A remarkable discovery, among the most important of recent years, was made by workers in England. A huge, hand-hewn stone Roman sarcophagus has come to light, one of the most important and unique burial finds of the year.
The sarcophagus, which weighs 750kg (as much as a male polar bear), remained intact for over 1,500 years until the team from Headland Archeology carried out the excavation.
The chronicle of accidental discovery
Archaeologists discovered the amazing find on the A47 road in Cambridgeshire, a section of the Roman road that connected important areas of Roman Britain.
As the National Highways will convert the single carriageway into an expressway, during the road works, in a nearby area, the workers discovered the Roman cemetery.
The huge stone sarcophagus was found during the widening of the A47 between Wansford and Sutton, and had remained intact in the ground for hundreds of years. The careful excavation, led by the team at Headland Archaeology, was an extraordinary feat of engineering skill and historic preservation. Chris Griffin, head of the National Highways program said: “While our focus has been on building a road to improve driving, it is extremely rewarding to have a significant role in uncovering such a rare archaeological find.”
The discovery is part of the wider scheme of securing and recording any ancient or historical object that comes to light.
OR National Highways worked with specialists such as Headland Archeology to record and protect the treasures.
«At National Highways we ensure the recording and protection of the country’s heritage discovered during the work. Archeology belongs to the communities we serve and, in collaboration with Headland Archaeologywe are delighted to preserve and protect this extraordinary find for future generations.”said project leader David Harrison from Headland Archaeology, who described the find as “exciting”.
“Careful excavation and recording, both in the field and in the laboratory,” allows us to continue to learn how our Roman ancestors lived and died. states characteristics.
The duration of the mission
Over seven months, 52 archaeologists and 20 civil engineers joined forces at 14 sites, apart from the A47.
The project was supported by a team of conservation experts, namely the Museum of London (MOLA), Archaeological Survey of York, Heritage 360, conservation company CR, and Clivedon Conservation.
The surprising find is part of the wider effort to discover and safely maintain the site during road works.
As well as the sarcophagus, workers have unearthed other impressive finds during National Highways works in Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, Gloucestershire and Essex.
Source: www.enikos.gr
