Medieval Twin Infant Burial Found Inside Ancient Roman Sewer at Ephesus
Archaeologists have uncovered compelling new evidence of how Byzantine communities cared for infants who died around birth after re-examining a remarkable Early Medieval burial discovered beneath the ancient city of Ephesus in western Türkiye.
The study, published in the journal Childhood in the Past by researchers from the Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAW), reveals the carefully arranged burial of two newborn infants—possibly twins—inside a disused Roman latrine channel beneath the city's ancient Odeon.
Although the burial location initially appears unusual, detailed analysis shows the infants received a respectful Christian burial, offering rare insight into infant funerary customs during the Early Middle Ages.Image Credit : OeAW-OeAI/L. Zabrana
Ancient Roman Sewer Became a Medieval Burial Site
The burial was discovered within the Sanctuary of Artemis (Artemision), one of the most famous religious sites of the ancient world.
Archaeologists found a small stone-and-brick cist grave constructed inside a disused sewer channel beneath the Roman Odeon, a theatre built during the 1st century AD for musical performances, speeches and civic events.
Originally, the underground channel formed part of a large public latrine equipped with around 30 seats. By the Early Medieval period, however, the building had long been abandoned, allowing the former drainage system to be repurposed as a burial place.
Radiocarbon dating places the grave between the 8th and 9th centuries AD, several centuries after the Roman structure had fallen out of use.
A Carefully Arranged Christian Burial
Despite being located within an abandoned sewer, the grave displayed every characteristic of a formal Christian burial.
The two infants were placed side by side with their heads facing west, following established burial traditions in Byzantine Ephesus.
No grave goods accompanied the children, a common feature of Christian burials during the period.
Researchers emphasize that the carefully built grave, the orderly positioning of the bodies and the absence of disturbance clearly indicate a deliberate and respectful interment rather than the disposal of unwanted infants.
Lead author Caroline Partiot, an anthropologist at the Austrian Archaeological Institute, explained that very young children were often buried separately from adults because of their distinct social status.
As a result, infant burials are frequently discovered beneath house floors, inside abandoned wells or in other locations not originally intended as cemeteries.
Evidence Suggests the Infants Were Twins
Detailed osteological analysis revealed that both infants died at approximately 33 to 34 weeks of gestation, only a short time before birth.
Their nearly identical skeletal development strongly suggests they were twins.
One of the infants also exhibited a supernumerary cervical rib, an uncommon congenital condition associated with developmental abnormalities, miscarriage and stillbirth.
According to the researchers, this represents only the second documented case of the anomaly identified in perinatal archaeological remains anywhere in the world.
The discovery provides valuable medical evidence for understanding health complications affecting pregnancies during the Byzantine period.
Wrapped Carefully Before Burial
Further examination found evidence that both infants had been wrapped in cloth or a burial shroud before interment.
An iron object discovered near one infant's skull may have served as a fastening pin used to secure the fabric around the body.
Researchers also observed traces of water infiltration within the grave, indicating that moisture periodically entered the burial chamber during decomposition.
These findings help reconstruct both the burial process and the environmental conditions affecting the grave over the following centuries.
Different from Other Infant Burials
The researchers argue that the Ephesus burial differs significantly from other archaeological discoveries of infant remains recovered from ancient drainage systems.
Sites such as Ashkelon in Israel and the Agora Bone Well in Athens have often been interpreted as evidence of infanticide or the disposal of unwanted newborns.
By contrast, the Ephesus grave exhibits none of those characteristics.Image Credit : OeAW-OeAI/L. Zabrana
Its carefully constructed cist, undisturbed condition and formal Christian orientation instead indicate that the infants were intentionally buried with dignity and protected by their community.
The findings challenge assumptions that unusual burial locations necessarily reflect social exclusion.
Evidence the Sanctuary Remained Accessible
The discovery also contributes important information about the later history of the Sanctuary of Artemis.
Co-author Lilli Zabrana explained that the radiocarbon dates confirm the sacred precinct remained accessible throughout the Early Middle Ages.
Only during the 13th and 14th centuries AD, when repeated flooding deposited between six and eight metres of river sediment across the area, was the ancient sanctuary finally buried beneath the landscape.
This evidence improves archaeologists' understanding of how the once-famous sanctuary continued to be used long after the decline of the Roman city.
Conclusion
The discovery of two newborn infants—possibly twins—buried inside a disused Roman sewer at Ephesus offers a rare glimpse into Early Medieval attitudes toward infant death and Christian burial traditions. Rather than reflecting abandonment or social exclusion, the carefully constructed grave demonstrates the compassion and respect shown to children who died before or shortly after birth. At the same time, the burial provides valuable evidence that the Sanctuary of Artemis remained accessible centuries after antiquity, adding another chapter to the long and complex history of one of the ancient world's greatest cities.