Lycian tomb discovered in Turkey's Antalya

Excavations in the southern Turkish province of Antalya, near the ancient city of Myra, have unearthed a 2,400-year-old rock tomb from the Lycian era. Archaeological excavations were initiated in the area by the Museum of Lycian Civilizations.

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Nuri Bilgic, a 40-year-old local of the Koskerler neighborhood, was driving a bulldozer when he found a rock nearly four meters underground. But he then realized that it was a historical artifact and halted the work before informing the Demre Gendarmerie Forces.

The gendarmerie took measures in the region and asked for help from the Museum of Lycian Civilizations in Demre.

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Nilufer Sezgin, the museum’s director, and archaeologists detected a rock tomb underground.

Excavations carried out by three archaeologists and eight workers unearthed the Lycian rock tomb, which dates back to 4th century BC.

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Officials believe the two-floor and 5x4-meter-sized tomb, which is from the same period of rock tombs found next to an ancient theater in the ancient city of Myra, was robbed in the ancient era.

The tomb's lower part is in the shape of a ship's bow and the upper part is in the shape of a house. The tomb has the features of the Lycian architecture and was carved from the bedrock.

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The one-chamber and three-door tomb is believed to have been swallowed by silt when the Myros River (Turkish Demre) flooded in the 6th century AD. On the left of the tomb, there is one more Lycian tomb on a 50- to 60-meter-high rock.

Museum officials said excavations would continue around the tomb to find other possible tombs.

“When working on my own land, the bulldozer struck this structure. We immediately removed the bulldozer from the land and informed the gendarmerie. It is a nice tomb. We did what every citizen should do,” the landowner said.

Source: Hurriyet Daily News [November 06, 2017]