The Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA) has recently announced that its team of archeologists discovered a rare Roman funerary bed and other objects from the Roman era during excavations at a site near Holborn Viaduct in London, UK.
According to MOLA, the funerary bed, estimated to be more than 2,000 years old, is the first of its kind to be discovered in Great Britain. Archeologists also found skeletons, personal objects like glass vials and beaded jewelry, and five oak coffins on the site. The official City of London Twitter page posted the findings.
The funerary bed was found disassembled, leading the experts to believe it was used to transport the deceased person to the grave.
Besides the rarity of the objects, the find is exceptional due to their conditions. They are well preserved, which represents a rarity for objects made of wood.
Heather Knight, a project officer at MOLA, said that the site is believed to be a Roman cemetery.
“We know the Romans buried their dead alongside roads, outside of urban centers,” said Knight. “So it was no great surprise to discover burials at this site, which during the Roman period would have been located 170 meters [558 feet] west of the city walls and next to [a] major Roman road.”