When you say pyramids, our mind immediately passes to Egypt. However, the pyramids are scattered around the world: America, Europe, Asia and India. They are simply everywhere and there are hundreds of thousands of them - more or less preserved. Therefore, it is natural that we find their ruins in Greece as well.

Known as the Pyramids of Argolis, the ancient buildings can be found on the plains of Argolid in Greece and date back to 5000 years ago. The most famous is the Hellinikon Pyramid.

Hellinikon Pyramid

The Hellinikon Pyramid was referred to by an ancient Greek traveler and geographer Pausanias in his  Description of Greece. He mentions two pyramid-like buildings: one a tomb for soldiers who died in the battle for the throne of Argos, and another, which he was told was the tomb of Argive killed in the battle around 669 BC.

On the way from Arg to Epidaurus, on the right is a pyramid-like building with embossed Argive-shaped gables in relief. This is where the battle for the throne took place between Proetus and Akrisius; It is said that the match ended in a draw and then there was a reconciliation, because neither could win a decisive victory. The story is that they and their hosts were armed with shields that were first used in this battle. A common tomb was built here for those who fell on both sides, as they were fellow citizens and relatives. - Pausanias: 25.02

Old pyramids

In 1938, an American archaeological expedition discovered the construction of a pyramid around 300-400 BC; however, in 1991, a scientific team led by Professor Lyritzis used a new method to calculate the age of the pyramid and placed it around 3000 BC. Later research  by the Academy of Athens and the University of Edinburgh changed the date to 2720 BC. In other words, the truth is somewhere else. The pyramid belongs to an era when it was no longer possible to manipulate massive blocks or create monolithic buildings. Official archeology does not know when this period occurred. It is assumed that it could have been after The great flood of the world (about 11500 BCE).

Hellinikon Pyramid has (compared to those in Egypt) miniature dimensions 7 x 9 meters - this building is extremely important for our understanding of the beginning of civilization in Greece. Nevertheless, the excavation of this monument was strangely abandoned.  

The ruins of the pyramid in Greece

Pyramid of Lygourio

Northwest of Lygourio, at the foot of Mount Arachnaion, is another important Greek pyramid. Archaeologists believe that it was built in the 4th century BCE from limestone blocks and was larger than the pyramid at Hellinkon. It is stated that the original dimensions were 14 x 12 meters.

The interior of the pyramid was divided into four areas divided by walls built of smaller irregular stones. The outer wall was once surrounded on all sides by a stone bench. Today, only the base of the pyramid remains.

Scientists believe that the pyramid, which is said to have been used as a memorial to fallen warriors in the battle between Proitos and Akrisios, was originally built as a military fortress because it was built near the ancient Argos-Epidaurus road, where many along the way were built fortress. What was the very original purpose of this construction is as uncertain as the other pyramids in the world. But it wasn't the tombs!

Inaccurate dating of the age of the pyramid

Archaeological excavations were carried out in 1937, which provided pottery shards dating to the 5th - 4th century BC. Coins from Epidaurus from 323-300 BC were also found in the ruins. The fire damaged the pyramid in the 1st century BC and it is assumed that its final destruction occurred in the 4th or 5th century AD.

Dating by found shards is unfortunately very misleading. We can only speculate that the pyramid probably existed at that time, but we cannot deduce from this how many (thousand) years it has been standing at that place. It can be the other way around. Just until younger buildings place much older shards.

Egyptian connection?

Some historians have tried to draw parallels with the ancient Egyptian pyramids, even suggesting that the pyramids in Greece were built as guard houses for Egyptian mercenaries or that the tradition of building pyramids for funeral purposes was transferred to Greece from Egypt. To date, however, there is no substantial evidence to support these theories. No human remains were ever found in the pyramids, although Pausanias described them as tombs.