In Korinós, the Toupes site brings together two Macedonian chamber tombs with a shared historical date and distinctly different architectural features. Tomb A is notable for its length, a descending passage and three rooms. Tomb B is described in terms of its two chambers, tuff and the distinctive design of its interior. Those interested in the cultural history of the site can distinguish between the tombs by their layout and furnishings, rather than grouping them together under the shared name “Macedonian tombs.”

Tomb A: Scale and Sequence of Rooms

The so-called Heuzey Tomb was first investigated in 1861. This is the year of the investigation, not the date when the tomb was built: Tomb A dates from the last quarter of the 4th century BC. Macedonian Tomb Tumulus A is more than 20 metres long and lies at the western edge of an existing burial mound. Its architecture includes a vaulted, masonry passage that descends, as well as three rooms: a “courtyard,” an antechamber and a burial chamber. These rooms are also covered by a single shared vault. To understand the layout, it helps to distinguish between the passage and the rooms: the entrance forms a separate element of the complex, while the three named areas describe the division of the interior. Tomb A thus combines a large scale with a clearly defined sequence of rooms.

Tomb B: Material and Ornament

Macedonian Tomb B at Toupes also dates from the last quarter of the 4th century BC. If you would like to visit the interior, please check in advance whether it is currently open to the public. It has two chambers and is built of tuff coated with mortar. The antechamber is decorated with a painted meander. The burial chamber is adorned with a multicoloured frieze featuring consoles, an Ionic egg-and-dart motif and a plant motif. A frieze is a decorative band; the multicoloured frieze in the burial chamber brings several of these elements together.

Two Tombs, Two Architectural Features

The shared date places Tombs A and B in the same broad historical period. By contrast, the year 1861 relates to the investigation of Tomb A and should not be confused with its construction date. When comparing the floor plans, it is also important to retain the different ways the rooms are counted: Tomb A is described as having three rooms, including a “courtyard,” an antechamber and a burial chamber; Tomb B is described as a structure with two chambers. Tomb A draws attention to its length, location on the burial mound and sequence of rooms. For Tomb B, the focus is on its material, plaster and the distribution of its decorative features. This makes it possible to appreciate the cultural significance of the two structures through their specific architectural differences, not only through their shared historical period.

For anyone looking for a hotel in Korinós and taking cultural history into account when choosing where to stay, the Tombs of Toupes provide a specific point of interest. To find your bearings, it helps to note the precise locations: Korinós is the place, Toupes is the site, and A and B identify the individual tombs. This makes it possible to describe the archaeological aspect of the destination without reducing the different structures to a single type.

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