Syrian contractor discovers ancient Byzantine tomb complex during construction
A Syrian contractor made a historic discovery when clearing the rubble of a destroyed home, stumbling upon remains of an underground Byzantine tomb complex.
Believed to be more than 1,500 years old, the ruins were found in Maarat al-Numan in Idlib province, located on the route between the cities of Aleppo and Damascus.
the collapse of Bashar al Assad's regime last December.
After the contractor found stone openings during a reconstruction project, locals contacted the authorities, who then dispatched a specialised team to inspect and secure the site.
Images of the complex show that a pit next to a damaged building leads down to the openings of two burial chambers, each containing six stone tombs, with the sign of the cross etched into the top of one stone column.
Hassan al Ismail, director of antiquities in Idlib, said that "based on the presence of the cross and the pottery and glass pieces that were found, this tomb dates back to the Byzantine era".
Idlib "has a third of the monuments of Syria, containing 800 archaeological sites in addition to an ancient city", he said.
The Byzantine Empire began in the 4th century AD, and was a continuation of the Roman Empire with its capital in Constantinople - now Istanbul in Turkey - and Christianity as its official religion.
Ghiath Sheikh Diab, a resident who witnessed the moment when the complex was uncovered, told the Associated Press that under Assad, people in Syria who found archaeological ruins would cover them up over fears their properties would be seized under Assad.
Another local, Abed Jaafar, said: "In the old days, a lot of foreign tourists used to come to Maarat just to see the ruins.
"We need to take care of the antiquities and restore them and return them to the way they were before... and this will help to bring back the tourism and the economy."
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Byzantine tomb complex discovered underneath ravaged city
A 1,500-year-old Byzantine tomb complex has been discovered in Maarat al-Numan, Idlib, northern Syria, by a construction worker. The discovery occurred as residents return to rebuild following the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad in 2024, revealing stone openings that led to the ancient graves. The tomb complex includes two burial chambers, each containing six stone tombs, with a cross etched into one stone column, indicating its Byzantine-era origin. Idlib, rich in archaeological sites, holds a third of Syria's monuments, but years of war have caused significant damage through bombing, looting, and unauthorised digging. Local residents hope the discovery and restoration of antiquities will spur economic renewal and tourism, with calls for fair compensation to property owners where ruins are found.
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10 hours ago
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Construction worker makes chance discovery of 1,500-year-old tomb complex
A construction worker has unearthed a 1,500-year-old Byzantine tomb complex in the war-torn province of Idlib, northern Syria. The discovery occurred in Maarat al-Numan, a town of strategic importance between Aleppo and Damascus, which saw intense conflict during the Syrian civil war. The area, once a rebel stronghold, was reclaimed by former president Bashar al-Assad 's forces in 2020, leaving many homes looted and demolished. As residents return to rebuild following the overthrow of Mr al-Assad in 2024, the chance discovery of stone openings led to the unearthing of ancient graves. Local authorities were promptly alerted, and a team of specialists has been dispatched to inspect and secure the site. Aboveground, it is a residential neighbourhood with rows of cinder-block buildings, many of them damaged in the war. Next to one of those buildings, a pit leads down to the openings of two burial chambers, each containing six stone tombs. The sign of the cross is etched into the top of one stone column. 'Based on the presence of the cross and the pottery and glass pieces that were found, this tomb dates back to the Byzantine era,' said Hassan al-Ismail, director of antiquities in Idlib. He noted that the discovery adds to an already rich collection of archeological sites in the area. Idlib "has a third of the monuments of Syria, containing 800 archaeological sites in addition to an ancient city', Mr al-Ismail said. The Byzantine Empire, which began in the 4th century AD, was a continuation of the Roman empire with its capital in Constantinople – today's Istanbul – and Christianity as its official religion. Abandoned Byzantine-era settlements called Dead Cities stretch across rocky hills and plains in northwest Syria, their weathered limestone ruins featuring remnants of stone houses, basilicas, tombs and colonnaded streets. In the past, the owners of sites where archeological ruins were found sometimes covered them up, fearful that their property would be seized to preserve the ruins, said Ghiath Sheikh Diab, a resident of Maarat al-Numan who witnessed the moment when the tomb complex was uncovered. He said he hoped the new government will fairly compensate property owners in such cases and provide assistance to the displaced people who have returned to the area to find their homes destroyed. The years of war led to significant damage to Syria's archeological sites, not only from bombing but from looting and unauthorised digging. Some see in the ruins a sign of hope for economic renewal. Another local resident, Abed Jaafar, came with his son to explore the newly discovered tombs and take pictures. 'In the old days, a lot of foreign tourists used to come to Maarat just to see the ruins,' he said. 'We need to take care of the antiquities and restore them and return them to the way they were before … and this will help to bring back the tourism and the economy.'
Sky News
10 hours ago
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Syrian contractor discovers ancient Byzantine tomb complex during construction
A Syrian contractor made a historic discovery when clearing the rubble of a destroyed home, stumbling upon remains of an underground Byzantine tomb complex. Believed to be more than 1,500 years old, the ruins were found in Maarat al-Numan in Idlib province, located on the route between the cities of Aleppo and Damascus. the collapse of Bashar al Assad's regime last December. After the contractor found stone openings during a reconstruction project, locals contacted the authorities, who then dispatched a specialised team to inspect and secure the site. Images of the complex show that a pit next to a damaged building leads down to the openings of two burial chambers, each containing six stone tombs, with the sign of the cross etched into the top of one stone column. Hassan al Ismail, director of antiquities in Idlib, said that "based on the presence of the cross and the pottery and glass pieces that were found, this tomb dates back to the Byzantine era". Idlib "has a third of the monuments of Syria, containing 800 archaeological sites in addition to an ancient city", he said. The Byzantine Empire began in the 4th century AD, and was a continuation of the Roman Empire with its capital in Constantinople - now Istanbul in Turkey - and Christianity as its official religion. Ghiath Sheikh Diab, a resident who witnessed the moment when the complex was uncovered, told the Associated Press that under Assad, people in Syria who found archaeological ruins would cover them up over fears their properties would be seized under Assad. Another local, Abed Jaafar, said: "In the old days, a lot of foreign tourists used to come to Maarat just to see the ruins. "We need to take care of the antiquities and restore them and return them to the way they were before... and this will help to bring back the tourism and the economy."
