Archaeologists entering the third chamber of the ancient tomb at Amphipolis are facing problems with detachments such as around the marble pillars where a visible portion of the vertical walls have detached parts, according to the Ministry of Culture. The detached parchments are believed to be the result of immense pressure to the area, possibly due to the tall embankments on the side of the dome.
The arch dome of the tomb is on the verge of collapse and archaeologists are proceeding slowly.
The Ministry of Culture and Sports press release said that members of the scientific team entered the third chamber from the existing hole in the wall of the third sealing wall in order to document and determine the structural condition inside so as to take the necessary support measures.
The limestone covering is coated with red paint
The site observation revealed that the level of sandy soil is lower than at the previous two chambers and natural sediments with fossils of shells from the natural terrain found. Geological observers infer that it appears that these remained undisturbed from the embankment.
Inside, the arched dome is made of limestone, just like the previous two chambers. There is a repeated pattern on the visible part of the three vertical walls to the east, west and north. Similar to the previous two chambers, there are pillars with a crowned ionic architrave.
The inner portion of the lintel
The visible part of the South wall on the right and left of the door frames shows that marble coating continues with the overlying limestone covered with a coat of red paint. The inner portion of lintel has fallen.
The inner dome is made of limestone as in the previous chambers
The dome is on the verge of collapse and archaeologists and could cave in with deep and extensive cracks on either side.
A visible portion of the vertical wall has detached pieces on the surface that appear to be the result of extreme pressure, possibly from the mounds on the dome. In particular, the southern part of the chamber is burdened by terrain of 2 meters in height and of 12 to 13 meters in the northern section.
The removal of debris is being carried out slowly and systematically to ensure that there is enough support.
The dome appears on the verge of caving in
The dome structure is weakened as a result of having lost a great deal of mass
