Another Hellenistic tomb of the “loculus type” (see No. 13: “Mathioulaki Emm.” excavation) came to light in 2004, untouched but reused during the Roman occupation period (end of 1st- beginning of 2nd c. A.D.). The inaccessible dromos and main entrance lie in the neighbouring property to the north. This entrance (seen from inside) is blocked by a rectangular dressed stone, which is supported on sandstone doorjambs.
The long corridor of the monument, is the central axis into which seven burial chambers (“loculi”) have been cut. The roof of the corridor is vaultedThe space was used for the deposition of offerings as well as for ceremonies related to the cult of the dead.Small clay vases, lamps, bones and traces of fire were found in front of or beside the door of the chambers, which are related to funeral rites and meals in honour of the dead.
The burial chambers are oblong and also vaulted. Inside, there is a rectangular pit where the deceased were put. In the burial chambers of the west side (chambers A, B, Γ), as well as in the chamber opposite the main entrance (Δ), a bench surrounds the three inner sides.
A coating is preserved on the side walls of these same chambers. Each chamber of the tomb contained a burial dated to the Roman period, while in two chambers (A, Γ) alongside this burial, there were also secondary of the early Hellenistic period. It is worth noting that in chamber Γ a piece of carbonized wood was found between the burial and the secondary burial, apparently belonging to a bier/coffin. The skeletal remains in all burials were poorly preserved.
Grave goods are mainly objects used in everyday life, but some have an exclusively funerary use. They were placed at the entrance or in the chambers, on the benches, on clay or iron stands, and around the deceased. These are mainly clay vases, glass vases, lamps, iron strigils and bronze. Fragments of two alabastra have also been collected, grave gifts for women deposited full of scented oil, or used before deposition to anoint the corpses. Two small bronze vessels, probably pyxides are also objects used in everyday life. Offerings of note include the head of a horse figurine, a glass bead and nine knuckle-bones, usually offered to children, reminders of earthly games.
The deposition of eggs is also interesting, which may have had a symbolic or religious meaning or or may have just been food offered to the dead. A genuine funerary offering is the golden epistomion with stamped decoration , which was found in burial chamber Δ, where the decayed skull should have been. Next to the epistomion was a gold disc, also with a repousse coin decoration (“a Death coin”), has been discovered beside it, deposited conforming to the burial custom as payment to Charon for carrying the deceased to the Underworld.
