Wonderful mosaic brought to light in Kasta Hill near Amphipolis

It is great to learn that excavation workers have cleared the largest part of the floor in the second chamber of the Tomb of Kasta Hill/Amphipolis, being the one located behind the entrance flanked by  the Caryatids.

[Picture by the Greek Ministry of Culture]

The clearing operation has exposed a spectacular pebble mosaic showing a chariot drawn by two white horses led by a bearded man wearing a laurel wreath on his head. In front of this span stands the god Hermes with his winged sandals who is guiding the soul to the afterlife. I simply love the yellow kausia Hermes is wearing! 

The colors of the pebbles are as to be expected generally white, black and grayish blue, with touches of yellow, blue and red. The scene is framed by a 60-cm wide Greek Meander border in different shades of grey-blue. Unfortunately the very center of the floor is damaged the size of a circle 80 cm in diameter, but since many lose pebbles are being recuperated from the removed soil, it may be possible to restore the missing part of the scene.

Although all the soil has not yet been removed, it is clear that the mosaic covers the entire width of the floor. At the same time the limestone plastered threshold between the Caryatids has been exposed, as well as the threshold to the third chamber.

The pictures released by the Greek Ministry of Culture tell a great deal about the exceptional technique and help to date this burial site to the period between 325 and 300 BC.