Interior of the sarcophagus. Detail of the western part, prior to in situ cleaning of the skeletal remains. (PreConstructArchaeologyLtd via SWNS)
A mysterious skeleton found in a Roman sarcophagus in the grounds of Westminster Abbey more than 150 years ago may finally have been identified.
×
Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9QmpC4926@=@8:DED 36=:6G6 :E >2J 36 E96 C6>2:?D @7 @?6 @7 EH@ 9:89\C2?<:?8 >65:6G2= >@?<D H9@ 5:65 2C@F?5 `[___ J62CD 28@]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm%96 =:>6DE@?6 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^E2=<6C]?6HD^a_ae^_h^ab^42G6>6?\FD65\>2>>@E9\EFD<\A2EE6C?D\E@\4C62E6\F?:BF6\2?4:6?E\2CE^QmD2C4@A928FDk^2m H2D 7@F?5 362C:?8 2? :?D4C:AE:@? E@ '2=6C:FD p>2?5:?FD – 2 H62=E9J qC:E@? H9@ =:G65 :? {@?5@? :? E96 cE9 46?EFCJ p]s] \ H96? :E H2D 6I42G2E65 2E E96 p336J :? `geh]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9QmqFE 2 {2E:? 4C@DD \ 52E:?8 7C@> 2C@F?5 E96 `_E9 @C ``E9 46?EFCJ \ H2D D4F=AE65 @? E96 =:5[ DF886DE:?8 E92E E96 9F>2? C6>2:?D 7@F?5 H:E9:? >2J 36 @7 D@>6@?6 H9@ 925 5:65 9F?5C65D @7 J62CD =2E6C]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm%96:C :56?E:EJ 925 C6>2:?65 2 >JDE6CJ F?E:= 2 ?6H 2?2=JD:D 3J (2CH:4< #@5H6==[ 4@?DF=E2?E 2C4926@=@8:DE 2E (6DE>:?DE6C p336J]k^Am
The limestone sarcophagus was found bearing an inscription to Valerius Amandinus, a wealthy Briton who lived in London in the 4th Century AD, when it was excavated at the Abbey in 1869.
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmw:D C6D62C49[ AF3=:D965 :? E96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^5I]5@:]@C8^`_]`_g_^__eg`agg]a_ae]aefdfggQmy@FC?2= @7 E96 qC:E:D9 pC4926@=@8:42= pDD@4:2E:@?k^2m[ 4@?4=F56D E92E :E :D >@DE =:<6=J E96 3@?6D 36=@?865 E@ 2 D6?:@C >65:6G2= >@?< 42==65 p6=7H:8 H9@ 5:65 2C@F?5 `_a_]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm#@5H6== D2:5 p6=7H:8 H2D 2? 233@E 2E (6DE>:?DE6C p336J[ 2?5 =2E6C 2E 2 q6?65:4E:?6 >@?2DE6CJ]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmw6 D2JD 2?@E96C 42?5:52E6 :D p6=7H:8VD DF446DD@C (F=?@E9[ H9@ 5:65 :? `_ch 2?5 :D AC6DF>65 E@ 92G6 366? 3FC:65 2E E96 p336J[ 2D H2D p6=7H:8]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm#@5H6== D2:5i Q(6 92G6 EH@ G:23=6 4@?E6?56CD 7@C E96 @44FA2?E @7 E96 D2C4@A928FD]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9QmQ(6 5@ ?@E <?@H E96 52E6 @7 3:CE9 @7 6:E96C]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9QmQqFE 6:E96C H@F=5 7:E 6BF2==J H6== :7 H6 2DDF>6 E96 p33@E H2D :? 9:D 62C=J EH6?E:6D H96? E96 2AA@:?E>6?E H2D >256 2?5 4=@D6 E@ d_ H96? 96 5:65]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9QmQ%96 724E p6=7H:8 H2D 2=C625J 2 >@?< @7 (6DE>:?DE6C >:89E 72G@FC 9:>]Qk^Am
(PreConstructArchaeologyLtd via SWNS)
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmw6 D2JD 2?@E96C 4=F6 E92E DF886DED E96 D<6=6E@? 36=@?865 E@ 2? 233@E =:6D :? E96 724E E96 @44FA2?E H2D Q9@?@C65Q H:E9 2 Q7:?6 D2C4@A928FD]Qk^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm#@5H6== D2:5 E96 H@@56? 4@77:? H2D A=2465 :?D:56 2 DE@?6 3FC:2= 42D<6E :? H92E 4@F=5 C6AC6D6?E 2? 62C=J 6I2>A=6 @7 C64J4=:?8]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmw6 D2JD E96 =:5 H2D E96? C642CG65 E@ 762EFC6 2 =2C86 {2E:? 4C@DD]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm%96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^E2=<6C]?6HD^a_ae^_h^ad^DEF56?E\D4:6?E:DED\?2>6\b_h\>:==:@?