During excavations in the ancient Turkish city of Diyarbakir, archaeologists made an exciting and unprecedented discovery. While digging in an area between a surveillance tower in the city´s famous defensive walls and Saint George Church, a Roman-era sarcophagus was unearthed.
The coffin that contained the body of an unknown individual. Amazingly, this is the first time a sarcophagus from the time of the Roman Empire has been recovered in Diyarbakir, which makes this an extraordinarily significant historical find, reports Anatolian Archaeology.
Adding to the intrigue, a perfectly preserved Maltese Cross was carved into its side. This religious symbol is associated with medieval Christianity and the Crusades, although its history goes back much farther. This particular cross is unusual in that it has six sides, while most versions of the Maltese cross have either eight or four sides.
A First from a Legendary Era
Measuring nearly seven feet (over two meters) long and 32 inches (82 centimeters) high, the stone coffin was carved out of a single unbroken piece of limestone and topped with two heavy lids sitting side by side. Its construction style is unique, and that is what helped researchers identify it as a production of a Roman-era craftsman.
The old walls of Diyarbakir enclose the heart of the ancient city. Workers are constantly restoring them, but none expected to find a Roman sarcophagus during their work (Dosseman / CC BY-SA 4.0)
It took a lot of digging to unearth the large sarcophagus,…
