The large tomb is the first discovery in Albania of what the experts believe to be a wealthy person’s resting place
Archaeologists in Albania have discovered a large Roman burial chamber dating from the third to fourth century AD, the first of its kind found in the Balkan country that was once part of the Roman Empire.
Tipped off by locals who had noticed some unusual stones on a plateau near the North Macedonia border, staff from the Institute of Archaeology began excavating in early August and found the underground structure whose large limestone slabs were inscribed with Greek lettering.
“The inscription tells us that the person buried here was named Gelliano, a name typical of the Roman period. We are uncertain about the identity of the second individual, but it is likely a family member,” said Erikson Nikolli, the project’s lead archaeologist.
The tomb, which measures nine metres by six metres (29 ft by 19 ft), is the first discovery in Albania of what the experts believe to be a wealthy person’s resting place, grander than other burial sites found in the area.
