An ancient mosaic depicting the abduction of Persephone was discovered. Automatic translate

Thessaloniki. An impressive mosaic, recently discovered in the largest ancient burial ever found in Greece, depicts the myth of the abduction of Persephone, daughter of Zeus, who became the goddess of the underworld.

This was announced last week by the Ministry of Culture of Greece, indicating that a floor mosaic measuring 4.5 by 3 meters (15 feet by 10 feet) was found in a huge tomb, opened in August in Amphipolis, an ancient Greek polis located in Central Macedonia, on the banks of the Strimon River. Burial dates back to the fourth century BC.

A vivid mosaic made of tiny pieces of white, black, blue, red, yellow and gray colors depicts a chariot driven by a bearded man and the Greek god Hermes, walking next to the chariot and looking back. The rest of the mosaic, opened only this week, shows a woman with a sad face and a raised hand, riding a chariot.

The Ministry of Culture of Greece stated that “the figure of a young woman is dressed in a white dress and has red curls, and her left wrist is adorned with jewelry. Obviously, this is the scene of the abduction of Persephone by Pluto. ”

According to Greek mythology, Persephone was abducted by Hades, also known as Pluto, the god of the underworld, who wanted to force her to marry. The heartbroken mother of Persephone Demeter sent Hermes to return her daughter, but Hades gave the girl to taste the magic fruit of pomegranate, which is why she was forced to return to his kingdom every year.

Katerina Peristeri, chief archaeologist at the site, said at a press conference that the theme of the mosaic is “what to do with death.” “But this mosaic-like scene is unique in Greece,” emphasized Lina Mendoni, secretary general of the Ministry of Culture.

The intrigue of the situation is added by the fact that it is not yet known who exactly was buried in the tomb, where this amazing mosaic was found. There are several opinions on this subject, from Roxanne, the Persian wife of Alexander the Great, or Olympia, the mother of the king, to one of his generals. Peristeri said: “Too early to say that this is the royal tomb.” The burial consists of three chambers, two of which are already disclosed. Now archaeologists begin work with the third room of the tomb.

Anna Sidorova © Gallerix.ru