A tunic found in Greece belongs to Alexander the Great: scientists have come to a sensational conclusion. Photo
A tunic was once found in a 2,400-year-old royal tomb in the city of Vergina in northern Greece. Scientists now assume that the purple item belongs to the legendary ruler of Macedonia, Alexander the Great.
The ceremonial garment called "mesoleucon sarapis" was found 47 years ago. However, until now, scientists have been investigating who it belonged to because it was found not in the tomb of Alexander the Great himself but of his half-brother, Philip III of Macedonia, DailyMail reports.
Tomb II depicting the figure of a hunter (Alexander the Great) in a purple tunic.
Source: Antonios Bartsiokas
Archaeologists have known for decades that the family of Alexander the Great had a close connection to the three royal tombs located in Vergina. However, they could not understand exactly who was buried there.
According to the research, the graves of Alexander's father, stepmother, half-sisters, and son are buried in the graves of the fourth century B.C. However, scientists have long been unaware of who the ceremonial tunic found in the tomb belongs to.
The tunic was found fragmented - the small pieces were less than 6 cm.
Source: SpyrosTsavdaroglou
Led by Antonios Bartsiokas of the University of Democritus of Thrace, a team of archaeologists has identified a purple-dyed cotton fabric that matches historical accounts of ceremonial clothing worn by great Persian kings. It is known from historical sources that Alexander the Great wore this kind of robe after his victory over Darius III of Persia.
The facade of the tomb where the tunic was found.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Interestingly, the tunic was found in the golden ossuary of Tomb II along with human remains and a golden wreath. At first, scientists believed that this was the body of Philip II, the father of Alexander the Great. However, recent research has shown that his half-brother Philip III Arridaeus, who inherited several symbols of power from Alexander after his death, is buried in the tomb.
The color illustration shows Aristotle teaching Alexander the Great (left).
Source: Getty
Unfortunately, the resting place of Alexander the Great himself is still a mystery to researchers. It is known that he was originally buried in Egypt, but it is believed that his body was moved to prevent robbery. However, it is unknown where exactly.
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