More than 60 ancient Roman-era graves were discovered in Gaza - NPR

A Palestinian excavation squad works successful a recently discovered Roman-era cemetery successful the Gaza Strip connected Sunday. Authorities successful Gaza announced the find of implicit 60 tombs successful the past burial site. Fatima Shbair/AP hide caption

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Fatima Shbair/AP

A Palestinian excavation squad works successful a recently discovered Roman-era cemetery successful the Gaza Strip connected Sunday. Authorities successful Gaza announced the find of implicit 60 tombs successful the past burial site.

Fatima Shbair/AP

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Hamas authorities successful Gaza connected Sunday announced the find of implicit 60 tombs successful an past burial tract dating backmost to the Roman era.

Work crews person been excavating the tract since it was discovered past January during preparations for an Egyptian-funded lodging project.

Hiyam al-Bitar, a researcher from the Hamas-run Ministry of Antiquities and Tourism, said a full of 63 graves person been identified and that a acceptable of bones and artifacts from 1 tomb was dated backmost to the 2nd century.

She said the ministry is moving with a squad of French experts to larn much astir the site. On Sunday, workers sifted done the ungraded and removed piles of ungraded successful wheelbarrows.

A subordinate of a Palestinian excavation squad works successful a recently discovered Roman epoch cemetery successful the Gaza Strip connected Sunday. Fatima Shbair/AP hide caption

toggle caption

Fatima Shbair/AP

A subordinate of a Palestinian excavation squad works successful a recently discovered Roman epoch cemetery successful the Gaza Strip connected Sunday.

Fatima Shbair/AP

Although the past cemetery is present blocked disconnected from the public, operation connected the lodging task has continued and the tract is surrounded by flat buildings. Local media reported looting erstwhile the tract was archetypal discovered, with radical utilizing donkey-drawn carts to haul distant items similar a covered casket and inscribed bricks.

Gaza, a coastal enclave location to much than 2 cardinal people, is known for its affluent past stemming from its determination connected past commercialized routes betwixt Egypt and the Levant. But Israeli occupation, a blockade, conflicts and accelerated municipality maturation successful the crowded, constrictive territory are among the reasons astir of Gaza's archeological treasures person not been protected.