Every kid who rode a longboard skateboard to class in college (and Jaden Smith) just booked a flight to Stagira, Greece. Because it’s in that small village about 40 miles outside Thessaloniki that the tomb of the Greek philosopher Aristotle was just found.
The crypt was unearthed as part of a two-decade long archaeological dig in Stagira’s ancient city, and announced in Thessaloniki at a conference marking 2,400 years since Aristotle’s birth. Lead archaeologist Konstantinos Sismanidis says he has no concrete evidence that the tomb is Aristotle’s. But from the location of the tomb, the time of its construction and the materials used, he is ” as certain as one can be” that the tomb belongs to the famous thinker.
“We had found the tomb. We’ve now also found the altar referred to in ancient texts, as well as the road leading to the tomb, which was very close to the city’s ancient marketplace within the city settlement,” he said.
Stagira is Aristotle’s birthplace, and the views of the city and proximity to the town center lend credence to the idea that the tomb was built to honor its most famous citizen. The tomb was built soon after the death of Alexander the Great, who was Aristotle’s most well-known pupil. Of course, this kickstarted the chain of events that gave us Philosophical Puppy, so we owe him a great debt.
“All [the evidence leads] to the conclusion that the remains of the arched structure are part of what was once the tomb-shrine of Aristotle,” Sismanidis said.
The Greek Reporter notes that the tomb was destroyed when the Byzantines built a tower on top of it.
(Via the New York Times)