A 1,500-year-old Byzantine burial complex has been discovered in Maarat al-Numan, Syria. teleSUR
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00:00A contractor excavating the site where rubble from a destroyed house in northern Syria had
00:06been removed, stumbled upon a surprise. The remains of an underground Byzantine
00:11borough complex believed to be more than 1,500 years old. Let's see.
00:19The discovery emerged last month in the town of Meret al-Numan in the Idlib province,
00:24which is strategically located on the route between the cities of Aleppo and Damascus.
00:27Based on the presence of the cross and the pottery and glass pieces that were found,
00:32this tomb dates back to the Byzantine era. The Byzantine Empire, which began in the 4th century
00:37ad, was a continuation of the Roman Empire with its capital in Constantinople,
00:41today's Istanbul and Christianity as its official religion.
00:50This archaeological site is made up of two burial chambers, each containing six stone toms.
00:55Based on the presence of the cross and the pottery and glass pieces that were found,
01:00this tomb dates back to the Byzantine era.
01:07Abandoned Byzantine settlements called dead cities stretch across rocky hills and plains
01:12in northwest Syria, their weathered limestone ruins featuring remnants of stone houses,
01:16basilicas, toms and colonnated streets. Idlib governorate has a third of the monuments
01:22of Syria containing 800 archaeological sites in addition to an ancient city.
01:31In the past, when people discovered archaeological ruins, they would cover it up as if they were
01:37covering up a crime. The owner of the property where the ruins were found should not have the
01:42antiquities and their property seized from them, and they should be compensated.
01:45The government should pay attention to antiquities and they should restore them so that people can
01:51come and see them and learn about the history of the city.
02:00The country's citizens agree that they need to take care of antiquities, restore them,
02:05and return them to their original state. And this will help revive tourism and the economy.
02:10you