Roman tombs unearthed in southern Turkey

By Salim Tas

HATAY, Turkey

Roman tombs have been unearthed in southern Turkey giving a glimpse into thousands of years of history.

The excavations in Altinozu district of Hatay province are part of a project by the district governorate and municipality to increase the number of tourists in the region.

A team of 30 workers and an archaeologist works at the Yunushan neighborhood under the supervision of the Directorate of Hatay Archeology Museum.

So far 19 rock tombs have been cleaned and examined in the necropolis.

Some of the tombs have epitaphs such as "lived and died shamelessly", "keep the spirit", and "rest in peace".

Hatice Pamir, head of archaeology department of Mustafa Kemal University, said that research on the area was being conducted since 2007.

She said the writings on the tombs gave out some information about those who were buried there.

"The necropolis shares important data about the culture and traditions of that period," she added.