An ancient necropolis that was in use for a thousand years is being unearthed in the ancient city of Tios in the Black Sea region of northern Turkey. The necropolis was discovered on the eastern side of the city in excavations that began three years ago. It is enormous, with 96 sarcophagi, 23 chamber graves, seven cist graves, 60 frame tile graves and 1317 funerary objects uncovered so far in the three years of digs.
Tios is the only ancient city in the Black Sea region that has survived without modern settlements being built over it. That makes it precious to archaeologists as it is possible to reveal the complete surviving archaeological record, which in the case of the necropolis extends from the end of the 5th century B.C. to the 5th century A.D.
Most of the tombs date to between the 1st and 3rd centuries A.D. when Tios was part of the Roman empire. The necropolis was planned as a true city of the date, with avenues, terraces and the tombs as “homes.”
[Excavation leader Professor Şahin] Yıldırım mentioned that they have uncovered a street approximately 500 meters (1,640.42 feet) long, with sarcophagi on both its right and left sides, and that chamber tombs, believed to belong to people with higher income levels at that time, were found on the slopes and ridges. He noted that they encountered numerous findings, particularly in the sarcophagus areas dated to the second and third centuries A.D.
Yıldırım stated that they have cataloged over a thousand artifacts, which are housed at the Karadeniz Ereğli Museum Directorate.
He expressed that they have gained much important information about the Roman period, saying: “Findings, tombstones and inscriptions indicating that a significant portion of the inhabitants of this city in the time of Emperor Marcus Aurelius gained the right to be Roman imperial citizens have been discovered. We came across graves thought to belong to Roman soldiers.”
Yıldırım emphasized the significance of the ancient city and explained that “So far, no such necropolis area has been encountered in any ancient city in the Black Sea region. This area holds a very important place for Türkiye and Black Sea archaeology. This necropolis area has been preserved as it is, maintaining its structure significantly and bringing it to the present day.”
Ancient Tios did not have a defensive wall or fortification system, which means it was subjected to repeated raids. The necropolis was targeted as well and may of its grave goods stolen. When the Goths invaded in the mid-3rd century, they helped themselves to the precious objects buried with the dead. Once the Goths left, the people of Tios regrouped, rearranging the disturbed sarcophagi and graves and simply picking up where they left off as if there had been no interruption.
Human skeletal remains found in some of the graves are currently being studied. Initial examinations have found that some of the deceased were related to each other and buried in family groups. Inscriptions in the chamber tombs confirm that they were used as family mausoleums.
* This article was originally published here
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