Alexander the Great’s tunic found?
A team of archaeologists led by Antonis Bartziokas from Democritus University of Thrace has reportedly identified the sacred “chiton” or tunic of Alexander the Great, sending shockwaves through the archaeological community.
The finding, published in the Journal of Field Archaeology, refers to a piece of purple fabric discovered in a royal tomb in Vergina in Macedonia in northern Greece.
It was found in the golden ossuary of Tomb II alongside the remains of a man and a gold wreath.
The woven purple robe, known as a sarapis, was traditionally worn by Persian kings and later adopted by Alexander.
Extensive analysis shows the fabric is made from cotton – a rarity for the time – and dyed royal purple. Additionally, researchers found chondrite, a shiny white mineral used in ancient Persia, within the fabric layers.
These results suggest the fabric belonged to royal attire with eastern origins, likely brought back by Alexander himself.
This discovery reshapes the understanding of the tomb’s contents, indicating that many items may have belonged to Alexander rather than his father, King Philip II of Macedon.
