Roman tomb sealed off to shield living from 'restless dead' is OPENED

The unusual grave was found at the archaeological site of Sagalassos in southwestern Turkey and dates back to 100 to 150 AD.

Experts believe the individuals who closed the vault intentionally discarded 41 bent and twisted nails on the ground.

They then sealed it in a way that signified they feared the person inside would haunt them, with 24 bricks meticulously placed on the still-smoldering pyre, and a layer of lime plaster on top of that.

The individual — an adult male — was cremated and buried in the same place, an unusual practice in Roman times.

Only archaeological evidence for the practice of nailing crucifixion victims is an ankle bone from the tomb of Jehohanan, a man executed in the first century CE.

The victims were normally criminals and their bodies were often thrown into rubbish dumps meaning archaeologists never see their bones.

Identification is made even more difficult by scratch marks from scavenging animals.