Turkey: 1,700-year-old Roman tombs unearthed

DIYARBAKIR, Turkey

A chamber tomb estimated to be 1,700 years old was unearthed in southeastern Turkey.

Excavations are ongoing at the Amida Mound in the Diyarbakir province which was home to many civilizations, including the Hurrian and Mitanni, Urartian, Persian, Roman, Umayyad, Mervan, Seljuk, and Artuqid.

They are being spearheaded by Irfan Yildiz, a professor at Dicle University.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Yildiz said that the tomb chambers were built under the palace for the rulers to be buried during the Pagan period of Roman, called Late Roman, in the third century.

He noted that so far eight tombs have been unearthed.

Yildiz also stressed that water channels and heating system believed to be 1,800 years old were found during the excavations.

"During the excavations this year, it became clearer that the Artuqid Palace was built on the Roman Palace. During the Artuqid period, some of the places of the Roman palace were used as they were, and some of the places were rebuilt.”

He noted that one chamber tomb was found at a depth of 1.5 meters from Artuqid Palace and a meter below the Roman Palace.

He said that the chamber tomb with stone coffins is from the Roman period and 1,700 years old.

The rulers who served here were buried in the burial chamber under the palace.

The excavations are being supported by the Culture and Tourism Ministry, Turkish Historical Society, Diyarbakir Governorship and Diyarbakir Metropolitan Municipality.