Ancient Roman grave filled with gypsum dug up by archaeologists

January 15, 2025

Road workers discovered an ancient Roman cemetery during a recent motorway construction project in the UK. This included a tomb filled with strange substances.

The announcement was made last week by National Highways, the UK government's transport agency. The unusual coffin was discovered on the A47 road between the West Midlands cities of Birmingham and Suffolk.

Officials said the coffin, which was made of stone and hand-carved, “has remained untouched since it was buried in Roman times more than 1,500 years ago.” Twenty-three other graves were discovered nearby, probably indicating family or communal burial sites.

The discovery, part of a “small roadside cemetery in Rome,” was unearthed by highway workers as they carried out repairs to the highway.

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British construction workers recently stumbled upon an ancient Roman cemetery, officials said. (National Highway (UK))

The Highways Authority said: “Part of the A47 between Wansford and Sutton, near Peterborough, follows the track of an old Roman road.”

Officials called the coffin, which weighs about 1,600 pounds and is 6 1/2 feet long, an “unusual find.”

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“Stone coffins are rare,” the statement explained. “Only about 50 have been discovered around Roman Britain.”

Archaeologists say the coffin was so heavy because it was filled with a substance called gypsum, a mineral used to make plaster. Experts place the coffin between 43 and 410 AD, but have not determined the exact year it was made or why the coffin contained plaster.

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National Highways said: “The coffin may belong to someone of high status in the local community.”

One coffin contained white plaster, which is used to make plaster. (National Highway (UK))

“We don't know exactly why the body was wrapped in plaster. It could also indicate that a wealthy person was buried there.”

A press release said archaeologists “carefully” began removing the bones from the plaster, and some fragments “remained traces of the cloth in which the bodies had been buried.”

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Interestingly, the plaster also took the form of the body itself. Experts discovered other strange objects in the surrounding graves, including what may have been the young woman's dowry.

“One of the young woman's graves contained a collection of valuables, all placed at the feet of her body,” the group said. “This may be a dowry for a young woman who will accompany you into the afterlife.

“Glass and ceramic sake vessels were also placed in the tombs, which were probably used for final toasts and anniversaries at the graveside.”