ISTANBUL, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- A team of Turkish archaeologists found seven skeletons when restoring the ancient Boukoleon Palace, one of the oldest Byzantine-era structures in the country's largest city Istanbul, local officials said Tuesday.
"This is a huge archaeological enigma," tweeted Mahir Polat, Istanbul Municipality deputy secretary-general.
According to Polat, the remains scattered around indicate a sudden death that took place in the palace thousands of years ago, and the area where the bones were found was possibly a dungeon.
"In central Istanbul, an abandoned historical heritage is being brought to light with all its mystery," Murat Kantekin, a consultant of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, tweeted about the latest discovery.
"The Boukoleon puzzle is getting more interesting for its complexity," said Merve Gedik, manager of Istanbul Cultural Heritage Projects.
Earlier this year, Istanbul municipality's Cultural Assets Conservation Department launched an archeological restoration project in the 1,600-year-old heavily damaged palace.
As part of the plan, the teams have been conducting archaeological excavations to unearth some new components of the palace buried underground. In September, they discovered an ancient fountain.
The palace is one of the oldest Byzantine-era structures in Instanbul inhabited by Byzantine emperors.
Upon the completion of the restoration project, the palace and its surrounding area will be transformed into an open-air museum and a sightseeing spot. Enditem
