Roman era monumental tomb discovered in Bulqiza

Archaeologists in the village of Strikçan, Bulqiza, have unearthed a monumental Roman tomb, the first of its kind ever discovered in Albania. The site, known as Fusha e Gurrës, has revealed an extraordinary funerary structure dating back to the 3rd–4th centuries AD.

Why is this important: The construction techniques and epigraphic evidence point to a unique monument from the late Roman period. Measuring 9 by 6 meters, with a funerary chamber 2.40 meters high, the discovery offers new insights into the Roman presence in northern Albania.

Context: The excavation is led by Prof. Dr. Adem Bunguri and Erikson Nikolli. In addition to its remarkable architecture, the tomb contains significant archaeological and epigraphic findings. For the first time, a Roman inscription has been discovered in the Dibra region — a bilingual dedication to the individual buried in the tomb, identified as Gelliano, and to Jupiter, the most important Roman deity.

Nearby, archaeologists also uncovered another funerary inscription, though its damaged state will require further analysis before interpretation.

What else: The find sheds light on the spread of Roman cultural and religious practices into inland Albania during the empire’s later centuries. It also expands the geographic scope of Latin epigraphy in the Balkans, which until now had been concentrated in coastal and southern sites.

Next steps: Further study of the tomb and its inscriptions is expected to provide valuable data on the social and religious life of Roman Albania. Researchers will continue examining the damaged inscription and conducting additional excavations around Fusha e Gurrës to better understand the site’s significance.