1,800-Year-Old Roman Ruins Discovered In Turkey

Locals discovered Roman remains dating back 1,800 years ago in a valley near the Balkayası village of Ağın district in the eastern province of Elazığ, Turkey. Important areas consisting of rock tombs and catacombs, man-made underground passageways used for religious activities were discovered among the ruins. Immediate contact was made towards Professor Ismail Aytaç, who is both an academician at Fırat University (FÜ) and head of the excavations at Harput Castle.

Source: AA

After carrying out researches within the site, Professor Aytaç identified that the valley holds 1,800-year-old remains from the Roman times. Furthermore, the Professor also made several discoveries including ‘catacombs’ where Christians confidentially prayed and buried their beloved; and grain warehouses carved into the rock floor.
Several civilizations have thrived throughout history since the New Stone Age in the region including the Euphrates River, and archaeological researches conducted among the scope of the Keban Dam rescue excavations have uncovered clues leading to the settlement dating back to 6,000 B.C, according to Professor Aytaç.
He also indicated that the researchers will carry out large-scale archaeological studies within the location, noting that the ruins mentioned above are of significance in terms of historical and cultural diversity.

Source: AA

The Professor claimed that the graveyards made for infants in the stone tombs, some of which were built for the whole family, are remarkable: “The burial areas for adults and children were carved into the rocks. Although some of them were destroyed, there are also some intact ones among them.”
He added, “These two-story rock tombs have not been recorded previously. These structures were used for secret worship by Christians during the times when Christianity was forbidden. By increasing the surface research, we will ensure that they will be recorded. In the next stage, nature tourism and cultural tourism will be combined to create a wide destination.”