In early September 2025, the quiet village of Strikçan in Bulqizë suddenly found itself in the spotlight. What started as a curious find by locals — large carved stones peeking out of the earth — turned into one of the most important archaeological discoveries Albania has seen in decades: a monumental Roman tomb, dating back to the 3rd or 4th century AD.
Archaeologists confirmed that this was no ordinary grave. Measuring about nine meters long and six meters wide, the tomb is built from massive limestone slabs and designed with remarkable precision. Visitors would have descended a monumental staircase, passed through an anteroom, and finally entered the main burial chamber, which still stands nearly 2.5 meters high.
This isn’t just another find — it’s the first Roman mausoleum-style tomb ever discovered in Albania.
Despite signs of ancient looting, the tomb still held fascinating artefacts that paint a picture of wealth and status:
Fragments of fine textiles woven with gold thread, suggesting the person buried here belonged to the elite.
Glass vessels and plates, luxurious items for their time.
Metal knives and other objects, possibly part of the burial offerings.
But the real gem is an inscription carved in both Latin and Greek. It names the deceased as Gellianos (or Gellianus) and makes a dedication to Jupiter, the chief Roman god. This bilingual inscription is rare in Albania and shows how Roman and Greek cultures blended in the region.
For Albania, this discovery is groundbreaking. It proves that the Roman presence in the Dibër region wasn’t just administrative or military — members of the local elite embraced Roman burial traditions and displayed their status through monumental architecture and rich grave goods.
It also highlights the cultural crossroads that this area represented: Roman gods, Greek inscriptions, and local craftsmanship all coming together in a single tomb.
Authorities are now working to protect the site and study the finds in more detail. Conservation teams will analyse the textiles, glass, and inscription, while historians try to place Gellianos in the bigger story of Roman Albania. There’s also hope that Strikçan could become a new destination for cultural tourism, offering visitors a glimpse into a chapter of history that has been hidden for nearly 1,700 years.
Standing at the tomb, it’s easy to imagine the world of late antiquity: a time when local aristocrats in Albania were part of the wider Roman world, speaking both Latin and Greek, honouring Jupiter, and building monuments that could stand for centuries.
The discovery at Strikçan is more than just an archaeological find — it’s a reminder that Albania’s hills and valleys still hold stories waiting to be told.
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