Ancient Macedonian cemetery treasures found

[Owlscrying]

A bronze helmet with golden facial plates of an ancient warrior

Gold jewellery was found in a woman's grave at the ancient cemetery

An ancient cemetery in northern Greece has yielded gold jewellery, copper and iron weapons and pottery in a new excavation.

Archaeologists digging in part of a vast burial ground near Pella, the ancient Macedonians' capital, have unearthed 43 new graves.

The dead included 20 warriors who had been buried in the Archaic period, between 580-480 B.C., with copper helmets and iron swords, daggers and spearheads.

Ornaments of gold foil - specially made for funerals - covered their mouths, eyes and chests, according to the Greek Culture Ministry.

A total of 915 graves have been excavated over the past eight years at the site of Arhontiko, about 330 miles north-west of Athens. Archaeologists estimate this represents just five percent of the cemetery.

'The funerary use of (gold) and the other grave goods points to a strong belief in life after death, and rebirth.

Arhontiko was first settled around 6000 B.C. and abandoned in the 14th century A.D.

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