A rare 1,800-year old sarcophagus was discovered last week by construction workers in Israel working on a building in Ashkelon, Live Science reports.
According to the Israel Antiquities Authority, the construction workers discovered the ancient coffin and tried to extract it using a bulldozer but ended up damaging it on all sides, including a stone and the decorations. The IAA said that the workers attempted to hide their misdeed by pouring new concrete on the site where it was extracted. Fortunately, some people reported the incident to the authorities.
The sarcophagus turned out to be an unusual Roman-era coffin that, according to archaeologists, is the rarest of its kind ever unearthed. Measuring 8.2 feet long, the coffin weighs two tons and is adorned with sculpted decorations on all sides. The lid has an image of a life-size figure sculpted on it.
"One side of the sarcophagus lid is adorned with the carved image of a man leaning on his left arm. He is wearing a short-sleeved shirt decorated with embroidery on the front," Israeli archaeologist Gabi Mazor described, according to Fox News. "A tunic is wrapped around his waist. The figure's eyes were apparently inlaid with precious stones that have disappeared and the hair is arranged in curls, in a typical Roman hairstyle."
Mazor said there are a few sarcophagi discovered in Israel but none of them was decorated like the recent finding. The typical Jewish sarcophagi found in Israel were decorated with nothing more than flowers and wreaths.
"Wreaths and images of bull's heads, naked Cupids, the head of the monstrous female Medusa figure all decorate the sarcophagus. The female Medusa figure was believed by Romans to protect the deceased," Mazor said, according to Israel News. "Such sarcophagi were typically placed in or next to a family mausoleum. The high level of decoration attests to the family's affluence, which, judging by the depicted motifs, is not Jewish."
The authorities detained the construction workers responsible for damaging the sarcophagus. The IAA said it will pursue legal action against the those involved. IAA inspection department head Amir Ganor said transparency between the agency and the owners of the property is necessary.
"Only in this way will the development of the city be possible while protecting public assets, for the common good," he said, according to Live Science.
