Archaeologists In Türkiye Unearth A Sprawling Necropolis In The Ancient City Of Tios
The site was in use between the 5th century B.C.E. and the 5th century C.E. and contains more than 100 tombs arranged along a winding “street.”
Tios is located just outside the modern city of Zonguldak on the Black Sea.
Three years ago, archaeologists began excavating Tios, an ancient city in northern Türkiye. There, the crew unearthed a vast necropolis containing nearly 100 sarcophagi, 23 burial chambers, and more than 1,000 other artifacts.
This makes it a precious resource for researchers.
Within the necropolis at Tios, archaeologists have discovered 96 sarcophagi, 23 chamber graves, seven cist graves, 60 frame tile graves, and 1,317 funerary artifacts so far.
Analysis has revealed that the site was in use for roughly 1,000 years from the 5th century B.C.E. until the 5th century C.E. However, most of the burials date to between the 1st and 3rd centuries C.E., when Tios was under the control of the Roman Empire.
Perhaps the most fascinating part of this discovery is the way the tombs are arranged. Yildirim noted that the site is “organized like a city, with streets and alleys,” and the graves act as the “houses” on either side. One of these “streets” is more than 1,600 feet long.
The 23 chamber tombs were placed on slopes and ridges, and they likely belonged to wealthy citizens. Archaeologists have also unearthed what they believe to be the graves of Roman soldiers.
Now, researchers are analyzing the artifacts and skeletal remains found in the tombs to learn more about Türkiye’s ancient past.
What Does The ‘City Of The Dead’ Reveal About Ancient Tios?
The city of Tios seemingly had no defensive walls or other fortifications, so the necropolis has attracted opportunistic looters throughout history. Many of the tombs were stripped of their grave goods long ago, particularly the more valuable artifacts.
So far, analysis of skeletal remains found within the necropolis has shown that some of the deceased were related to each other. Inscriptions within the tombs support these findings, suggesting the larger crypts were used as family mausoleums.
The research team even discovered that in the 6th century C.E., the Byzantines reused these tombs to bury their own dead.
“So far, no such necropolis area has been encountered in any ancient city in the Black Sea region,” Yildirim said. “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.”
Researchers hope that this incredible level of preservation continues to reveal new information about the culture of ancient Türkiye.
Source: Archaeologists In Türkiye Unearth A Sprawling Necropolis In The Ancient City Of Tios
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