Λαξευτός τάφος Καλλιθέας Βεροίας

Abstract

The rock-cut chamber tomb, published in this article, was discovered in November 1979, during foundation works for the construction of a mondera building. The façade of the tomb was crowned by a pediment and its door opening to the chamber was closed by four rows of porous blocks. Inside its single chamber were discovered two thekai (larnakes); they were cut in bed rock and each was covered by four slabs. Two of the dead were found in the southern theke and one in the western. Furthermore, a coarse clay vase, which was found on top of the slabs that covered the thekai, was used as an ash urn and contained the cremated remains of another dead. The offerings mainly consisted of a large number of pottery, among which included were: macedonian amphoras, cups, unguentaria, chytrai, oinochoai, lamps which were placed inside oinochoai chytrai and pyxides, some of which were decorated in «west slope» style The pottery was of poor quality, a good number of which was unused.

The tomb is presumed to have been used by members of the same family in the middle Hellenistic Period (mid 3rd century B.C. to the mid 2nd century B.C.), when the burials are dated.