Tholos Tomb - Lamiospito at DiminI

The name Lamiospito belongs to the smallest and oldest of the two important tholos tombs found at Dimini. Nestling in a mountain slope, it lies 300m to the west of the hill hosting the remains of a Neolithic settlement. Based on its architecture, it is dated to the fourteenth century BC (Late Helladic ΙΙΙΑ2).

The tomb was accessed through a downhill dromos (entrance passageway) 14.50m of length and 3.30m of width. The front of the dromos was retained by 1m wide stone walls slightly converging to the grave's stomio (doorway into burial chamber); at the point of junction with the tholos they reach up to 5.70m of height. After the burial, the end of the dromos was sealed with a 2m wide stone wall. Entrance into the tholos (funerary chamber) was achieved through a stomio (3m of height, 2.20m of length and 1.90m of width) covered with four large slabs used as a lintel and narrowing on the interior; over the lintel was a relieving triangle. The tholos, 8.20m in diameter and 8.10m high, was built in the load displacing technique, probably with the help of centerings, whose traces are not visible. It is composed of small non-cemented lime stones of irregular shape; the base stones are strengthened. The limestone rock was flattened in order to shape the floor. The upper part of the tholos was sealed by a large circular slab, the keystone, which had collapsed onto the floor in earlier times and was put back to its place again. Despite the grave's looting, a minor number of important findings, mainly glass jewels, ivory artefacts and bronze weapons, were transferred to the National Archaeological Museum [of Athens] and make part of its actual exhibitions. According to the first excavators of the monument P. Wolter and H. Lolling, the interior tholos wall was skirted by a low bench, 0.55m of height and 0.50m wide, composed of five courses of unfired bricks. That bench does not survive today and there is no drawing of it either. Christos Tsountas considered this a depository for the body of the defunct and for grave gifts. During the recent floor clearing, under the bench was found a double cutting into the bedrock, single-stepped and 0.60m deep, used for the burial of four dogs.

In the Roman era, a lime-burning kiln was built adjacent to the tholos masonry, at the top of the tumulus, to serve the needs of the Roman aqueduct carrying water to ancient Demetrias city. The lime-burning kiln was discovered during the recent fixing works on the tholos; after moisture proofing, it has been cushioned by earth. The kiln might be the reason for the tomb's wear due to the passage of rain into the tholos.

The tomb was first investigated in 1886 on the initiative of the then prefect of Magnisia I. Kondakis and the headmaster Ε. Kousis, with the cooperation of the archaeologists P. Kavvadias, P. Wolter and H. Lolling. Several fixing and restoration works were often undertaken to highlight the monument.

Author Dr V. Adrymi - Sismani, archaeologist

Source: odysseus.culture.gr