Archaeologists in Corinth have uncovered a remarkable funerary structure from the Hellenistic period. This discovery was a significant one during the “Ancient Tenea” research program, which was completed in October 2024.
The Ministry of Culture announced today that this monumental tomb, resembling Macedonian designs, was found in Chiliomodi. It offers new insights into ancient burial practices and a possible centuries-old healing cult.
The structure, shaped like an asymmetrical “T,” features a 2.80m x 1.20m access corridor leading to a 2.75m x 7.40m burial chamber aligned north-south. The chamber, accessible via a narrow east-west corridor with a preserved ceiling section and a sealed doorway, contained a monolithic sarcophagus and five additional masonry tombs along its walls.
While the sarcophagus held the intact remains of an adult—likely a woman—in anatomical position, other tombs showed disturbed anthropological material. Notably, many animal bones, including those from domestic animals and a tortoise shell, along with 5th- and 6th-century AD vessels, were found inside, suggesting the site’s use extended to the 4th century AD. The monument was later sealed, looted in the late Roman period, and repurposed for ceremonial activities.
The excavation yielded a wealth of artifacts from the Hellenistic and Roman eras, including a gold ring with a semi-precious stone depicting Apollo and a healing snake, two gold danicas mimicking Sikyonian coins, a votive clay finger, gold wreath leaves, a silver tetrabolus of Philip III Arrhidaeus, iron tools, bronze decorations, glass beads, and perfume bottles. Outside the monument, an unfinished excavation revealed a north-south paved road and a 6.50m x 4.10m enclosure with votive clay figurines—indicating a healing-related worship site. Architectural fragments, such as a capital, chest piece, and pillar, hint at a possible funerary temple or nearby smaller tombs, with further digs expected to clarify the complex’s original design and timeline.
The “Ancient Tenea” project, overseen by the Ministry of Culture’s Directorate of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities under Dr. E. Korka, is led by archaeologist P. Evangeloglou. It is supported by an interdisciplinary team that includes numismatic expert Dr. K. Lagos, anthropologist Chrys. Papageorgopoulou of the University of Thessaloniki, and photogrammetry professor A. Georgopoulos of the National Technical University of Thessaloniki.