SCIENCE & TECH: First Monumental Roman Tomb Discovered in Albania Reveals Elite Burial

Archaeologists have unearthed Albania’s first monumental Roman burial chamber, dating from the 3rd to 4th century AD, including revelatory discoveries that challenge our understanding of Roman influence in the Balkans. The tomb contains bilingual inscriptions and luxurious grave goods, representing the wealthiest burial ever found in the region indicating this is the tomb of a very important person indeed. It provides unprecedented insights into elite Roman society in ancient Illyria.

The remarkable discovery near Strikçan village, close to the North Macedonia border, began when local residents noticed unusual stones on a plateau, reports Reuters. Led by archaeologist Erikson Nikolli from the Institute of Archaeology, excavations revealed an underground burial chamber measuring 9 by 6 meters (29 by 19 feet) with large limestone slabs inscribed with Greek lettering. The tomb represents the first discovery of its kind in Albania and demonstrates the sophisticated burial practices of the Roman elite in this previously underexplored region of the empire.