Archaeologists uncover 'extremely important' ancient tomb in Greece


Archaeologists in northern Greece have unearthed an ancient burial site that likely dates back to 325-300 B.C., built after the death of Alexander the Great.
The heavily guarded tomb should be opened within the next two weeks, The Associated Press reports. The archaeologists have already uncovered steps that lead to a path surrounded by masonry walls and an arch covering two sphinxes.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Antonis Samaras visited the site, and said the tomb is "clearly extremely important." Experts are still trying to determine who the tomb belonged to, with some saying it was a senior official. Excavator Katerina Peristeri believes that the mound was once home to a large stone lion that was discovered about 3 miles away 100 years ago. The lion has been associated with Laomedon of Mytilene, a military commander of Alexander's who became governor of Syria. It's likely the mystery will be solved soon. "The excavation will answer the crucial question of who was buried inside," Samaras said.
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Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
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