ÇORUM, TURKEY—A 1,900-year-old sarcophagus that was illegally unearthed from a tumulus in northern Anatolia has been moved to the Çorum Museum. “The two long sides of the tomb cover were broken by smugglers who wanted to enter it. One of the acroteria was also broken. Some pieces of this acroterion were found by experts and attached to their place by the conservator of the museum. Eros, the god of love in Greek mythology, is embroidered on the surface of the tomb. The head of Eros received damage because of smugglers,” museum director Önder İpek told Hurriyet Daily News. Bones thought to have belonged to a woman will be tested. A silver coin, a gold earring, and a ring were also recovered.
First-Century Sarcophagus Recovered in Turkey
News May 16, 2014
Recommended Articles
Off the Grid January/February 2025
Tzintzuntzan, Mexico
Digs & Discoveries January/February 2025
Bad Moon Rising
Digs & Discoveries January/February 2025
100-Foot Enigma
Digs & Discoveries January/February 2025
Colonial Companions
-
Features March/April 2014
All Hands on Deck
Inviting the world to explore a shipwreck deep in the Gulf of Mexico
(Courtesy NOAA) -
Features March/April 2014
Messengers to the Gods
During a turbulent period in ancient Egypt, common people turned to animal mummies to petition the gods, inspiring the rise of a massive religious industry
Courtesy The Brooklyn Museum -
Letter From Borneo March/April 2014
The Landscape of Memory
Archaeology, oral history, and culture deep in the Malaysian jungle
(Jerry Redfern) -
Artifacts March/April 2014
Chimú-Inca Funerary Idols
(Matthew Helmer)