The Burial Tumulus of Mikri Doxipara-Zoni

At the beginning of the 2nd century AD, four members of a rich landowning family, (who died over a period of time), were cremated and buried at the same location, close to the road which led from Hadrianopolis to Philippoupolis. At this site a large tumulus was gradually constructed to keep the memory of the dead alive through the centuries.

The area today is part of the municipality of Kyprinos and is situated close to the villages of Mikri Doxipara, Zoni and Chelidona Excavation has revealed four large pits which contained the cremated remains of three males and one female along with numerous offerings to accompany them into the afterlife, such as clay, glass and bronze vessels, bronze lamp stands and lamps, bronze lanterns, weapons, jewellery, wooden boxes etc. The five wagons with which the dead had been brought to the site were buried in the same location along with their horses. A further five horses were buried close by. Metal decorations and metal parts of the mechanism of all the wagons remain while in two cases impressions of the wooden parts have been preserved.