Strange ‘liquid’ burial unearthed in England reveals secrets of Roman elite

Burial made by pouring liquid gypsum over deceased individuals

Archaeologists have uncovered a Roman-era cemetery in England with the unique burial of a “high-status individual” encased in liquid gypsum at its centre.

Researchers found that the central grave contained a stone coffin carved from a single solid block of limestone.

The burial in this grave was encased in gypsum before capping stones were placed on the coffin, they say.

This type of burial was made by pouring liquid gypsum over deceased individuals which then set to form a hard cast.

“For reasons archaeologists do not entirely understand, the Romans sometimes poured liquid gypsum – a mineral used in making various types of cement and plaster – over the clothed bodies of adults and children in lead or stone coffins before burying them,” archaeologists from the University of York said.

Stone coffin with gypsum poured over it (Headland Archaeology)

The method preserves some imprints of the individual by moulding around them, and is usually associated with prominent urban centres, but is rarely found in rural Roman Britain, scientists say.

It is thought to indicate a high-status burial with analysis of gypsum casts from a previous excavation in York revealing traces of expensive oils and perfumes.

The cemetery dating to the Roman era between 42 AD and 410 AD was uncovered ahead of construction work to widen a highway in Cambridgeshire.

Archaeologists found impressions of the shroud the elite individual was buried in as well as a piece of the fabric preserved in fragments of gypsum.

They also recovered a glass vessel, fragments of leather, pottery shreds, and animal bone from the gypsum fragments in the surrounding grave cut.

Glass vessel found buried near coffin (Headland Archaeology)

Researchers from the privately owned Headland Archaeology suspect the glass vessel may have once held a toast or libation for the deceased before it was placed in the grave.

Such a burial would have come at a high cost, scholars say.

The stone coffin, according to researchers, was not only beautifully carved but also made from stone quarried around 50km away.

“Both the beautifully carved stone coffin and the gypsum burial are indicative of an individual of high status,” they write in a statement.

Considering these factors, researchers suspect the unique burial was likely of the head of a prominent family in Roman-era Britain.

Excavations also revealed more high-status graves within the cemetery with burials containing jewellery and other precious items.

One burial, south-west of the central stone coffin, is suspected to be of a young woman aged around 16-20, containing a large concentration of grave goods placed just above the feet.

She was likely buried with a cache including a pair of silver earrings, and nine copper alloy bracelets instead of her wearing them.

Another grave found with silver earrings, copper alloy bracelets, copper alloy rings (Headland Archaeology)

Researchers suspect this was because the jewellery could have been “meant for her dowry”.

The cemetery also exhibited several other kinds of Roman burial practices such as cremation, decapitation burials and infant burials adding to further mystery.

“Whilst these burial practices are all known from the Roman period, it is more unusual to find them all represented in such a small cemetery,” scientists say.

They hope further post-excavation analysis would untangle questions surrounding the longevity of the cemetery as well as shedding light on the individual stories of people buried there.