A new study of a 2,400-year-old tomb in present-day western Turkey has revealed how ancient builders combined two different burial traditions in a single monument. The tomb, known localy as Reşitharmanyeri, lies near the ancient Greek city of Adramytteion (Greek: Ἀδραμύττιον) in Balıkesir province. It features a burial chamber carved into solid rock, three stone beds and an exterior designed to resemble a burial mound.
Hüseyin Murat Özgen of Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University examined the structure in a study published in the scientific journal Cedrus. His findings draw on rescue excavations conducted in 2024 under the direction of the Balıkesir Kuva-yi Milliye Museum. The excavations helped researchers reconstruct the tomb’s original layout, which had remained unclear because of extensive damage.
Three stone beds found inside ancient tomb
The burial chamber measures about 3.5 meters (11.5 feet) long and 2.8 meters (9.2 feet) wide. Its builders carved three beds directly into the rock, arranging them along the northern, southern, and western walls.
The beds feature raised headrests and details resembling wooden furniture. Known as klinai, similar beds were used for reclining during meals and gatherings in the ancient Greek world. Their presence in tombs reflected burial traditions that recreated furnished rooms for the dead.
Balıkesir’de 2.400 yıllık mezarın içine üç taş yatak oymuşlar.
Balıkesir’in Burhaniye ilçesindeki Reşitharmanyeri kaya mezarında, ana kayaya oyulmuş üç taş yatak tespit edildi.
2024 yılında incelenen ve yeni bir bilimsel araştırmaya konu olan mezar, yaklaşık 2.400 yıl öncesinin… pic.twitter.com/bwvVQ97eei
— Haber Arkeoloji (@HaberArkeoloji) November 2, 2026
Researchers believe the chamber may have accommodated multiple burials, although they could not establish who was buried there. A stepped entrance on the eastern side leads to a narrow passage connecting to the chamber. Outside, archaeologists uncovered a curved stone wall that may have supported an earthen covering. This would have given the tomb the appearance of a traditional burial mound, known as a tumulus.
According to Özgen, the combination of rock-cut architecture and mound-like features makes the monument an unusual example of ancient burial design. Similar burial traditions have been documented elsewhere in northwestern Anatolia, including around ancient Pergamon.
Ancient tomb damaged by illegal excavations
The tomb stands on rocky ground about nine kilometers southeast of Adramytteion, overlooking a valley surrounded by ancient settlements. The area has produced other archaeological discoveries, including a Roman villa with elaborate mosaics uncovered at Adramytteion. Fragments of black-glazed pottery and architectural evidence suggest the tomb dates to the fourth century B.C., although researchers could not establish an exact date.
Illegal excavations had already severely damaged the monument before archaeologists examined it in 2024. Looters destroyed much of its ceiling and damaged the stone beds. Researchers found no preserved human remains, inscriptions, or intact burial objects that could identify its occupants. Other ancient tomb discoveries in Turkey have offered clues about the people buried inside through coins and other objects.
Despite the destruction at Reşitharmanyeri, the study provides new evidence of how ancient communities adapted different burial traditions to the natural landscape of western Anatolia.
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