Ancient Macedonian tomb-Kinch

The famous tombs of Lefkadia, on the ancient road connecting Mieza and Pella, the capital of the Macedonian Kingdom, are among the finest and best preserved monuments in the region. The first tomb near the village of Kopanos was named after the Danish architect K. F. Kinch who discovered and studied it in 1887, 1889 and 1892. Kinch drew the tomb and its painted decoration which is now lost. The tomb dates to the first half of the third century BC. The tomb, which consists of a flat-roofed ante-chamber and a barrel-vaulted burial chamber, was covered by a mound 2.50 metres high. The Doric fa?ade had two antae with capitals but no columns. The door was sealed with poros blocks. The Doric entablature has six triglyphs and six metopes painted blue and yellow respectively. Above the entablature was an Ionic kymation. The interior walls were plastered and painted. Inside the antechamber, at 1.70 metres from the ground, was a relief cornice with white, red and green flowers painted on a red band. The walls were painted yellow in their lower part, dark red in the middle and dark blue with flowers at the top. On the east wall a painted panel, now lost, depicted a Macedonian on a galloping horse attacking a Persian who was on foot and protected himself with his shield. The 'Kinch' Tomb was severely damaged during the construction of the Thessaloniki-Monasterion railroad. In 1970-71 the Archaeological Service cleaned and restored the monument to its former appearance. Author I. Psarra, archaeologist music by Stamatis Spanoudakis