CRITICAL ASSESSMENT OF THE BARREL VAULT GEOMETRY AND STRUCTURE OF THE OLDEST MACEDONIAN TOMB OF EURYDICE IN VERGINA

Abstract

This article is concerned with the particular case of the semi-cylindrical barrel vaulted Macedonian tomb of "Eurydice", the earliest known Macedonian contribution to the development of vaulted Hellenistic architecture and structure. This tomb is considered as a critical case in the problematic chronology of barrel vault application in early Hellenistic architecture (around 340 BCE), represented by the Macedonian tombs. Still, perhaps the most striking features of the tomb– the physical structures of the barrel vault – have not been subjected to geometrical and engineering structural analysis. The paper’s scope focuses on the structural assessment of Eurydice tomb construction. The paper primary objectives are to develop an understanding of the structural mechanics of Eurydice barrel vault within the supporting bearing walls, and to investigate the tomb unique geometrical and structural design. In order to accomplish this task, a general historical and structural behavior study was carried out regarding the barrel vault and its geometry, by following the theories developed by recent researchers, in order to compare these results and to rationalize them in this unique example of Eurydice tomb. Mainly, to undertake a task, that till now, was never accomplished. The results of this work show that Eurydice tomb exhibits such a high structural integrity and strength, demonstrating the ability of early Hellenistic architects to construct extremely safe barrel vaulting structures. The paper also argues that, the tomb architect was familiar with the main theoretical laws of structural force mechanics of the barrel vault, which were commonly accredited to the Romans, and that were later on revived until the 18th century.