Tourexpi
Ancient sarcophagus discovered at St. Nicholas Church in Türkiye's Antalya
Excavations
at St. Nicholas Church in the Turkish resort city of Antalya have uncovered a
limestone sarcophagus, shedding light on the region’s history.
The
church in the Demre district, which is believed to be near the burial site of
St. Nicholas, the inspiration for Santa Claus, has been under study since
1989.
This
year, the site became part of the “Heritage for the Future” project, led by
Ebru Fatma Findik from Hatay Mustafa Kemal University and overseen by Türkiye's
Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
Around
two meters long sarcophagus was found during excavations of a two-story annex
of the church.
Experts
believe it aligns with burial practices in the region, with the hope that an
inscription might offer more information about its origin.
Findik
noted the discovery supports historical accounts suggesting St. Nicholas was
buried near Myra’s sacred site, though further research is required to confirm
the connection.
Image
Credit: © AA
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