Unique Roman Britain Cemetery: Jewelry Buried with Child and Stone Sarcophagi
The Roman cemetery, accidentally discovered during the A47 road expansion works near Wansford, close to Peterborough, has astonished archaeologists. The excavation team states that this cemetery is “unique” because the variety of different burial types and grave goods is quite remarkable. In particular, the jewelry buried with a young child and a solid stone sarcophagus highlight the cemetery’s importance.
One of the most striking finds in the cemetery is the jewelry belonging to a child estimated to be around five years old. These jewels are considered an indication of the child’s wealth and high status. The team believes that this type of burial reflects the value given to children and the social hierarchy of that period.
The solid stone sarcophagus found in the cemetery contains a body placed in plaster. This sarcophagus is made of Ancaster stone and was transported 30 miles south from Lincolnshire. The lid of the sarcophagus is made of Barnack stone, which is specific to the Peterborough region. Archaeologists indicate that this suggests the original lid of the sarcophagus may have been broken and replaced with a new one.
The excavation team has not yet been able to determine which community the cemetery served. The lack of evidence of other settlement structures in the immediate vicinity increases the mystery of the cemetery. Sara Machin from Headland Archaeology said that the finds are being examined at the Silsoe base in Bedfordshire and that the kinship relations of those buried and their connections with the community will be investigated with DNA analyses.
Jessica Lowther from Headland Archaeology emphasizes that these kinds of excavations tell the stories of how people lived their daily lives. “We don’t [always] have history books written about us, but archaeology can tell us these stories,” she says.
The presence of different burial practices in such a small area makes the cemetery “unique.” Archaeologists state that the cemetery will provide important information about burial rituals and social structure in Roman Britain.
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