Excavation and Cleaning Works Started at Turuş Rock Tombs

The thousands of years old Turuş Rock Tombs belonging to the Roman and Byzantine periods in Adıyaman have come into the agenda again to be brought into tourism. In the last three years, 60 tombs were unearthed in the Turuş Rock Tombs located within the borders of Kuyulu village on the Adıyaman-Şanlıurfa Highway as a result of cleaning and excavation works. In the excavation works that started in April this year, 2 rock tombs have been unearthed so far and are being cleaned.

Details of Excavation and Cleaning Works

The cleaning and excavation works of Turuş Rock Tombs, which were first excavated in 1999, restarted in 2021 within the scope of the Commagene Revitalization Project. So far, an area of 10 acres has been cleaned, and the stone and soil piles inside the tombs are being cleaned. In addition, a drainage system is being created on top to prevent rainwater from entering the tomb chambers. The works are aimed to continue until September.

• Each tomb has different architectural structures and reliefs.
• It is known that the rock tombs, which are approximately 2,000 years old, were used in the Roman and Byzantine periods.
• Adıyaman Museum Director Mehmet Alkan stated that the works have started and so far 2 rock tombs have been unearthed.

In his speech, Mehmet Alkan said, “We started the excavation works at Turuş Rock Tombs this year. The excavations that started in 1999 and were interrupted restarted in 2021. As a result of uninterrupted excavations lasting for 3 years, an area of approximately 10 acres was cleaned. In addition to the cleaning works, the tomb chambers are also being unearthed. We had discovered 60 rock tombs before, and this year we have discovered 2 rock tombs so far.”