Archaeologists Unearth Largest Cemetery Ever Discovered in Gaza
Gaza Strip, Palestine, 24 Sep (ONA) --- Palestinian workers in the Gaza Strip, Palestine have found dozens of ancient graves, including two sarcophagi made of lead, in a Roman-era cemetery; a site dating back some 2,000 years that archaeologists describe as the largest cemetery discovered in Gaza.
Workers came upon the site last year (2022) during the construction of an Egyptian-funded housing project near Jabaliya, in the northern Gaza Strip. Since then, crews have worked to excavate the 2,700-square-meter site with the support of French experts.
Now, what was once an inconspicuous construction lot — surrounded by a grove of nondescript apartment buildings — has become a gold mine for archaeologists looking to understand more about the Gaza Strip.
Gaza, a coastal enclave home to some 2.3 million people, has a rich history stemming from its location on ancient trade routes between Egypt and the Levant. But a number of factors, Israeli occupation, have conspired to endanger many of the besieged strip’s archaeological treasures.
Against this backdrop, the discovery of 60 graves at the site in January marked a major finding, archaeologists say. That number has swelled to 135.
Rene Elter, a French archaeologist leading the dig, said researchers have studied over 100 of the graves.
Elter pointed to the sarcophagi made of lead — one featuring ornate grape leaves, the other with images of dolphins — as exceptional finds.
Given the rarity of the lead tombs, Palestinian archaeologists like Fadel Al Otul suspect that social elites are buried there. Al Otul said the cemetery probably used to be located in a city — Romans used to place cemeteries near city centers.
Alongside the sarcophagi, Elter’s team is restoring unearthed skeletons and piecing together shards of clay jars.
The skeletons discovered at the site will be sent out of Gaza for additional analysis, according to Al Otul. The remains are set to return to the Palestinian Ministry of Antiquities and Tourism.
--- Ends/Khalid