Early plague evidence found at İznik Roman necropolis

BURSA

Examinations on the remains of skeletons reveal what researchers described as the earliest evidence of plague identified in Anatolia. (AA photos)

Archaeological excavations at a Byzantine-era necropolis south of the Roman Theater in the northwestern province of Bursa’s İznik district have uncovered skeletal remains belonging to around 20 individuals, with examinations revealing early evidence of plague in Anatolia.

Excavation and restoration works are being carried out across an area of approximately 10 decares. Researchers are also investigating areas outside the theater’s main structure.

Excavations at the İznik Roman Theater began in the 1980s and have been conducted by a team from Dokuz Eylül University since 2016. Findings indicate that the theater site was used for different purposes during different periods.

This year’s excavations, which began in July, focused on the area south of the theater, where archaeologists uncovered skeletal remains belonging to nearly 20 individuals at a necropolis believed to date to the Byzantine period.

Examinations of the remains revealed what researchers described as the earliest evidence of plague identified in Anatolia.

Excavation head Professor Aygun Ekin Meriç, a faculty member in the Archaeology Department at Dokuz Eylül University’s Faculty of Letters, told state-run Anadolu Agency that the site was used for various purposes after its original function as a theater, including as a cemetery, religious complex and production area.

Meriç said numerous bones were also discovered during excavations in the same area in 2015 and that the team had focused on the area again this year.

“We have encountered the remains of nearly 20 individuals since the beginning of July. The skeletons belonged to adult women, men and children. We understood that this area was used as a necropolis for individual burials, particularly during the Byzantine period,” she said.

Meriç said the examination of the bones had yielded an important discovery.

“Earlier examinations of the bones here revealed the earliest evidence of plague in Anatolia. This is a very important finding,” she said.

She added that specialists from McMaster University in Canada, Rutgers University in the United States, Mugla Sitki Kocman University and Mus Alparslan University are also conducting research at the necropolis. Alongside the bones, artifacts including ring stones, coins, beads and pottery are being systematically documented and transferred to the excavation house, where cleaning, analysis and recording are carried out.

Meriç said the individuals had been buried facing east with their hands placed over their abdomen, consistent with Christian burial traditions.

“There are not many grave goods. We found a few beads, but we cannot identify any obvious burial gifts,” she said.

The graves were found approximately 1 meter below the surface, with some individuals buried on top of one another and others in separate graves, indicating a systematic burial practice.