University of Cincinnati archaeologists have discovered two Bronze Age family tombs near the grave of the Griffin Warrior, a Greek military leader who was buried with armour, weapons and jewellery, and was found in 2015. Among the priceless objects of art found in his tomb was an agate sealstone depicting mortal combat with such fine detail that Archaeology magazine hailed it as a “Bronze Age masterpiece”. The new round tombs, called Tholos VI and VII, were once lined with gold foil and contained artwork emblazoned with mythological creatures. An agate sealstone featured two lion-like creatures called genii standing upright on clawed feet. The team has also found a serving vase and an incense burner, a tribute for the altar before them featuring a sprouting sapling between horns of consecration. “I think these are probably people who were very sophisticated for their time,” says researcher Sharon Stocker. “You have this explosion of wealth. It’s the formative years that will give rise to the Classic Age of Greece.”
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