Workers accidentally unearth 1,500-year-old necropolis under basement

Archaeologists have uncovered eight tombs that date to the Byzantine era — and it's all because of a surprise discovery during restoration work.

The Societa Operaia Building, a historical location in Istanbul's Beyoglu district, is currently home to the Italian Workers' Mutual Aid Society. When workers descended into the building's foundation for routine restoration work, they saw a skull wedged between stones. The shocking discovery prompted an investigation by the Istanbul Archaeology Museum.

The excavation revealed the eight tombs, the first discovered in the area, and archaeologists believe there could be similar tombs beneath other buildings nearby. In addition to the tombs, the archaeologists found pottery, chandeliers, and plates that date to the Ottoman and Byzantine eras.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

The team plans to determine the skeletons' age using carbon dating techniques, and the findings will be displayed at a cultural center.