Archaeologists Discover Largest Tomb in Greece From Alexander the Great Era

A historically "significant" and large tomb has been discovered outside of Greece's northeast Macedonian region, government officials announced Tuesday.

The large tomb, discovered about 65 miles northeast of Thessaloniki, reportedly consists of large sphinx statues and a large marble wall, built for protection around the tomb. The burial site is suspected to be the largest tomb in Greece, and archaeologists in the region suggest that a prominent Macedonian must be buried in the large tomb.

"It is certain that we stand before an especially significant finding. The land of Macedonia continues to move and surprise us, revealing its unique treasures," Prime Minister Antonis Samaras said in a statement Tuesday after he visited the site, located in Amphipolis.

It remains undetermined if the tomb possibly belonged to Alexander the Great, with lead archaeologist Katerina Peristeri telling BBC that the tomb was definitely built after the death of Alexander the Great, who was known as the ruler of the Greek Macedon kingdom who traveled to the Middle East, Asia, and northeast Africa.

Prime Minister Samaras said that the upcoming excavation of the tomb will determine if the burial place actually held Alexander the Great. "The excavation will answer the crucial question of who was buried inside," Samaras said.

So far, archaeologists have managed to uncover a broad path with about 13 steps leading up the tomb, which was originally discovered by archaeologists in 2012. A large lion statue found nearby the tomb is believed to have been a part of the original burial layout.