Konya’s Listra Sheds Light on Ancient Burial Traditions

Thirty tombs discovered around a church structure at Listra Ancient City in Konya are offering new insight into the settlement’s burial traditions and sacred spatial organization.

Archaeological work at Listra Ancient City has documented thirty tombs surrounding a church structure, offering important data on burial practices and the use of sacred space in the settlement.

Rather than focusing on discovery, researchers emphasize the spatial relationship between the church and the surrounding burials, which suggests a structured use of the area in different historical periods.

The excavations, carried out with the permission of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism in cooperation with Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya Metropolitan Municipality, and Meram Municipality, are led by Assoc. Prof. İlker Mete Mimiroğlu.

The church structure, known from historical records and Western artistic depictions, remains central to the study. The surrounding burial arrangement is being analyzed in relation to the settlement’s religious and social organization.

Listra, an important city of ancient Lycaonia mentioned in the New Testament, is associated with Saint Paul and is considered a site of religious significance in antiquity. The mound on which it is located contains layers dating back to the Chalcolithic period (5000–3000 BCE), highlighting its long-term occupation.