Byzantine Tomb Complex Discovered in Idlib, Syria

A contractor in Maarat al-Numan, Idlib province, discovered a 1,500-year-old Byzantine tomb complex while clearing rubble from a destroyed home, revealing two burial chambers with stone tombs marked by Christian crosses and pottery fragments. Local antiquities authorities secured the site, which adds to the region's extensive archaeological heritage, with Idlib containing around a third of Syria's monuments and over 800 sites. The town, severely damaged during the Syrian civil war, is now seeing residents return and begin rebuilding. Previously, such discoveries were sometimes hidden by locals due to fears their property might be confiscated. Both residents and experts hope this find will encourage the preservation of Syria’s historical legacy amid reconstruction. The Byzantine Empire, which began in the 4th century AD, left behind significant Christian-era ruins throughout northwestern Syria, making this discovery particularly important.