A Study of a Unique Roman Funerary Monument and Its Population at Dara in Upper Mesopotamia: A Collective Rock Burial Tower

Abstract

This article provides an in-depth study of a singular funerary monument located in the ancient city of Dara (southeastern Turkey). Its features relate to various influences, some of them outside the Roman world, and present a unique insight into the ritual practices of the inhabitants of Dara. This paper brings together archaeological and taphonomic evidence provided by recent excavations to offer perspectives for the dating of the building and the identification of the people buried there.