Last week, archaeologists in Albania continued excavations at a newly uncovered Roman burial chamber dating from the third to fourth century CE. The chamber measured nine meters by six meters (29 feet by 19 feet) and was the first of its kind found in the country.
The Albanian Institute of Archaeology announced the discovery. Excavation revealed an underground structure built with large limestone slabs bearing Greek inscriptions, including a dedication to the god Jupiter. Inside the chamber, inscriptions mentioned the name Gelliano, a Latin-meaning name rendered in Greek letters, pointing to a high-status individual.
Erikson Nikolli, the project’s lead archaeologist, and his team uncovered a piece of fabric embroidered with gold thread, along with glass plates and knives, reinforcing the assessment that the tomb belonged to an upper-class person. “We are not sure about the identity of the second person, but it is likely a family member,” said Nikolli.
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Research shows the tomb was looted at least twice: once in antiquity and later by thieves who used heavy machinery to move a large rock that sat on top of the chamber.
Experts had not yet deciphered additional inscriptions on stones found nearby, which were believed to possibly belong to another monument now surrounded by cornfields and a quarry.
The discovery followed tips from local residents who noticed unusual stones on a plateau near the North Macedonia border. Excavations began in early August. Residents flocked to the area after the news, and local authorities planned to develop the site into a tourist attraction.
The team focused on careful exposure and documentation, using brushes to reveal the carved edges of the tomb’s white roof stone and walls. The combination of Greek-letter slabs, a Jupiter dedication, and a Latin-meaning name inscribed in Greek letters pointed to a high-status Roman-period burial.