This from a Greek friend of mine...
In the village of Alaca, Çorum, Turkey, a rural house was constructed atop an Eastern Roman/Byzantine sarcophagus inscribed in Greek.
Ancient materials were reused without awareness of their historical significance, unintentionally merging two eras into one.
The inscription reads:
ΜΝΗΜΑ ΤΟΥ ΝΕΟΥ → "Tomb of the young man"
ΑΝ- ΑΝΤΙΓΟΝΟΥ → "Antigonos" (the name, partially preserved)
ΟΥΤΟ ΣΩΜΑ ΕΠΙ ΓΗΣ → "Here lies the body upon the earth"
Κ-ΕΙ ΨΥΧΗ ΜΕΤΑ → "While the soul is beyond"
📜 Translation:
"Tomb of the young man – Antigonos. Here lies the body on earth, the soul beyond."
A powerful testimony of faith and remembrance, preserved for centuries and rediscovered in the most unexpected setting.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgaM0LRdYv90PZtdo3EngCjPffjXtsGhilYSKwbjEpuYue6OzGRozrLxs77XsEqfJftQ48fnvCB_naYfZgu_3X8kzy4EYy5v7SATuvVMI88UaTAxyhGKQUOzuONEPGinauFFu5nUhF2n7arfGfMNwRZKgLatyu7rmq6iR_5F3CMD3LDGRgTuLmulz4iYoKB=w305-h400)
Any reports of hauntings by the Antigonus' ghost who objects to having a house built on top of his mortal remains?
???
We'd probably need to seek reports of hauntings elsewhere. Antigonus' ghost is perhaps more likely to be seeking the return of his monument back to the location it was taken from when first reused. :)
If you ever meet this ghost, you should probably point out to him that things could have turned out far worse. I mean, there was this baker in Rome who had an aquaduct built on his tomb...
:P
The builders of the house were obviously familiar with Roman burial customs. They seemingly followed the common wish "May the earth lie lightly upon you" by only using mud brick above him!
Presumably, Jon's friend was visiting the Hittite site at Alaca Höyük nearby. And if not, why not?