Hurriyet Daily News reports that the graves of more than 40 children have been found in a fifth-century A.D. cemetery at the site of the ancient city of Savatra, which is located in central Anatolia. The cemetery was uncovered near the foundation of a Roman church structure with mosaic floors.

“We encountered two different burial typologies in terms of east-west orientation, consisting of chamber tombs and tile graves,” said Ilker Işik of Selçuk University. “We identified a children’s cemetery, primarily consisting of non-adult individuals, ranging from fetuses to approximately 13–14 years of age,” he explained.

Some of the graves contained the remains of multiple people, he added. Coins, rings, and earrings were also found in the burials. Işik and his colleagues will continue to explore the area.

source archaeology.org

feature image credit (Selçuk University)