Bones left behind by looters could shed light on mystery of huge ancient tomb in Greece

This picture taken on Thursday, Oct. 10 2014, shows work under progress at Casta Hill near Amphipolis in northern Greece, where archaeologists are excavating a large 4th century B.C. tomb. Bones from a skeleton found in the tomb's innermost chamber could help solve the riddle of who was buried in opulent splendor there. A Culture Ministry statement on Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2014, said the skeleton was strewn in and around a rectangular stone-lined cist, under the floor of the cavernous, vaulted structure that is 8 metres (26 feet) tall. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris) (The Associated Press)

This picture provided by Greece's Culture Ministry on Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2014, shows the top of a stone-lined cistern found in a large 4th century B.C. tomb under excavation at Amphipolis in northern Greece. Bones from a skeleton found in the tomb's innermost chamber could help solve the riddle of who was buried in opulent splendor there. A Culture Ministry statement on Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2014, said the skeleton was strewn in and around the cistern under the floor of the cavernous, vaulted structure that is 8 metres (26 feet) tall. (AP Photo/Greek Culture Ministry) (The Associated Press)

This drawing provided by Greece's Culture Ministry shows the three-chambered interior of a large 4th century B.C. tomb under excavation at Amphipolis in northern Greece. Bones from a skeleton found in the tomb's innermost chamber could help solve the riddle of who was buried in opulent splendor there. A Culture Ministry statement on Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2014, said the skeleton was strewn in and around a rectangular stone-lined cist, under the floor of the cavernous, vaulted structure that is 8 metres (26 feet) tall. (AP Photo/Greek Culture Ministry) (The Associated Press)

Bones from a skeleton found in the innermost chamber of a huge, looted tomb in Greece could help archaeologists solve the riddle of who was buried in opulent splendor there, around the end of the 4th century B.C. in the twilight of Alexander the Great's reign.

A Culture Ministry statement on Wednesday said the skeleton was strewn in and around a rectangular stone-lined cist, under the floor of the cavernous, vaulted structure that is 8 meters (26 feet) tall.

In an excavation over the past three months near ancient Amphipolis, 600 kilometers (375 miles) north of Athens, Greek archaeologists have uncovered a three-chamber tomb decorated with marble statues of sphinxes and young women, and a large mosaic pavement.

Alexander was buried in Egypt, but his tomb has not been located.