NEW<\/span>You can now listen to Fox News articles!\n <\/p>\n<\/div>\n A contractor recently stumbled across an ancient Christian tomb complex while clearing rubble in Syria.<\/p>\n The discovery was made in the city of Maarat al-Numan in Syria’s Idlib province in May. (See the video at the top of this article.)\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n The complex dates back over 1,500 years.<\/p>\n ARCHAEOLOGISTS UNCOVER NEVER-BEFORE-SEEN TOMBS OF ANCIENT EGYPTIAN OFFICIALS<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n The site was found beneath an abandoned house that had been destroyed years earlier.<\/p>\n Pictures show the Christian tomb complex<\/a> with crosses, ancient graves and a variety of bones and fragments.<\/p>\n A contractor stumbled upon a Byzantine-era burial site while clearing rubble from destroyed houses in Maarat al-Numan, Syria.<\/span> (Associated Press)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Hassan al-Ismail, director of antiquities in Idlib, said that the province is one of the most historic<\/a> in Syria.<\/p>\n “Based on the presence of the cross and the pottery and glass pieces that were found, this tomb dates back to the Byzantine era,”\u00a0he said.<\/p>\n ARCHAEOLOGISTS UNCOVER 4,500-YEAR-OLD BABY RATTLES THAT REVEAL ANCIENT PARENTING TECHNIQUES<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n The official added that Idlib “has a third of the monuments of Syria, containing 800 archaeological sites in addition to an ancient city.”<\/p>\n “In the old days, a lot of foreign tourists used to come to Maarat just to see the ruins.”<\/p>\n <\/p><\/blockquote>\n Unfortunately, archaeologists only uncovered the tombs under tragic circumstances<\/a>, as the houses were destroyed during the 14-year-long Syrian civil war.\u00a0<\/p>\n In 2020, former Syrian President Bashar Assad seized the area from opposition control, destroying and looting houses in the process.<\/p>\n For more Lifestyle articles, visit foxnews.com\/lifestyle<\/u><\/strong><\/i><\/a><\/p>\n Despite the dark circumstances, the situation led to a discovery that sheds more light on Byzantine-era Syria.<\/p>\n Ghiath Sheikh Diab, a resident of Maarat al-Numan, told the Associated Press he hopes that President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s government plans to fairly compensate the property owners of the site.<\/p>\n The Byzantine Empire emerged as a successor of the Roman Empire, with Christianity being its established religion.<\/span> (Associated Press)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Another local named Abed said he believes the discovery is an opportunity to boost tourism in the city<\/a>, which is around 50 miles south of Aleppo.<\/p>\n “In the old days, a lot of foreign tourists used to come to Maarat just to see the ruins,” Jaafar, who came to see the tombs with his son, told the Associated Press.<\/p>\n CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n He added, “We need to take care of the antiquities and restore them<\/a> and return them to the way they were before \u2026 and this will help to bring back the tourism and the economy.”<\/p>\n In the 4th century AD, the Byzantine Empire emerged as a successor to the Roman Empire, establishing its capital in Constantinople.<\/p>\n Local residents hope the archaeological discovery in Idlib province will boost tourism and revitalize the war-torn economy.<\/span> (Associated Press)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Many finds from the era are still turning up across Europe<\/a> and the Middle East.<\/p>\n CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n A 1,600-year-old Byzantine-era<\/u> mosaic<\/a> from a Christian monastery was recently put on public display in Israel for the first time.<\/p>\n The Byzantine-era tomb yielded various bones and ancient artifacts.<\/span> (Associated Press)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n A mysterious 1,500-year-old bucket found at one of England’s most historic sites was recently found to be of Byzantine origin,<\/a> having been manufactured in Antioch.<\/p>\n The Associated Press contributed reporting.<\/i><\/p>\n <\/div>\n![\"Split](\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/1200\/675\/syria-byzantine-tomb-complex-found-4.png?ve=1&tl=1\")
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