Athens  - Archaeologists conducting excavations at the birthplace of Alexander of Great in northern Greece uncovered dozens of weapons and gold ornaments belonging to warriors, reports said Friday.

The excavations of the vast ancient burial site near Pella in northern Greece uncovered 50 graves dating from the 6th century BC. Those shed light on the early development of the Macedonian kingdom, which had an empire that stretched as far away as India under Alexander the Great's conquests.

Among the most interesting discoveries were the graves of 50 warriors. Some were buried in bronze helmets alongside iron weapons.

Their eyes, mouths and chests were covered in gold foil richly decorated with drawings of animals symbolizing royal power. Dozens of statuettes and pottery were also uncovered.

The excavation is part of an eight-year project that has uncovered more than 900 graves and offered evidence of an ancient Macedonian society that was organized along militaristic lines with overseas trade as early as the second half of the seventh century BC.

Alexander the Great, whose father Phillip II was credited with unifying the city states of mainland Greece, went on to conquer the entirety of the Persian Empire before dying at the age of 32 in Babylon.(dpa)