22 August 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

Alexander the Great’s Sacred Purple Tunic Found in a 2,400-year-old Macedonian Tomb?

Archaeologists have found a sacred chiton (tunic) in a 2400-year-old royal tomb in the Macedonian city of Vergina in northern Greece, and it could belong to Alexander the Great!

Archaeologists have known for decades that Alexander the Great’s family has a close connection to the three royal tombs located in Vergina. However, it has been more than fifty years since they were able to agree on who they belonged to.

The inhabitants of the 4th century BC Royal Tombs were the subject of another study earlier this year. According to the results of the research, the tombs contained the remains of Alexander’s father, stepmother, half-sisters, and son.

Under the direction of Antonis Bartsiokas of Democritus University of Thrace, a team of archaeologists identified a purple-dyed cotton cloth that corresponds to historical accounts of the sarapis, a ceremonial garment worn by the great Persian kings that Alexander took after defeating Darius III of Persia.

The sacred “chiton” was found in the golden ossuary of Tomb II alongside the remains of a man and a gold wreath.

Through in-depth analysis of the tunic, the tombs, and historical records, researchers have finally been able to link this royal garment to Alexander the Great. Additionally, huntite, a bright white mineral used in ancient Persia, was found between the layers of the textile, reinforcing the idea that this garment has an eastern origin.

The remains of a royal cloak discovered in Tomb II may have belonged to Alexander the Great, according to a study published in The Journal of Field Archaeology. An international team of archaeologists and osteologists set out to identify the tomb’s occupants after it was found inside a golden ossuary that contained male remains that were initially thought to be those of Philip II.

Façade of Vergina's Tomb II. Credit: Sarah Murray / Wikimedia Commons
Façade of Vergina’s Tomb II. Credit: Sarah Murray / Wikimedia Commons

This finding has significant ramifications because it may indicate that many of the items discovered in Tomb II belonged to Alexander the Great rather than Philip II, as was previously thought. Research suggests that Tomb II, located in the Great Tumulus of Vergina, does not house the remains of Philip II, Alexander’s father, but rather those of his half-brother, Philip III Arrhidaeus, who inherited several symbols of power from Alexander after his death.

A golden diadem, a scepter, and a golden oak wreath are among the items discovered in the tomb; these items are all referenced in historical accounts as being a part of Alexander’s royal attire. But because the sarapis had such symbolic meaning in the Persian court, their discovery is especially significant.

The sarapis was a purple tunic with a white stripe down the center, reserved exclusively for Persian kings, and Alexander’s adoption of it marked his dominance over the vast Persian Empire.

A figure, most likely Alexander, is shown hunting in a purple sarapis with two white stripes on a frieze in Tomb II. The conclusion that the tunic belonged to Alexander the Great is further supported by the fact that it matches historical accounts, as do other relics, such as a golden oak wreath discovered in Tomb II.

A garment of such immense value would likely have been inherited by a close family member. After Alexander’s death, the Macedonian army crowned his half-brother, Philip III Arrhidaeus, as king. According to The Greek Reporter, he most likely brought Alexander’s belongings back to Greece, including the royal scepter and tunic.

This new study provides answers to lingering questions surrounding the Royal Tombs of Vergina. It confirms that Alexander the Great was not buried there. Instead, Tomb I holds the remains of Philip II, his wife Cleopatra, and their newborn child.

Based on royal symbols and osteological data, Tomb II contains the remains of King Philip III Arrhidaeus and his wife Adea Eurydice, while Alexander IV is buried in Tomb III.

Cover Image Credit: Alexander Sarcophagus, illustration showing Alexander in the battle of Issus (333 BC) Wikipedia Commons

Related Articles

A protected Punic-Roman tower “Tal-Wilġa” has been turned into a building site

15 August 2021

15 August 2021

The Tal-Wilga tower, one of Malta’s Punic-Roman heritage sites, is in danger from construction work near it. The Superintendent of...

Earliest Known East Anglian Gold Coin Found: A Fusion of Pagan and Christian Imagery

12 June 2025

12 June 2025

A rare gold coin dating back to the early Anglo-Saxon period has been discovered near Norwich, UK, by a metal...

Failed Mongol fleet may actually land in Japan after 800 years

18 July 2023

18 July 2023

A  recent shipwreck was found off the coast of Japan this year and identified as part of a Mongol fleet...

Pharaonic Hieroglyphic Inscription of Ramses III Found in Southern Jordan

20 April 2025

20 April 2025

In a remarkable archaeological breakthrough, a hieroglyphic inscription bearing the royal cartouche of Pharaoh Ramses III (1186–1155 BC) has been...

14,000-year-old settlement discovered in western Turkey

26 November 2021

26 November 2021

During the rescue excavation carried out in a cave in Dikili, İzmir, in western Turkey, 14 thousand-year-old stone tools and...

Medieval Hub of Arts & Crafts Center discovered in Nola: The discovery could rewrite the history of early medieval Nola

23 August 2023

23 August 2023

On the outskirts of Nola, a district from the early Middle Ages has been discovered. According to the Soprintendenza Archeologia,...

Treasure Hunters’ permission given to raise mystery canister in hunt for lost Nazi Gold

5 August 2022

5 August 2022

Treasure hunters claim they have permission to lift a buried canister that they believe may hold the loot next month...

Researchers found similar descriptions in the Book of Revelation and ancient curse tablets

10 February 2023

10 February 2023

A research project headed by Dr. Michael Hölscher of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU), has uncovered that the book of...

4500-year-old tiger-patterned ritual weapon uncover in east China

4 April 2023

4 April 2023

Archaeologists discovered an extremely rare stone relic, an axe-shaped weapon used for rituals in ancient China, engraved with a tiger...

Archaeologists Discovered Medieval Silver Communion Set and 70 Silver Coins in Hungary

16 June 2024

16 June 2024

A 14th-century silver communion set (chalice and wafer holder) and a treasure trove of 70 silver coins were discovered in...

Paleontologists say world’s oldest-known burial site found in South Africa

6 June 2023

6 June 2023

American explorer and scientist Lee Berger in South Africa said they have found the oldest-known burial site in the world,...

Three Strange Skull Modifications Discovered in Viking Women

31 March 2024

31 March 2024

In recent years, research has provided evidence for permanent body modification in the Viking Age. The latest of these investigations...

1400-year-old gold foil figures found in pagan temple

19 September 2023

19 September 2023

Archaeologists have discovered a votive gold hoard during road development works in Vingrom, south of Lillehammer on the shores of...

Medieval ship found off the west coast of Sweden

5 February 2022

5 February 2022

A previously undiscovered wreck has been found outside of Fjällbacka on the Swedish west coast. Analysis of wood samples shows...

Ancient Greeks Built a Road to Haul Cargo Overland: The Father of the Railway: Diolkos

6 May 2024

6 May 2024

The Diolkos, an ambitious road that crossed the entire Isthmus of Corinth and was partially paved with stone, was built...