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2,400-Year-Old Grave of Possible Ancient Pro Wrestler Discovered in Turkey
Coins with wrestler images were found in the tomb, but researchers say more analysis is needed to confirm the burial belonged to an athlete.
- On Monday, archaeologists announced the discovery of a 2,400-year-old tomb near Aspendos, Turkey, containing a skeleton and silver coins depicting wrestlers. Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy suggested the deceased may have been an athlete.
- Aspendos's history is deeply linked to wrestling through silver staters minted for over a century, suggesting the sport held civic significance. The city also built a stadium holding up to 8,000 spectators for wrestling, footraces and javelin contests.
- Historian Sarah E. Bond of the University of Iowa cautioned that coins were common currency, not athlete-exclusive. "Coins alone cannot indicate this was a Classical-era Greek wrestler," Bond told Live Science, urging further analysis before confirming identity.
- Reflecting on the discovery's significance, Ersoy stated, "With every new find in Aspendos, we will continue to complete the missing pages of our history." Researchers are examining the skeleton for evidence of athletic trauma to strengthen the identification.
- The discovery coincides with other recent archaeological headlines: a 1,300-year-old Viking sword found by a six-year-old in Norway and ongoing analysis of the 5,300-year-old Otzi mummy for "signs of life." Ancient discoveries continue capturing global attention.
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Possible Ancient Wrestler’s Tomb Found in Turkey - Archaeology Magazine
Coins found in a grave in Aspendos, Turkey ANTALYA, TURKEY—According to a Yeni Şafak report, a 2,400-year-old grave lined with stones has been unearthed in the eastern necropolis at the site of Aspendos, a Pamphylian city on Turkey’s southern coast. The tomb contained locally minted coins bearing images of wrestlers. Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, Turkey’s Culture and Tourism Minister, said that the grave may have belonged to a wrestler or to someone connec…
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Total News Sources16
Leaning Left2Leaning Right3Center5Last UpdatedBias Distribution50% Center
Bias Distribution
- 50% of the sources are Center
50% Center
L 20%
C 50%
R 30%
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