A Roman-era lead sarcophagus was uncovered on Tuesday on the website of a 2000-year-old Roman necropolis within the Gaza Strip. The necropolis is alongside the Northern Gaza coast and 500 meters (0.3 miles) from the ocean.
The sarcophagus might have belonged to a outstanding particular person primarily based on the place it was discovered, the Palestinian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities’ director of excavation and museums, Jehad Yasin, instructed CNN on Thursday.
Yasin mentioned the traditional Roman cemetery was found in 2022 “as excavations have been carried out on the website in cooperation with Premiere Urgence Internationale and funded by the British Council.”
The coffin was exhumed from the location to carry out archaeological evaluation for bone identification, which can take round two months, based on Yasin.
A group of consultants in historical funerary will unseal the coffin within the coming weeks.
“The state of preservation of the sarcophagus is outstanding, because it remained sealed and closed,” learn a press launch from the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.
French and Palestinian archaeologists have uncovered 85 particular person and collective tombs within the 3,500-square-meter Roman acropolis since its discovery final yr, whereas 10 of them have been opened for excavation.
Past the rubble of the coastal enclave lay dozens of artifacts and burial websites from the Roman, Byzantine and Canaanite eras.
The ministry expects extra archaeological findings on the necropolis.
Additional sarcophagi are prone to be uncovered within the following months, mentioned Director Yasin.
