Rock-Cut Tombs in Turkey May be Part of Largest Necropolis in the World

Large tombs cut into rock of the hill upon which sits Urfa Castle in Sanliurfa, Turkey, may have been meant for members of a royal family, archaeologists report. The tombs are in an area that Turkish researchers are calling the world’s biggest necropolis.

Researchers have been excavating the area near the castle and have so far restored about 80 tombs. A story about the discovery in Hurriyet Daily News does not say if human remains or artifacts were discovered in the tombs.

“Among the newly found tombs, one was situated on the highest part of the castle’s hill and was bigger than the other tombs,” Hurriyet reports. “It was estimated to have belonged to the nobles of Edessa King Abgar’s family. The tomb had rooms for 10 people. Also, floor mosaics were found in one of the tombs. Syriac inscriptions and fine engravings can also be seen in another tomb in the area.”

These tombs along with other rock tombs near the castle in the Kızılkoyun and Dedeosman neighborhoods could comprise the world’s largest burial ground, says Hurriyet. Those tombs too are being excavated. Sanliurfa castle is now an open-air museum.

Şanlıurfa Castle or just Urfa Castle is the seat of the ancient capital of Osroene, a kingdom of Upper Mesopotamia that came under the influence of various powers, including Rome, Asia Minor, Persia, Syria and Armenia over the years. Today’s borders put it in southeast Turkey near the border with Syria. Sanliurfa was formerly known as Edessa.