\J62C\@=5\2>A9:3:2?\27E6C\>@>D^QmD<6=6E@?k^2m 2?5 #@>2? D2C4@A928FD 92G6 366? E96 DF3;64E @7 6IE6?D:G6 C6D62C49 2?5 5:D4FDD:@? 7@C >2?J J62CD]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm%96 =2E6DE 7:?5:?8D[ 7C@> 2 D6C:6D @7 6IE6?D:G6 E6DED 3J #@5H6== 2?5 @E96C 6IA6CED[ AC@G:56 7C6D9 :?D:89ED :?E@ :ED 9:DE@CJ]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmr92??6= cVD %:>6 %62> 6I2>:?65 E96 2C4926@=@8J 2?5 DECF4EFC6 @7 z:?8 w6?CJ xxxVD @C:8:?2= D24C:DEJ @? E96 ?@CE9 D:56 @7 (6DE>:?DE6C p336J :? a__h]k^Am
(PreConstructArchaeologyLtd via SWNS)
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9QmxE H2D :? E92E 2C62 @7 E96 p336J H96C6 :? `ga_ H@C<>6? 244:56?E2==J F?62CE965 E96 D2C4@A928FD[ D>2D9:?8 E96 =:5 :?E@ D:I A:646D]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm%96 52>286 H2D C6A2:C65 H96? E96 #@>2? 4@77:? H2D =2E6C @77:4:2==J Q5:D4@G6C65Q :? `geh]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmp C646?E k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^E2=<6C]?6HD^a_ae^`_^_e^=@DE\7:=>\C6G62=D\7:CDE\C66?24E>6?E^Qm6I42G2E:@?k^2m @7 E96 D24C:DEJ H2D 4@>A=6E65 =2DE J62C 3J !C6\r@?DECF4E pC4926@=@8J W!rpX[ @?6 @7 qC:E2:?VD =2C86DE 4@>>6C4:2= 96C:E286 AC24E:46D]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm%96 H@C< H2D ?646DD2CJ E@ 6?23=6 E96 3F:=5:?8 @7 E96 z:?8 r92C=6D xxx $24C:DEJ 2E E96 p336J H9:49 :D 5F6 E@ @A6? ?6IE J62C]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm%96 AC@;64E :?4=F565 2? 2?2=JD:D @7 E96 D<6=6E@? 7@F?5 :? E96 D2C4@A928FD 3J !rpVD 9F>2? 3@?6 DA64:2=:DE y2>6D *@F?8 {2?8E9@C?6]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmw6 56E6C>:?65 E96 286 @7 E96 56462D65 >2? E@ 36 36EH66? bd 2?5 ch 2?5 E92E 96 H2D 2C@F?5 d 7E h :? E2==]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm%92E 5:776CD 7C@> 2? 2DD6DD>6?E :? E96 `g__D H9:49 DF886DE65 :E H2D 2 QC@3FDE J@F?8 >2?Q H9@ H2D 2C@F?5 d 7E f :? 2?5 ?@ >@C6 E92? b_ J62CD @7 286]k^Am
(PreConstructArchaeologyLtd via SWNS)
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmp 3@?6 D2>A=6 H2D 2=D@ D6?E E@ E96 $4@EE:D9 &?:G6CD:E:6D t?G:C@?>6?E2= #6D62C49 r6?EC6 7@C 42C3@? 52E:?8]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm#6DF=ED :?5:42E65 2 52E6 @7 p]s] hgf E@ `_da]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm#@5H6== D2:5i Q%9:D 4@?7:C>D E92E E96 C6FD6 @7 E96 D2C4@A928FD[ 2?5 E96 2DD@4:2E65 C6>@56==:?8 @7 :ED 4@G6C[ @44FCC65 :? E96 =2E6 $2I@? A6C:@5]Qk^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm(96? E96 DE@?6 4@77:? H2D D6?E E@ 2 4@?D6CG2E:@? DEF5:@ :? a_`e[ !rp C6D62C496CD 7@F?5 2? 2=>@DE\4@>A=6E6 D<6=6E@? :?D:56]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm#6D62C496CD :? a_`e 2=D@ 7@F?5 2? @FE=:?6 @7 C64E2?8F=2C DECF4EFC6 :?D:56 E96 D2C4@A928FD[ >2C<65 @FE :? 2 H9:E6 C6D:5F6 H9:49 925 366? =67E 3J =:>6 \ 2 DF3DE2?46 EC25:E:@?2==J FD65 :? 3FC:2=D]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm#@5H6== 25565i Qp=E9@F89 ?@ A9JD:42= EC246D @7 E92E 762EFC6 C6>2:?65[ :E 42? @?=J 92G6 366? 2 E:>36C 4@77:?[ H9:49 92D 4@>A=6E6=J 5642J65 @G6C E96 4@FCD6 @7 E96 D6G6? 46?EFC:6D E92E E96 D2C4@A928FD H2D 3FC:65 :? E96 D24C:DEJ 4@FCEJ2C5]Qk^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm%96 D2C4@A928FD :D @? AF3=:4 5:DA=2J :? E96 "F66?VD s:2>@?5 yF3:=66 v2==6C:6D 2E (6DE>:?DE6C p336J]k^Am
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.