In Albania, archaeologists uncovered a large Roman burial chamber from the third to fourth Century AD, believed to be the permanent resting place for a wealthy person. Gold thread embroidery, glass plates, and knives were all found inside, despite evidence that it had been looted once in antiquity and again using heavy machinery to move a rock on top of the site. This discovery, being larger than any in the region, marks the first of its kind. Scientists were pointed to the excavation site by locals who noticed some unusual stones on a plateau near the border of North Macedonia. In early August, the Institute of Archaeology staff began excavating and found massive slabs of limestone. Using brushes, they uncovered Greek lettering etched into the stone, which helped reveal the name of who was buried. “The inscription tells us that the person buried here was named Gelliano, a name typical of the Roman period. We are uncertain about the identity of the second individual, but it is likely a family member,” said Erikson Nikolli, the project’s lead archaeologist. The tomb, apparently dedicated to the Roman god Jupiter, measures 29 feet by 19 feet, and Albanian authorities are already gearing up to turn it into a tourist attraction. In an intriguing twist, more stones with inscriptions were found nearby, which archaeologists believe belong to another monument.
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