The Kasta Tomb of Amphipolis

In November and December 2025, a team from Factum Foundation carried out the high-resolution recording of the Amphipolis Tomb on the hill of Kasta, in Greece. This monumental funerary complex, dating back more than 2,300 years, is considered one of the most significant archaeological discoveries of recent decades. It represents an exceptional example of Macedonian funerary architecture and art during the Hellenistic period.

Head of the eastern Sphinx, using three different photographic techniques (visible, ultraviolet spectrum and fluorescence under ultraviolet radiation) © Christos Simatos

3D mesh of the Sphinx’s head © Factum Foundation

The entrance to the giant tumulus tomb (500 metres in diameter) was uncovered in 2014. The monument comprises four chambers containing several important sculptures (Sphinxes and Caryatids), a pebble mosaic, and painted marble slabs. It is generally dated, in several phases, from the late fourth century to the third century BCE. The identity of the tomb’s occupant remains unknown, though possibly connected to the Macedonian royal family.

Over the course of two weeks, and under the direction of Dr Hariclia Brecoulaki, Factum Foundation’s team systematically recorded the tomb’s elaborate architectural elements and decorative features using a combination of non-invasive technologies. The monument’s famous Sphinxes, Caryatids, mosaic floor depicting the Abduction of Persephone, painted marble friezes, and the iconic Lion of Amphipolis were all captured using LiDAR, photogrammetry, and a portable version of the Selene Photometric Stereo Scanner. These recording methods achieved accuracy levels of up to 20 microns, ensuring that the finest details of the polychrome decoration and sculptural work were preserved.

The project forms part of AmphiPoly, a major research initiative commissioned by the Greek Ministry of Culture in collaboration with the National Hellenic Research Foundation (EIE) and the National Centre for Scientific Research “Demokritos” (NCSR-D). The comprehensive digital data will support an informed reconstruction of the monument’s original appearance, including its polychromy and iconography across all chronological phases. Through archaeometric analysis, advanced imaging techniques, and historical-archaeological research, the project aims to create a three-dimensional digital visualisation and restoration of the monument.

Factum Foundation will produce three different digital reconstructions and physical outputs: first, the façade with Sphinxes, reuniting fragments in the museum with the bodies and incorporating polychromy based on archaeometric research to be undertaken in 2026; second, the mosaic, with the central recess reconstructed with its fragments in the museum, in collaboration with visual artists in Greece and the restoration team of the Ephorate; and finally, the giant Lion (approximately 5 metres tall, 13 metres with its base), reunited with its possible fragments in the museum.

In addition to physical facsimiles of the three priority elements (the Sphinx façade, the mosaic with reconstructed centre, and the Lion with its base), the AmphiPoly project will also release the digital models and virtual-reality (VR) videos for museum use. These will be displayed in a new museum and exhibition space currently under construction at the site, providing visitors with an innovative, immersive experience that allows them to explore the monument’s architectural and decorative elements interactively and visualise the archaeometric data underpinning the restoration of its decoration.

The project exemplifies the Greek Ministry of Culture’s commitment to leveraging cutting-edge scientific research, technology, and archaeometry to study and present — with the greatest possible respect — the original polychromy, aesthetic qualities, and symbolic depth of this funerary complex.