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Phoenician tombs found in Sicily

40 sarcophagi unearthed at necropolis near ancient colony

(ANSA) - Marsala (Trapani), August 23 - Archaeologists have unearthed 40 sarcophagi in what was once the sacred Phoenician burial grounds of Birgi, near the ancient colony of Motya .

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Although they failed to find objects inside the sarcophigi, archaeologists unearthed several vases of different sizes and shapes in the field .

"The vases were most likely used during propitiatory rites just before the burial took place," the experts said .

According to the experts, the tombs had clearly been ransacked by tomb raiders or perhaps by Joseph Whitaker, an archaeologist related to a noble British family that produced and exported Marsala wines from Sicily in the 19th Century .

Whitaker, who was responsible for the rediscovery of Motya, built a house on the island and moved all his finds there in 1908 .

His house now serves as the archaeological museum .

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A Phoenician temple was found in the vicinity of Motya earlier this year.