Archaeology in Macedonia has made remarkable advances over the course of the last century. WWII through a huge wrench into the gears, bringing work to a screeching halt. But ever since the 60s Greek archaeologists (along with some work by the French school on Thasos and E Macedonia and the American School on Samothrace and Olynthos) have made remarkable discoveries opening our eyes to things unexpected in the "barbaric" north. Vergina may be the site that has received most international attention, but it is only the tip of the iceberg!

As for the gold, most of it comes from tombs (especially the intact pieces). Cemeteries are a top priority in rescue excavations since tombs are very vulnerable to looters. Graves are the one type of archaeological context where excavators/looters have the highest certainty of finding intact vessels, valuable ornaments, etc. They are also remarkably visible on the landscape, especially those bearing tumuli as markers. One glance at the cemetery of Vergina (which I will grant stands out in as an example) or beyond the walls of Pella is enough to convince even the untrained eye. Whatever is salvaged is a true gift to all, not to mention the hungry brains of scholars and afficionados everywhere. By the way, Pella has several Macedonian tombs, some of which line up along the modern Ethnike Odos, and that is only in addition to spectacular cist tombs and limiteless other graves. Currently, work is being conducted on the cemetery UNDER the agora, giving us information about the Classical inhabitants of the site (even if we can't find the Classical city).

Having stated the importance of such archaeological endeavors, the sad consequence is that an unbalanced emphasis is placed on the so-call "archaeology of the dead". Tombs can tell us a great deal about the culture being excavated. But typically the information gathered is what the creators of the tombs "wanted" to promote (wealth, military success, prestige, etc). Excavation of domestic contexts, markets, ports, etc can tell us so much about how people lived! But, the archaeological nature of spaces that were used regularly is frustrating: people cleaned up, moved around, and generally removed items that were valuable and/or useful to them. This makes the interpretation of such sites infuriatingly difficult. Having said this, professional looters tend to stay away from such sites, as they know that relatively little will come from their work. Unfortunately, "casual looters" don't understand this. They are blinded by the legends surrounding places of historical importance. They rip through walls, dig up floors, and usually end up with a disappointing (to them) collection of sherds. They have no idea that they are destroying the archaeological record (and generally they don't care).

Kalliste, I have good news for you: Pella's excavation of the cemetery under the agora revealed a wonderful linguistic artifact! (And we all know how few and far removed such artifacts are!) It is a curse tablet found in one of the tombs. It was written by (or for) a lay-person (I believe a woman), it has been looked at for any clues on the Macedonian dialect. Now, it is in Greek, but it contains phrasing that is peculiar. It has received attention in Greek archaeological journals, but my Classicist friends had never heard of it (leading me to believe that all publication is limited to Greek). Let me know if you are interested in more, and I'll write up a little synopsis of the work. (It is really fun; If I remember correctly, the woman is trying to bind her husband to keep him loyal to her!)

Vergina is far from all in Macedon! Do not do yourselves the disservice of limiting your visit to it if ever in Macedonia! Pella gives you the opportunity to walk through the streets of the city, around the agora, and into spectacular housing. You can feel the crowds filling those same streets, even if they are empty to the eye today. And need I mention Mieza, Lefkandi, Aiane, Dion, Olynthos, Stageira, Amphipolis, Philippi...?