Gaby
Researchers identified fragments of an impressive cotton chiton (tunic) that they believe belonged to Alexander the Great. The fragments weren’t found in Alexander’s tomb but likely in the grave of his half-brother, Philip III Arrhidaeus. The team thinks Arrhidaeus inherited the tunic after Alexander’s death in 323 BC.
Alexander the Great ruled Macedonia from 336 to 323 BC. He died at 32 and is considered one of history’s most successful military commanders — the architect of what people often call a world empire. His final resting place, however, is unknown. Many historians think he was first buried in Egypt, but his remains may have been moved later to protect the tomb from looters.
Archaeologists first discovered the royal necropolis at Vergina in the 1970s. They interpreted three tombs as the graves of high-status individuals tied to Alexander the Great: his son Alexander IV, his father Philip II, and his half-brother Philip III Arrhidaeus.
A new study led by Antonios Barciokas, a professor of anthropology at Democritus University of Thrace, aimed to pin down which family members were buried in those three tombs. Using advanced analyses of the remains, the team concluded that Philip III Arrhidaeus was buried in Tomb II. It was in that grave that archaeologists found the purple-and-white chiton believed to have belonged to Alexander the Great.
Meanwhile, Philip II was in Tomb I, and Alexander IV was in Tomb III.
What Makes Alexander the Great’s Chiton Noteworthy?
Barciokas said the garment survives only in fragments. Physical, chemical, and microscopic analyses show the tunic was cotton, mainly dyed purple and white. The purple dye signaled the wearer’s high status.
More specifically, the fabric had several purple layers over one or two layers of white. Researchers found a shiny mineral called huntite in the white fragments, the Daily Mail reported.
The tunic was likely worn by Alexander after he conquered Persia, since purple and huntite were symbols of power among Persian rulers.
Along with the sacred tunic, the team also found a golden scepter, a wreath, and a diadem in the tomb.
