Korinós: Macedonian Tombs at Toupes

In Korinós, the archaeological story leads to Toupes, where two Macedonian chamber tombs can be found. They differ in their spatial layout and design: Tomb A is associated with a passageway, three named rooms and a burial mound, while Tomb B features two chambers, tuff stone and colourful decoration. This makes Korinós’s cultural interest tangible through specific forms of ancient funerary architecture.

Tomb A: Location, Passageway and Room Layout

The so-called Heuzey Tomb is the Macedonian chamber tomb of burial mound A at the Toupes archaeological site in Korinós. It was first investigated in 1861. It lies on the western edge of a pre-existing burial mound. The complex comprises a masonry, vaulted passageway that descends, and three rooms: a “courtyard”, an antechamber and a burial chamber. These three rooms are also covered by a single shared vault. Macedonian Tumulus A is more than 20 metres long and dates from the last quarter of the 4th century BC. The year 1861 refers to the first investigation, not to the tomb’s ancient construction date. “Tumulus” here means a burial mound; “chamber tomb” draws attention to its divided interior. The length of the tumulus and the three room names answer different questions: one about the scale of the complex, the other about its internal layout.

Tomb B: Tuff Stone and Ornamental Design

Macedonian Tomb B at the Toupes archaeological site in Korinós has a different architectural emphasis: alongside its two-chamber layout, the focus is on the material and the wall decoration. It is made of tuff stone coated with mortar and also dates from the last quarter of the 4th century BC. The decoration is divided between two areas: the vestibule is adorned with a painted meander, while the burial chamber contains a multicoloured frieze. The elements of this frieze include consoles, an Ionic egg-and-dart motif and a plant motif. The meander and frieze are thus assigned to different rooms, and the frieze comprises several named forms. Tomb B can therefore not be classified solely by the number of its chambers: the building material, plaster and arrangement of the ornaments also shape its architectural character.

Comparing the Two Tombs

Both complexes date from the same period of the 4th century BC, but their described features emphasise different aspects. For Tomb A, the main points are its length, its position on the burial mound, the descending passageway and the three named rooms. For Tomb B, they are its two-chamber layout, the plastered tuff stone and the decoration of the vestibule and burial chamber. This offers two ways to understand the archaeological interest of Korinós: room layout and scale on the one hand, and material and ornamentation on the other.

Korinós for Your Cultural Trip

If ancient funerary architecture is one of your travel interests, include Korinós in your search for a holiday rental.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Makrygialos, Neos Panteleimon, Methoni, Petra, Raralia Panteleimonos, Paralia Skotinas, Paralia, Elatochori.

Back to the main travel overview: Pieria.