Archaeologists Excited to Explore Unique Roman Tomb in Sofia
Society | July 31, 2003, ThursdayA unique Roman tomb was discovered by accident in Bulgaria's capital Sofia. During works to repair the city's water conduit, a tomb was unearthed as part of the Roman necropolis under the St Sofia basilica.
The tomb dates back to the fourth or the beginning of the fifth century B.C. according to the head of the archaeological team Mario Ivanov. This is one of the biggest burial places discovered in the region, he pointed out.
The tomb draws special attention because of the unique way its vault-arch was built. It is supported by massive stones to make sure it would not collapse under its own weight.
The tomb's history of discovery is as interesting as its design. Two years ago, plumbers came across it while digging in the area but kept working in secrecy so they could complete the task without having "annoying" archaeologists at the site. When a pipe recently cracked and digging started again, an architect spotted the ancient ruins and called the specialists.
The tomb dates back to the fourth or the beginning of the fifth century B.C. according to the head of the archaeological team Mario Ivanov. This is one of the biggest burial places discovered in the region, he pointed out.
The tomb draws special attention because of the unique way its vault-arch was built. It is supported by massive stones to make sure it would not collapse under its own weight.
The tomb's history of discovery is as interesting as its design. Two years ago, plumbers came across it while digging in the area but kept working in secrecy so they could complete the task without having "annoying" archaeologists at the site. When a pipe recently cracked and digging started again, an architect spotted the ancient ruins and called the specialists.
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