The bodies found in a cemetery near Aylesbury may have been Roman "criminals" or "outcasts." 1,200 coins were also discovered.
A team of nearly 50 archaeologists made an unusual discovery during an excavation conducted at Fleet Marston Cemetery, a small English village near Aylesbury. 425 Roman skeletons were found along a multi-billion pound high-speed rail link, 40 of which were headless .
Archaeologists say skeletons may be the remains of criminals or outcasts, although decapitation was a "normal, albeit marginal, funeral rite" in the late Roman period. Interestingly, during the funeral ceremonies the severed heads were placed between or next to the feet of the dead.
The excavation company is under no obligation to re-burial the bodies - unlike those exhumed from Christian sites such as St James's Gardens in North London - so they will be kept for further analysis. Over the next few years, scientists will study the exhumed skeletons, which will help us learn more about the lifestyle, diet and beliefs of Roman civilization.
Household items were also found, including spoons, pins and brooches, as well as dice and bells
- All discovered remains will be treated with dignity, care and respect, and we will share our findings with the community. The large Roman cemetery at Fleet Marston will give us a detailed insight into the people of Fleet Marston and the wider landscape of Roman Britain Said Helen Wass, head of legacy at HS2.
Cotswold Archeology and Oxford Archeology conducted excavations for over a year on behalf of the contractor HS2. It turns out that this is not the only discovery on the future railroad.
Not only skeletons
The team also discovered over 1,200 coins, along with several lead weights indicating it was a trading area. Household items were also found, including spoons, pins and brooches, as well as dice and bells which suggest that the people of that time were gambling and engaged in religious rituals.
- Excavations are of great importance as they allow not only to clearly characterize a Roman city, but also to examine many of its inhabitants Richard Brown, Copa Senior Project Manager said.
40 skeletons have been decapitated
The Fleet Marston Cemetery is one of more than 100 archaeological sites on the first leg of the London-Birmingham railroad, surveyed by HS2 since 2018. Over the past 70 years, the remains of Roman life found at Fleet Marston have included pottery, roof tiles, coins, and lead coffin lining.
Source:
- https://inews.co.uk/news/hs2-route-archaeologists-beheaded-roman-skeletons-bodies-exhumed-buckinghamshire-1443984
- https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/feb/05/decapitated-roman-skeletons-found-on-hs2-route-near-aylesbury
- https://www.businessinsider.com/uk-40-beheaded-roman-skeletons-skulls-placed-between-legs-found-2022-2?IR=T&fbclid=IwAR0u7CwbVDnh1HXRumGiKgIOje73_dZ4BcSdXNxBfcfQ1MptliQTcfQ1MptliQTzVr