CORINTH-PATRAS MOTORWAY (ancient Corinth) - 2013

Corinth-Patras motorway (anc. Corinth). The ΛΖ’ ΕΠΚΑ reports the discovery during the widening of the motorway of a Roman tomb (probably built at the end of the first century AD or slightly earlier, and remaining in use in the second), tomb 536 in the same Roman cemetery as the similarly elaborate tomb discovered in 2012 (ID2910). This cemetery overlay an older, Archaic, necropolis without damaging it (the Archaic graves were found intact). Offering trenches found between the graves are paralleled only in the Kerameikos. Deposits in crevices contained a large number of Mycenaean and Geometric sherds.

The tomb consisted of a vaulted underground chamber (3.3 x 2.63m) entered via six steps. Although the tomb had been looted, its decoration was well preserved. Reliefs on either side of the entrance depict respectively a quadriga and a chariot drawn by dolphins and followed by a sea-creature. Three larnakes arranged around the walls contained bones, lamps, bronze coins and sherds: the cover of one bore painted decoration imitating a textile couch cover. Arched niches in the walls held cinerary urns. The fine-quality wall paintings depict two male figures and one female, plus motifs such as garlands, flowers and fruit. The tomb lies in the middle of the planned road and cannot be preserved in situ.