The Incredible Tombs of Philip of Macedon and Family– Part Three

The Incredible Tombs of Philip of Macedon and Family– Part Three July 12, 2023

The gold laurel wreath of Alexander IV and the urn for Alexander’s ashes.   Alexander IV was the only child of Alexander the Great, and his wife Roxanna.  She was pregnant with him when Alexander the Great unexpectedly prematurely died June 11th 323 B.C.  Alas there were massive power struggles after Alexander the Great died, and one of the major figures was Cassander who, when Alexander the IV was of age to ascend the throne at 14, had him poisoned so Cassander could assume complete control. This took place in 309 B.C. and Alexander the IV was obviously given a royal burial.   What mostly  was found in his tomb was silver objects. This tomb was in a jumble when the doors were opened.

They look much better cleaned up and properly displayed.

Why all these pots and pans in a tomb? Because it was believed that the next life would be a better version of this one, and they would be needed.  But this was hardly all that was found.   There were also the items used to bath the body of Alexander IV and also various of his weapons, used in his case in the hunt.

The process leading to the burial was elaborate.  The body would be carefully washed (see the next posts about the burial of Philip), then put on a funeral pyre and burned to dessicate the flesh, then the bones and ashes would be taken and put in a funerary urn or in Philip’s case, a gold sarcophagus.

There was a tomb of one woman, 4 warriors, and two children who were family or contemporaries of Philip and they show as well that it was not just royalty that might be buried with such things.

But there is so much more to see, so we move on in our posts.


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