Archaeologists lift the lid on a 1,700-year-old Roman sarcophagus hidden beneath Budapest
BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — An exceptionally well-preserved Roman sarcophagus has been unearthed in Hungary’s capital, offering a rare window into the world the young woman lived in nearly 1,700 years ago and her life inside.
Budapest History Museum archaeologists discovered the limestone coffin during a large-scale excavation in Óbuda, the city’s northern district that once formed part of Aquincum, a vibrant Roman settlement on the Danube border.
The sarcophagus, untouched by looters and sealed for centuries, was found with its stone lid still secured in place, secured with metal clamps and molten lead. When the researchers carefully lifted the lid, they revealed a complete skeleton surrounded by dozens of artifacts.
“The oddity of the find was that it was a hermetically sealed sarcophagus. It had not been disturbed before, so it was intact,” said Gabriella Fényes, the lead archaeologist of the excavation.
The coffin lay among the ruins of abandoned houses in the quarter of Aquincum that was evacuated in the 3rd century and later reused as a cemetery. Nearby, researchers uncovered a Roman aqueduct and eight simpler tombs, but none approached the opulence or pristine condition of the sealed tomb.
In accordance with Roman funerary customs, the sarcophagus contained a number of objects: two completely intact glass vessels, bronze figures and 140 coins. The size of the skeleton, with its bone hairpin, amber jewelery and traces of gold thread fabric, indicates the grave of a young woman.
Fényes said the objects were “items given to the deceased by his relatives for his eternal journey.”
“The deceased was buried very carefully by his relatives. They must have really loved what they buried here,” he said.
In Roman times, much of what is now Hungary formed the province of Pannonia, whose borders extended less than a mile (1.6 kilometers) from the region along the right bank of the Danube. A legionary camp guarding the empire’s border stood a short distance away, and the newly found structures are believed to be part of the civilian settlement that grew up around it.
Anthropologists will now examine the young woman’s remains; In this process, more is expected to be revealed about the woman’s age, health and origins. But even now the location of the tomb and the abundance of artifacts offer strong clues.
Gergely Kostyál, a Roman expert and co-chair of the project, said the sarcophagus and its contents “definitely make it stand out.” “This probably means that the deceased was well-off or had a higher social status.”
“It’s really rare to find a sarcophagus like this that is untouched and has never been used before, because reusing old sarcophagi was common in the fourth century,” he added. “It is very clear that this sarcophagus was made specifically for the deceased.”
Excavators also removed a layer of mud about 4 centimeters (1.5 inches) thick from inside the coffin, which Fényes hoped might contain more treasure.
“I suspect we might find jewelry. We didn’t find any earrings or other jewelry belonging to the woman, so I’m hopeful that these small items will come up during the sifting of the mud,” he said.
For Fényes, the discovery of the Roman sarcophagus is not only of scientific importance, but also an emotionally resonant insight into the devotion shown by people in antiquity.
“I was touched by the care and expression of love we were able to glimpse,” he said. “Even now, I shudder to think of how painful it must have been for people back then to bury this young lady.”
