In the area between the modern villages of Papoulia and Platanos and near the chapel of Agios Ioannis, Spyridon Marinatos and Georgios Korres excavated a tumulus with 13 burial pithoi, 2 cist graves and 1pit grave. There are indications that the site was inhabited as early as the Early Helladic period (3rd millennium BC), while during the Middle Helladic period there would have been small settlements, possibly related to the earthen mounds found in the area. The diameter of the Papoulia tumulus is 12-13 m and its height would not have exceeded 2 m. It was built gradually with at least three successive earthen mounds supported by masonry around the perimeter, while the burial pithoi were arranged in a radial pattern with their mouths facing outwards. A horseshoe-shaped structure, probably interpreted as a cenotaph, was found in the center of the tumulus. The original use of the pithoi was for storage, and some were welded together with lead fasteners. They were up to 1.98 m high, while two smaller ones were used for burying children. The tumulus at Papoulia was probably used for burials of a family or a clan during the Middle Helladic period (20th-17th century BC). Some cist graves, found both inside and outside the mound, probably belong to the Christian period. The tumuli are the most widespread and characteristic funerary monuments of Messenia during the Middle Helladic period and it is believed that during the Early Mycenaean period (17th/16th century BC) they were morphologically adapted to the type of the tholos tomb.

Η αρχική χρήση των πίθων ήταν αποθηκευτική και κάποιοι είχαν συγκολληθεί με μολύβδινους συνδέσμους. Είχαν ύψος μέχρι 1,98 μ., ενώ δύο μικρότεροι χρησιμοποιήθηκαν για παιδικές ταφές. Ο τύμβος στα Παπούλια πιθανότατα χρησιμοποιήθηκε για ταφές κάποιου γένους ή οικογένειας κατά τη Μεσοελλαδική περίοδο (20ος-17ος αιώνας π.Χ.) Στους χριστιανικούς ίσως χρόνους ανήκουν κάποιοι κιβωτιόσχημοι τάφοι που εντοπίστηκαν τόσο επί του τύμβου όσο και εκτός αυτού. Οι τύμβοι αποτελούν τα πιο διαδεμομένα και χαρακτηριστικά ταφικά μνημεία της Μεσσηνίας κατά τη Μεσοελλαδική εποχή και θεωρείται ότι κατά την έναρξη της μυκηναϊκής περιόδου (17ος/16ος αιώνας π.Χ.) προσαρμόστηκαν μορφολογικά ώστε να διαμορφωθεί ο τύπος του θολωτού τάφου.