Ancient 300 AD Roman cemetery found under parking lot in UK

Archaeologists have unearthed a 1,700-year-old Roman cemetery hidden beneath a parking lot in England. The latest dig spearheaded by the University of Leicester archaeological unit follows the historic discovery of King Richard III. The find has revealed remains thought to date back to 300AD - and includes personal items such as hairpins, rings, belt buckles and remains of shoes. [caption id=“attachment_753203” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational image: Reuters[/caption] The team has found a jet ring with a curious symbol etched onto it. Archaeologists have also identified the unusual practise of Christian burials alongside pagan burials. In total, they identified 13 sets of remains at the car park in Oxford Street in Leicester’s historic city centre. “We have discovered new evidence about a known cemetery that existed outside the walled town of Roman Leicester during the 3rd-4th Centuries AD,” Archaeological Project Officer John Thomas said. The excavation, at the junction of Oxford Street and Newarke Street, lay approximately 130 metre outside the south gate of Roman Leicester, adjacent to one of the main routes into the town from the south (Oxford Street). Roman law forbade burial within the town limits so cemeteries developed outside the walls, close to well-used roads, researchers said. “Unusually the 13 burials found during the recent excavations, of mixed age and sex, displayed a variety of burial traditions including east to west & north to south oriented graves, many with personal items such as finger rings, hairpins, buckles and hob-nailed shoes. One in particular appears to have been buried in a Christian tradition, facing east and wearing a polished jet finger ring on their left hand, Thomas said. “In contrast a nearby and probably near contemporary grave appeared to indicate very different beliefs. This grave had a north-south orientation, with the body laid on its side in a semi-foetal position, with the head removed and placed near the feet alongside two complete pottery jars that would have held offerings for the journey to the afterlife. “This would seem to be a very pagan burial, so it is possible from the variety of burials found that the cemetery catered for a range of beliefs that would have been important to people living in Leicester at this time,” said Thomas. The excavations also add information to the increasingly well documented medieval southern suburb of the town, revealing remains of 12th-13th century quarries, cess-pits and rubbish pits that would have been dug in the backyards of properties fronting onto Oxford Street.