New evidence for King Philip II Tomb in Vergina

A new scientific bone analysis offers additional evidence that the ancient remains found inside a gold larnax in a tomb found in Vergina in the 1970s belong to the father of Alexander the Great, Philip II.

Ivory carving of Philip II of Macedon from Vergina 
[Credit: Greek Ministry of Culture]

Phillip II was the warrior and diplomat who ruled the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia from 359 BC until his assassination in 336 BC.

Researchers Theodore Antikas and Laura Wynn-Antikas presented their new scientific results that were obtained  through computed tomography (CT) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) in an article published in the International Journal of Osteoarchaeology.

King Philip II was assassinated in the town of Aegae by a member of his security and according to the study, his remains can be found inside a marble sarcophagus, along with the remains of his seventh wife, daughter of King Atheas of Scythia.

During the scientific process, the experts found marks on the skeletons that match the descriptions of the king’s battle wounds, as well as the injuries the princess suffered in her life.

In addition, the authors Theodore Antikas and Laura Wynn-Antikas, using about 4,500 digital photos and scans, presented each bone, tooth and fragment’s weight and dimensions.

Author: Katerina Papathanasiou | Source: Greek Reporter [May 16, 2015]