Construction worker discovers 1,500-year-old tomb complex in Syria

A construction worker uncovered a 1,500-year-old tomb complex while removing the rubble from war-torn ruins.

The incredible discovery of an ancient Byzantine tomb complex was found in the Syrian province of Idlib in the north of the country.

It was found by a construction worker who was working to remove rubble in Maarat al-Numan, – a town of significant strategic importance located between Aleppo and Damascus.

Maarat al-Numan saw an intense amount of conflict during the Syrian war. It was reclaimed by the former president Bashar al-Assad’s forces in 2020 and many homes were looted and destroyed.

Since the Assad regime collapsed in 2024, residents have been returning to what is left of their homes and rebuilding and it was this which led to the historic discovery.

AP

A contractor stumbled upon stone openings while undergoing a reconstruction project. Authorities were then contacted and a team of experts called in to inspect and secure the area.

Images reveal how a pit close to a damaged building leads down to the opening of two burial chambers. Each of those chambers contain six stone tombs. There is a sign of a cross at the top of a stone column.

AP

Director of antiquities in Idlib, Hassan al Ismail, explained “based on the presence of the cross and the pottery and glass pieces that were found, this tomb dates back to the Byzantine era”.

The Byzantine Empire started in the 4th century AD as a continuation of the Roman Empire. Its official religion was Christianity and its capital was Constantinople, which is Istanbul, Turkey, today.

He added that Idlib “has a third of the monuments of Syria, containing 800 archaeological sites in addition to an ancient city”.

AP

Local resident Ghiath Sheikh Diab told the Associated Press that, under the Assad regime, archaeological discoveries would be covered up by Syrians over fears that their property would be seized.

AP

Another local, Abed Jaafar, said: “In the old days, a lot of foreign tourists used to come to Maarat just to see the ruins.

“We need to take care of the antiquities and restore them and return them to the way they were before... and this will help to bring back the tourism and the economy.”

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