Tomb of Judgement, Lefkadia
The Tomb of Judgement, also known as the Great Tomb of Lefkadia is an ancient Macedonian tomb of the Hellenistic period in Mieza, noted for its monumental painted facade. It was probably built at the beginning of the third century BC.
Description
The tomb consists of two vaulted chambers: an antechamber and a burial chamber and a disproportionately large monumental facade. The structure was covered by an earthen tumulus, which was 1.5 m high and had a diameter of about 10 m; it was removed during excavation.Facade
The facade is 8.68 m wide and 8.6 m high. It once had a triangular pediment with a tympanum containing relief decoration, but this is almost entirely lost as a result of severe damage suffered by the facade in antiquity. Below this, there is an upper story with six Ionic columns in antis, which are 1.46 m high. In between these columns are seven 'false windows'. The upper part of most of these has also been lost. Below the columns, is a relief frieze depicting a battle of horsemen & infantry, who are probably Macedonians and Persians. The figures are made from lime mortar, their armour and clothes are painted, and the background is dark blue. Below this, there is a cornice with floral designs on a dark blue background and an entablature made up of dark blue triglyphs and metopes with a centauromachy. The lower half of the facade consists of four Doric columns in antis. The doorway to the antechamber is in the central intercolumniation.The tomb is best-known for the four paintings in the lower half of the facade. These are located in the upper part of the spaces between the Doric columns. In the outer left space, there is a warrior, depicted frontally, looking slightly to the right. His left hand rests on the sheath of his sword, while his right hand holds a spear point down. He wears a short red chiton with a white cuirass over the top, a yellow chlamys over the right shoulder, and high yellow boots. In the inner left space there is Hermes Psychopompus, who lead the spirits of the dead down to the underworld. He is depicted frontally, moving to right, with his head turned to the left. His right arm is stretched out as if beckoning to the warrior and his left hand holds the caduceus, but he does not wear the petasus or winged sandles. He wears a dark red chiton, a pale blue chlamys with purple edges, and tall yellow boots.
In the spaces to the right of the door, are Aeacus and Rhadamanthys, two of the three judges of the dead, each identified by an inscription above them. Aeacus is shown on the inner right intercolumniation, in profile, seated on a cubic chair and looking to the left. His left hand is raised over his head and holds a long rod; his right hand is on his thigh. He wears a brown himation, which covers his entire body except for one shoulder and his upper chest. There is a ribbon and a wreath in his hair. His beard is rather wild. Rhadamanthys in the outer right intercolumiation is also depicted as an old man, with a wild beard and a wreath, but he is shown standing, in three-quarter view, resting on his staff. His himation is paler than Aeacus'. If the warrior is interpreted as a depiction of the tomb's occupant, then the series of images depicts the deceased being led down to judgement in Hades. This is the source of the tomb's usual name.