We are used to considering ancient Egypt, Central America and China as the birthplace of the pyramids. But it turns out that the pyramids were built in other countries, including in Ancient Greece. At least eight pyramids have been discovered on its territory.
Three of them are best known. One is located about four kilometers from Argos, near the village of Helleniko; the second - not far from the village of Liguria, near Epidaurus; the third - the tomb of Amphion - is located in Thebes.
Forgotten Tombs
Hitherto consigned to oblivion, the Greek pyramids became the focus of historians and archaeologists in the mid-nineties of the XX century. But as soon as their studies began, a number of scientists hastened to declare them as prototypes of Egyptian buildings. The Academy of Athens and the University of Edinburgh even announced that the idea of pyramids came to Egypt from Greece at all.
Although the pyramid in Helleniko is surrounded by a fence, its gates are always wide open, and there is no security. So those who want to get to know her closely always have the opportunity to approach her and even get inside, because, unlike the Egyptian pyramids, it is hollow.
The entrance to the pyramid is made in the Mycenaean, conical style and is located on the east side, like all ancient temples, including the famous Parthenon.
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Compared to the Egyptian and American pyramids, the Helleniko structure looks very modest in size.
From the historians of antiquity, this pyramid was mentioned by Pausanias (II century BC). He claimed that it was built by Acrisius and his brother Proyt, according to legend, who were at war in the womb.
Acrisius was the king of Argos and the grandfather of the famous hero Perseus. And here is what Pausanias actually reported: “On the way from Argos to Epidaurus, on the right side there is a building very similar to a pyramid … A battle for the throne between Proit and Acrisius took place here; They say that their dispute ended in a draw … A common tomb was built for those who died in this battle."
The oldest
So what had to happen for this small pyramid-tomb to suddenly become the focus of scientists? The fact is that in February 1995, the head of the Athens Academy of Sciences, Pericles Theocharis, announced the results of two years of research. It turned out that the pyramid at Helleniko was built around 2720 BC. That is, it is a hundred years older than the Egyptian step pyramid of Djoser, which for a long time was considered the oldest in the world.
However, according to the recently discovered method of determining the chronology of ancient objects by traces of sun exposure on stone blocks in those parts where traces of cutting from the rock have survived, the pyramid at Helleniko is even older. This method determines the date of its construction around 3000 BC.
The Ligurian pyramid dates from about 2100 BC with an error in one direction or another of 600 years. Initially, the dimensions of this structure were 14x12 meters, but now little is left of it.
Another ancient Greek pyramid is the tomb of Amphion, which was built from a hill turned into a step pyramid. This hill is directly related to the history of the founding of the city of Thebes. The founder of Thebes is considered Amphion, the son of Zeus and Antiope, raised by a simple shepherd along with his twin brother Zeta.
According to legend, Amfion became famous as a musician. Having learned music from the Lydians, he added three more to the four strings of the lyre. During the construction of Thebes, the stones themselves moved to the sound of the lyre of Amphion, which Hermes gave him.
The story of the brothers remained a simple legend until archaeologists discovered in the bowels of the hill a widely branched system of tunnels and underground chambers, one of which could well be the grave of Amphion and Zeta.
The excavations were carried out in 1971-1973 under the guidance of the famous archaeologist Theodoros Spyropoulos. He came to the conclusion that the tomb of Amphion is the only structure in the Greek culture in the form of a step pyramid, that is, it is a clear anomaly for this civilization.
Spyropoulos also determined the time of construction of the tomb of Amphion - 2500-2000 BC. Moreover, in the pyramid were found four gold pendants in the form of lilies, crowned with plants resembling papyrus, and this can be classified as a typical Egyptian motif.
Traces of Egyptian colonists?
I must say that the ties between Ancient Greece and Egypt were very close.
The Cretans conducted extensive maritime trade with Egypt, exchanging ivory for ceramics and jewelry.
In Crete, Egyptian products are often found and borrowings of some artistic ideas, for example, the motives of the lotus flower.
Spyropoulos is convinced that the builders of the step pyramid near Thebes were somehow connected with Egypt. The pyramid was built at a time when the Greeks did not build such tombs, and it was typical for them to burn the dead and place the ashes in a burial urn, over which a small grave mound was poured.
The archaeologist suggested that both Zeta and Amphion themselves were Egyptian colonists. But when in 1972 he first put forward this assumption in the article "Egyptian Colonization in Boeotia", he was ridiculed.
However, Spyropoulos insisted that the tomb of Amphion was a unique structure, and at the same time proved that it was not some isolated historical phenomenon. On the contrary, she was an organic part of a mysterious forgotten civilization that flourished in Greece between 2800 and 1700 BC. He called it the Minoan civilization and was convinced that the ruling elite in it consisted of Egyptians who willingly entered into inter-ethnic marriages with the Minoans in Southern Greece and Crete.
The burials of that time were collective and were housed in narrow well-shaped graves carved into the rock. So the pyramid at Helleniko fits well with the concept of a collective burial.
Valdis PEYPINSH