Χρονολογία
Hellenistic Period
Location
Τούμπα

The name of the village derives from the burial tumulus (toumba) with the old bell tower of the church on its top, located within the settlement. Two more tumuli are found in the area, about 3 kms NE of the modern settlement, belonging to a cemetery of the area’s ancient landowners. Further north, at a distance of 350 m., there are the remains of a settlement on a tell, above the banks of the Gorgopis River, which descends from Paiko and flows into Axios, east of the ancient city. Tumulus I covered a Macedonian-type tomb, with a burial road leading to it.

The tomb had an elaborate façade and a double marble door. Tumulus II lies to the south, covering an earlier, large, and particularly elaborate cist tomb. Both tombs were found looted. One of the few finds that escaped the looting of the cist tomb is a gold foil bearing the name of the deceased, Vottakos. He was probably the tenant of the tomb, a wealthy landowner of the area. The etymology of the name indicates the source of his wealth, namely cattle breeding, while the gold foil may be related to Orphic postmortem beliefs.

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