Greek archaeologists have uncovered a perfectly intact, untouched grave of a noblewoman with all of her golden jewellery still inside. The grave was found at a Roman burial site on the island of Sikinos in the Cyclades. Archaeologists were able to find her name, Neko (Νεικώ), thanks to a burial inscription.
Inside the box-shaped grave were golden wristbands, rings, a long golden necklace, a female figure carved cameo buckle, glass and metal vases, along with fragments of the dead woman’s clothes.
Archaeologists have said that the well-maintained mausoleum on the island was likely to have been built to shelter the grave.
“We were unexpectedly lucky,” director of the Ephorate of Antiquities of Cyclades, Dimitris Athanassoulis told Reuters on Monday.
“This is Neko’s mausoleum.
“It’s very rare. A monument, one of the Aegean’s most impressive, has got an identity. We now have the person for whom the building was built; we have her remains, her name,” he went on to say, highlighting the significance of the discovery.
Historically there were several attempts of grave robbery and the building itself was regularly used, but despite all this, the tomb of Neko remained untouched. This was due to the fact that it was well-hidden in a blind spot between two walls at the basement of the building, Mr Athanassoulis said.
“We are now trying to find out more about her,” he said. “We are still at the beginning.”
It is still unclear as to whether or not Neko had connections to the island, which archaeologists are currently trying to uncover.