The Museum of the Royal Tombs of Aigai (Vergina) is located 75 kilometers west of Thessaloniki, Greece. It is built around the royal tombs created by the ancient Kingdom of Macedon in Aigai. The underground museum, which houses the burial site of Philip II of Macedon, started construction in 1993 and opened in 1997. The museum has four connected areas: the Palace, the royal burial site of the Temenid dynasty (burial cluster "C"), the burial site of Philip II, and a gateway with an outdoor display of sculptures found in city temples and the restored top floor of Philip’s Palace facade. The tombs and other archaeological sites in Aigai were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1996 because of their unique architecture and their importance in showing the change from city-states to empires in European history.

The museum displays items found during archaeological digs that began in 1861 and continue today.

Archaeology

Archaeologists were interested in the burial mounds near Vergina as early as 1855 AD, thinking that the ancient city of Aigai might be nearby. However, only empty tombs were found at that time. Excavations began again in 1861 under the French archaeologist Léon Heuzey, who was supported by Napoleon III. Near Palatitsa, pieces of a large building were discovered. This building was believed to be part of a palace once owned by Antigonus III Doson, who lived between 263 and 221 BC. The building was partly destroyed by fire. The excavators thought this area might be the site of the ancient city of Valla, a belief that lasted until 1976. However, the work had to stop because of the danger of malaria.

In 1937, Konstantinos Romaios, an archaeology professor at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, discovered the first royal tomb. He found it while working near the remains of a palace. Much of the palace had been damaged because Greek refugees, who had been moved from Turkish Anatolia after the Greco-Turkish War, used its materials for building a new settlement. They named this settlement Vergina after a legendary queen in 1922. However, the excavations stopped when war with Italy began in 1940. World War II was followed by the Greek Civil War (1946–1949).

In 1949, excavations began again, led by Manolis Andronikos. He finished exploring the palace in 1970 and then focused on the Great Tumulus, which he believed was a burial mound containing the tombs of Macedonian kings. In 1977, Andronikos found four tombs, two of which had never been disturbed. He identified two of these as the tombs of Philip II, the father of Alexander the Great (Tomb II), and Alexander IV of Macedon, the son of Alexander the Great and Roxana (Tomb III). Later, these tombs were reclassified as follows:

• Tomb I: Philip III of Macedon (Alexander the Great’s half-brother)
• Tomb II: Philip II of Macedon (Alexander the Great’s father)
• Tomb III: Alexander IV of Macedon (Alexander the Great’s son)

Tomb I also contained the remains of a woman and a baby. Antonis Bartsiokas identified them as Cleopatra Eurydice, the young wife of Philip II, and their newborn child. Cleopatra Eurydice was killed along with her baby.

In 1987, a burial area including the tomb of Queen Eurydice I was found. Between 1991 and 2009, over 1,000 tombs were uncovered, along with parts of the city, homes, cemeteries, streets, religious sites, and city walls. A burial area belonging to the Temenids, an ancient Macedonian royal family of Dorian Greek origin, was also discovered. In March 2014, five more royal tombs were found. These may belong to Alexander I of Macedon and his family or to the family of Cassander.

Exhibition areas

In the tomb of Philip II, archaeologists discovered several important items. These included a golden chest decorated with the sixteen-rayed "Sun of Vergina" on its lid, which held the king's bones. Other items found were a detailed gold burial wreath, a diadem made of silver and gold with a Heracles knot, silver and bronze vessels from a funeral feast, and carved ivory decorations from the funeral couch. Also present were gold armor, greaves (leg protection) specifically made to fit Philip's leg, which had been damaged by a broken tibia that did not heal properly. Additional items included ivory inlaid shields, weapons, ivory reliefs, jewelry, and terracotta votive figurines. Similar objects, such as jewelry and body decorations from the 9th century BC "Lady of Aigai," were also discovered in other tombs.

Gallery

• Golden chest containing the remains of Philip II of Macedon, marked with the Star of Vergina
• Gold funeral wreath belonging to Queen Meda, who was Philip II's sixth wife
• Ivory plaque showing a boar from the footrest of Philip II's funeral couch
• Silver and gold crown worn by Philip II, decorated with a Heracles knot
• Silver drinking vessel with a relief image of Silenus
• Bronze lantern with a relief image of Pan
• Close-up view of the Pan relief on the bronze lantern
• Gold Gorgon Head from Philip II's breastplate
• Bronze leg armor used by Philip II
• Gold two-pin brooch with a chain tied in a Heracles knot
• Ivory and gold miniature of Sabazios from the tomb of Alexander IV
• Remains of the fire used to burn Philip II's body
• Gold jewelry and clothing decorations from a Macedonian queen's tomb in Aigai
• Items found in the 9th century BCE tomb of the "Lady of Aigai"
• Silver cup found in Philip II's tomb
• Silver drinking cup found in Philip II's tomb
• Gold gorytos (a container for arrows and a bow case), leg armor, and neck armor from Queen Meda of Odessos, who was Philip II's sixth wife
• Detail of a painting on the tomb wall showing Hades taking Persephone