Archaeological discoveries in southeastern Romania reveal ancient funerary wreaths, painted sarcophagi

The National Museum of Romanian History has announced an extraordinary archaeological discovery in Mangalia, southeastern Romania. During systematic excavations at the ancient city of Callatis’ tumular necropolis, archaeologists unearthed a rare and remarkably well-preserved stone tomb, along with funeral artifacts dating back to the 3rd century BC.

Among the most striking finds are three gold-plated bronze funerary wreaths shaped like myrtle and ivy leaves, as well as two sarcophagi made of carved and painted limestone and marble. The tomb also contained glass and bronze ornaments, fragments of ancient wood still bearing traces of pigment, and human remains belonging to at least two individuals – a teenager and a child, one of whom was likely female.

The tomb was discovered beneath a 12-meter-high and 70-meter-wide burial mound - the largest currently known in southern Dobrogea and visible from the sea, according to the museum. The structure, covered by a semi-cylindrical vaulted ceiling, is believed to have belonged to a wealthy Greek family from Callatis, closely connected to Macedonian religious and political traditions.

Though the tomb had been looted shortly after its construction, the mound was quickly restored and reinvested with symbolic rituals, including large-scale alcohol offerings.

The site offers a rare glimpse into the elite funerary practices of Hellenistic Callatis, a prosperous Greek colony founded in the 4th century BC. At its height, the city was a key regional player in the Black Sea area, allied with Thracians and Scythians, and a rival to the Macedonian king Lysimachus.

“The recently discovered artifacts, with characteristics that will lead to their classification as a Treasure of the national cultural heritage and their inclusion in the collections of the National Museum of Romanian History, come precisely from this era - brilliant, violent, and sophisticated. Their thorough study will allow the acquisition of new scientific knowledge about the Greco-Thracian-Macedonian world of the 4th–3rd centuries BC,” reads the press release.

This is the first systematic excavation of such a funerary mound in Romania, the museum also said. It was made possible through non-invasive scanning techniques and a multidisciplinary team of experts from several Romanian institutions.

The artifacts, brought to the National Museum of Romanian History, will undergo conservation and analysis, including structural and chemical studies.

The team plans to present preliminary results during the European Heritage Days event in September 2025. Future efforts will include virtual reconstructions and continued exploration of the access corridor to the tomb, which extends over 18 meters.