Tholos Tomb - Toumba at Dimini

An imposing tholos tomb also known as Toumba lies at Dimini, on the west hillside together with other remains of the Neolithic period. Combined with the second smaller tholos tomb situated there, named Lamiospito, they constitute important monuments for the area, securely correlated to the hegemons (rulers) of the Mycenaean settlement at Dimini. Based on the architectural form and the sparse pottery found while clearing the dromos (entrance passageway), the tomb of Toumba is slightly posterior to the tomb of Lamiospito and is dated to the thirteenth century BC (Late Helladic ΙΙΙΒ).

The large monument is composed of a long dromos, a stomio (doorway into funerary chamber) and the tholos (funerary chamber). The dromos is 16.5m long, 2.30m wide and its front is retained by perfectly preserved stone walls slightly converging towards the stomio; at the point of junction with the tholos they reach up to 4m. The wall sealing the grave survives at the end of the dromos. Entrance into the tomb was ensured by a stomio 3.25m of length, 3.15m of height and 1.60m of width, covered with an ashlar lintel of three large 0.45m thick stones. The stone adjacent to the tholos is internally carved in order to match with the curve of the tholos. Above the lintel lies the relieving triangle. The stomio entrance is built with large ashlar forming sockets for what should be a wooden door. The upper part of the tholos has collapsed. The remains are 3.80m high and 8.30m in diameter. It was built in the load displacing technique, with small non-cemented lime stones, whereas large ashlar blocks composed the base, founded upon the lime rock, which was flattened to become the floor of the burial chamber. To the north of the tholos lies a rectangular edifice (3.62m of length, 1.40m of width and 1.08m of remaining height). The excavator V.Stais remarks that the edifice was covered with stone slabs fixed into the lateral walls and lying on a wooden beam placed over the narrow sides of the rectangular: it was a stone-built larnax (burial box), containing the funerary bed. The tomb had been plundered; nevertheless, several findings of significance, mainly small gold and glass jewels, escaped the looters' attention and are exhibited today in the National Archaeological Museum of Athens.

The Toumba tholos tomb was excavated in 1892 by V.Stais. Specific undertakings in order to highlight the monument (tree planting, access corridors, and signage) are included into the overall promotion efforts in the archaeological site of Dimini.

Author Dr V. Adrymi - Sismani, archaeologist

Source: odysseus.culture.gr