Excavations near ancient Turkish port may have found Alexander the Great’s soldiers tombs - report

OCTOBER 4, 2026 02:55Rescue excavations at the ancient city of Aigai’s (Aeolis) necropolis in Turkey may have uncovered the tombs of Alexander the Great’s soldiers, the Turkish state-run Andalou Agency (AA) reported earlier this week.The excavations, coordinated by Turkey’s Culture and Tourism Ministry and carried out by the Adana Museum Directorate, have been focused on the area of the necropolis closest to the ancient city’s port.According to AA, an initial survey of the necropolis identified at least 30 rock-cut tombs and chest-type graves scattered across the site. As of now, only 10 have been fully uncovered.The tombs, AA described, are carved directly into the hillside and are complete with narrow corridors and staircases leading down to burial chambers where stone platforms mark where bodies used to be placed.The chest-type tombs were finished with lime motar, reported AA, and a decorative rosette motifs is still visible on several of them.Plate 3: Alexander Instructing his Soldiers, from The Deeds of Alexander the Great, 1608. Artist Antonio Tempesta. (credit: Heritage Art/Heritage Images via Getty Images)Terracotta sarcophagi were also reportedly found at the necropolis site.Associate Professor Faris Demir, who is directing the excavations, stated that the necropolis dates back to the Hellenistic period, between 323 and 31 BCE. Demir added that it had remained in use throughout the Roman era, and that the damage visible on many of the tombs had likely accumulated from the Middle Ages onward.The region surrounding Aigai is believed to be where Alexander the Great prepared for the Battle of Issus in 333 BCE, in which he defeated the Persian king Darius III.It is known as Alexander's second great battle in his conquest of AsiaAccording to Demir, Aigai was founded by Macedonian soldiers for Alexander.This, he stated, raised the possibility that some of the newly uncovered tombs may have belonged to this soldiers, but noted that further study is needed before a complete conclusion can be drawn.In addition to the burial sites, archaeologists unearthed vessel fragments and tear bottles thought to be grave offerings.After undergoing careful restoration and study, they are expected to eventually be displayed at the Adana Museum, according to AA.Turkey places site of Alexander the Great’s first battle with Persians under historic protectionEarlier this year, Turkey officially registered one of Alexander the Great’s famed battlefields as a Historical Site.“We have secured the site of the Battle of Granikos, a turning point that changed the course of world history,” Turkish Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy wrote in a mid-June on X/Twitter. “The Battlefield of Granikos, where Alexander the Great achieved his first major victory against the Persians and opened the doors to his campaign into Asia, has now been officially registered as a ‘Historical Site.’”“I believe this important step, which will add value to Çanakkale's cultural heritage, will make significant contributions to historical science, cultural tourism, and the strengthening of our cultural routes,” Ersoy went on.Archaeological and scientific surveys were carried out at the site ahead of the Çanakkale Regional Board for the Protection of Cultural Heritage’s decision in order to evaluate whether it met the criteria to be designated as a historic site.Under the decision, both the battlefield and its surrounding areas have gained protected status.Follow us on Google