Lucky find reveals biggest ancient cave in Pella

A farmer in northern Greece has stumbled across a 2,300-year-old chiseled cave with eight chambers and measuring some 63 square meters � the biggest ever discovered in this country � it was revealed yesterday.

The cave was found near the ancient city of Pella, which was the capital of the Macedonian kingdom. Archaeologists are studying the cave and believe it was probably used as a tomb by a wealthy Macedonian family between the second and third centuries BC, the Athens News Agency reported.

Two gold earrings, several bronze coins, three marble funerary stelae and a number of ceramic vessels were found inside the cave.

Previously, the largest chiseled cave found in Greece had three chambers. The cave near Pella has partly retained its original wall coloring of red, sky blue and gold.

source : http://www.in.gr/news/article.asp?lngEntityID=683476&lng DtrID=253

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