The lead archaeologist at the Amphipolis excavation, Katerina Peristeri, expressed her frustration in an interview with protothema.gr over the geologist-speleologist Evangelos Kambouroglou’s decision to make a presentation on the Casta Tomb at the Scientific Meeting for the Archaeological Work in Macedonia and Thrace.

According to the excavation team, Kambouroglou’s participation in the meeting not only violates the agreement between the people involved in the project to allow time for the study of the findings before any presentation is made, but is also an unethical and illegal act.

More specifically, lead archaeologist Katerina Peristeri told protothema.gr that Kambouroglou’s initiative violates the provision of Law. 3028/2002 (Article 39) which states that the publication of any material resulting from an excavation or other archaeological research must be authorized by the entity having the exclusive rights, as defined in the paragraphs 3,4,5 and 7 of Article 39 in the same law.

Moreover, with statements to various media, the “renegade” geologist accused Peristeri of putting pressure on him and threatening him in order to keep him from participating in the meeting.

Kambouroglou said that he will soon reveal information that contradicts the prevailing theories on Casta Tomb and its mysterious occupants. Inter alia, the geologist challenges the theory that the Lion statue was located on top of the Tomb and that the tumulus is largely a human creation.

Speaking at protothema.gr, Peristeri lashed out against Kambouroglou which she characterized as an independent associate of the excavation team.

“Mr. Evangelos Kambouroglou took part in the excavation for ten days at the most. He was not one of our main associates,” the archaeologist said, adding that the geologist made several mistakes and incorrect assessments that repeatedly led the team to the wrong conclusions.