Despite the inadequate measures taken to its conservation, this tomb is still today one of the most impressive. It was discovered by chance during the construction of a provincial road in May 1954, and belongs to the two-chamber type with a vaulted roof and an imposing facade whose height exceeds that of the roof. The tomb dates from the last quarter of the 4th c. BC. The facade (height 8.60 and width 8.68 m.) is formed in such a way as to give the impression of the facade of a two-storey building with a pedimental roof. The lower ‘storey’ is in the Doric order and recalls the entrance to an ancient temple (a tetrastyle porch in antis). Four Doric half-columns and an anta at either end with impost blocks, on which the painted decoration is still preserved, support the Doric cornice with its triglyphs and eleven metopes, of which the original colored decoration is still partly preserved. This is followed by an Ionic frieze with stucco reliefs decorative figures depicting a combat between hoplites and horsemen. Above the cornice, six small Ionic half-columns (height 1.46 m.), flanked by two antae at the ends, form the second storey. The spaces between the half-columns take the form of false door-leaves, imitating real door-leaves which were made of wood and decorated with bronze nails. The entrance to the tomb did not have door-leaves, but was simply sealed with paros blocks. To left and right of it, the spaces between the half-columns are occupied by four individual figures, which form parts of a single composition. The subject of the composition is the descent of the dead man, attended by the god Hermes (Hermes Psycopompos, the Escort of Souls) to Hades where the judges Rhadamanthys and Aiakos will decide his eternal fate. Despite the fact that the composition is divided into individual panels, the subject of the judgment is clear.

Source: Katerina Rhomiopoulou, “Lefkadia – Ancient Mieza”

Macedonian Tomb 325 – 300 BC