More than 60 remains discovered in unknown cemetery in England

Remains of another 62 people were unearthed at the previously unknown archaeological site near Garforth, England.

The unidentified woman’s skeleton, believed to be over 1,000 years old, was found in a lead coffin hidden in a cemetery in the city of Leeds last year.

Men, women and 23 children were buried at the site discovered by a team of archaeologists.

The dead are believed to include people from the late Roman and early Saxon eras, as burial customs from both eras were found in the graves, according to a press release published by Leeds City Council on Monday. (13).

david hunter lead archaeologist at West Yorkshire Joint Services, told CNN that uAn archaeological survey of the site – the exact location of which has not been disclosed – led to the discovery of the remains last spring.

He said his team had reason to believe the site could be of archaeological interest, as they had found Roman and Anglo-Saxon structures nearby in previous excavations.

“But we didn’t expect to find a 62-person burial site at this location,” he added.

Evidence of burial practices found at the site could indicate early Christian beliefs, along with Saxon burial, the team said.

They also found personal belongings such as knives and pottery.

Describing the lead coffin as “very rare”, Hunter said: “The lead casing is the lining of a larger wooden coffin, so it’s a high status Roman body.”

The coffin also contained pieces of jewelry that reinforced the team’s suspicions about the person buried inside.

Archaeologists hope the 1,600-year-old cemetery can help them understand the important and largely undocumented transition between the fall of the Roman Empire around 400 and the establishment of later Anglo-Saxon kingdoms.

After the Romans left Britain, West Yorkshire was left in the Kingdom of Elmet, located between the Wharfe and Don Valleys, the Vale of York and the Pennines, according to the press release.

Even after the Romans left, many areas, including Elmet, continued to display elements of Roman culture – alongside the Anglo-Saxons. This lasted for about 200 years.

Describing the excavation as “extraordinary”, Hunter said in the statement: “This has the potential to be a discovery of enormous significance for what we understand about the development of ancient Britain and Yorkshire.

“The presence of two communities using the same burial site is highly unusual and whether the use of this cemetery overlaps or not will determine how significant the find is.”

The remains will undergo testing and analysis, including carbon dating, which the team hope will help establish accurate timelines, as well as details of the individuals’ diets and their ancestors.

The excavation of the site was partially prompted by the fact that previous excavations in the nearby area had unearthed Late Roman stone buildings and a small number of Anglo-Saxon-style structures.

The findings have just been made public as the site needed to be kept secure so that initial tests could be carried out.

Kylie Buxton, site supervisor, said in the statement: “It’s every archaeologist’s dream to work in a ‘once in a lifetime’ site, and overseeing these digs is definitely the highlight of my career.”

Once analysis of the find is completed – a process that could take a year or two, according to Hunter – the lead coffin is due to be displayed at the Leeds City Museum.