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Tomb From Roman Era Unearthed In Gaza City

Roman-era tomb unearthed in Gaza City, archaeologist suggest site was a cemetery

A tomb dating back to the Roman era has been discovered under bulldozers digging in Gaza Strip for a housing project funded by Egypt, Hamas officials said.

The Palestinian Ministry of Tourism and Archaeology says its crews have seized items found in the tomb and asked that construction be halted. However, an independent archaeologist says the site appears to be more like a cemetery than a tomb.

There are reports that people have looted many artifacts from the site in northwest Gaza City, some of them reportedly using donkey-drawn carts. Local residents said archaeological artifacts, such as casket covers and inscribed bricks, had been found a week earlier than the ministry’s announcement.

Located on ancient trade routes between Egypt and the Levant, Gaza is an enclave of coastal enclaves home to more than 2 million people. Gaza’s archaeological treasures have not been properly protected due to Israeli occupation, a blockade, conflict and rapid urbanization in the narrow and crowded territory.

In a briefing on the issue, an independent archaeologist said the site was a cemetery dating back to the late Roman to early Byzantine periods 1,600 years ago. According to the expert, they indicate a Byzantine church or a Roman temple nearby, although he didn’t have authorization to speak publicly.

Authorities from Hamas, the militant group that overthrew the Palestinian Authority in 2007 by force, sponsored the opening of a museum in a 5-century Byzantine church that was restored by local and international non-governmental organizations. However, these same authorities destroyed large portions of a Canaanite settlement dated 4,500 years ago for housing projects for their own employees in 2017.

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