1,800-Year-Old Domeed Funeral Chamber Discovered in Turkey

The 1,800-year-old domed burial chamber. (Source: Anadolu)

JAKARTA - A domed burial chamber believed to be around 1,800 years old was discovered in the rural district of Besni, Adiyaman Province, southeast Turkey, according to the Adiyaman Province Museum Directorate.

Preliminary findings late last year indicated the structure included at least five rooms, one of which had a dome - an architectural element not previously identified in the province, officials said.

Speaking to Anadolu, Adiyaman Museum Director Mehmet Alkan, said the burial chamber is located in a steep rocky area where researchers identified signs of a large burial complex.

"During our initial survey in the area, we identified the traces of a complex cemetery with at least five rooms," Alkan said, as reported by Anadolu (1/2).

Alkan noted that the room is estimated to have originated in the 2nd century AD, about 1,800 years ago.

"At the entrance to the tomb room, there are three arched burial niches on the right and left sides. These arched tombs are connected by columns," he explained.

"The top features a cornice that is made very finely, reflecting the high quality of architecture and workmanship," he continued.

"We believe this structure belongs to a high-status family. This structure stands out as a type of structure we have never encountered before in Adiyaman," said Alkan.

Alkan said some of the reliefs inside the chamber of the tomb had suffered damage over time, but others remained intact.

"In the arched tomb just across the entrance, there is a relief depicting six wild goat heads. These figures are connected by a wreath, and above them there is a motif of a clam shell, which symbolizes immortality," he said.

"Unfortunately, some of these decorations have been damaged over the centuries," he said.

The researchers also identified niches believed to have been used to light oil lamps and lay offerings, suggesting that the site likely served ceremonial purposes.