Unearthing History: Rare Roman Stone Coffin Found Amid A47 Roadworks

This discovery was made during the enhancement of the A47 in Cambridgeshire and is included in series 12 of the BBC documentary titled ‘Digging for Britain’.

Hosted by Professor Alice Roberts, the BBC’s Digging for Britain commenced its twelfth season on January 7, 2025.

The initial episode showcases a colossal hand-carved stone coffin, undisturbed since its interment in Roman times over 1,500 years ago.

This artifact was discovered by experts from Headland Archaeology in a small Roman roadside burial site, identified during the upgrading of the A47 to a dual carriageway. The segment of the A47 lying between Wansford and Sutton close to Peterborough adheres to the path of an ancient Roman road.

Weighing in at 750kg, extending over 2m in length, and with sides nearly 10cm thick, this coffin is considered a rare discovery. Stone coffins are seldom found, with only around 50 discovered across Roman Britain. It may belong to a person of high standing within the local community.

After carefully extracting the coffin from the soil, archaeologists began the meticulous process of separating skeletal remains from their plaster encasement.

Some plaster pieces exhibited the impressions of the fabric used to wrap the body. The largest plaster fragment partially maintained the outline of the body.

This burial was not unique. The stone sarcophagus was encircled by 23 other graves, likely belonging to a family or a community.

Numerous burials yielded intriguing discoveries. One grave of a young woman contained a trove of treasures, all positioned at the feet of the deceased.

This could represent the dowry of a young lady accompanying her into the afterlife.

The grave also held glass and ceramic drinking utensils, perhaps intended for a final toast at the graveside or a memorial celebration.

Additional buried treasures discovered during our projects in Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, Gloucestershire, and Essex will appear in forthcoming episodes.