As the diggings move deeper into the ancient tomb of Amphipolis, two sculpted female figures were uncovered, announced the Greek Ministry of Culture on Sunday. The two Caryatids, made to support an inner entrance into the tomb, are featuring the same sculpting technique used for the heads and wings of the two sphinxes found guarding the main entrance of the tomb earlier in August. Both Caryatids were made of fine Greek marble, with thick curls covering their shoulders and one hand outstretched in a symbolic move to discourage anyone from trying to violate the tomb, however the face of one was missing. The statues mark a significant new finding on the Amphipolis site, about 100 km (65 miles) from Greece’s second-biggest city Thessaloniki, which archaeologists have hailed as a major discovery from the era of Alexander the Great.

“The structure of the second entrance with the Caryatids is an important finding, which supports the view that it is a prominent monument of great importance”, said the Culture Ministry.
Archaeologists claim that the Amphipolis site appears to be the largest ancient tomb to have been discovered in Greece.