Skeleton of ‘Russian general’ found inside unearthed coffin in Turkey’s Ardahan

ARDAHAN

A coffin thought to belong to a Russian general has been unearthed during foundation excavations for a construction project in the eastern province of Ardahan, Doğan News Agency reported on April 26.Workers found a coffin with cross on it during the foundation excavation for an apartment building in Ardahan’s Karagöl neighborhood. They informed the authorities about the coffin and police took security measures around the excavation area.Authorities from the Kars Museum later inspected the field, discovering a coffin and a skeleton with rotten boats and a coat.Ünver Solaklıoğlu, an archaeologist at the museum, suggested that the skeleton could belong to a Russian general who lived around 140 years ago in the area, according to initial examinations.“Police received a notice in the evening hours yesterday [April 25] that a coffin had been found during a construction excavation. We made necessary examinations in the construction area. We believe the coffin belonged to a Russian general who lived after 1878, based on the fact that Russians were settled here at the time … The Russian soldier was found buried inside the coffin according to Christian tradition,” Solaklıoğlu said.Hundreds of locals flocked to the construction area to view the coffin and the skeleton after reports circulated on social media, amid rumors that gold and valuable historical artifacts were unearthed at the scene.The skeleton will be transferred to the Kars Museum after the prosecutor’s examination.