeologist responsible for the site, Kyriaki Chatziprokopiou. She also stressed that “there are 6 graves of Macedonian type in Thrace but this specific one is the largest and the best preserved, the most elaborate tomb in relation to others who have been discovered.” In the context of actions for the public’s awareness on the work offered by the Archaeological Service, the Association of Greek Archaeologists will open the doors of this great Macedonian tomb to the public on Sunday morning at 11 am and will offer a guided tour, while informative material regarding the monument will be handed to visitors. “For the third consecutive year, the awareness week is dedicated to the promotion of the Archaeological Service’s work, which is little known to the general public,” said Chatziprokopiou. The Macedonian tomb was discovered in the 1950s and, according to archaeologists, it is placed chronologically in the period 200-150 BC. It has an internal road, while its vestibule chamber is covered with arches. It is made of marble cornerstones, the chambers’ and pre-chambers’ doors are monolithic, while the floors are covered with marble slabs. The pre-chamber has a width of 3.13 meters and length of 2.12 meters. The door to the burial chamber was closed with a large doorway. Excavations conducted in 1993, revealed some figurines, statuettes and ritual instruments in the greater tomb area, which probably originate from the sanctuary of Asclepius.
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