Roman Britain

Early Roman

1,900 to 1,700 years ago

In the early phase, there is continuation of cremation as the main burial rite in East Anglia, with more widespread adoption elsewhere. Some isolated inhumations of this date have also been found.

The cremations were both isolated, or in cemeteries, or sometimes below barrows. Cremated bones were placed in pots, glass vessels or wooden caskets with metal fittings. A barrow at Rougham, Suffolk (2nd century AD), contained a cremation burial in a glass vessel accompanied by two sets of drinking and eating vessels, suggesting a double burial.

A group of barrows at Bartlow Hills on the Cambridgeshire-Essex border contained large wooden chests with iron fittings which held cremated bone, vessels of bronze, glass and pottery, and lamps which were left burning at the time of deposition. The Anaerobic conditions within the tombs preserved some organic materials such as a wreath, flower petals, incense and possibly wine and honey.

During this period there is very little evidence of personal items, such as weapons or tools and very little jewellery, being buried with the deceased unlike earlier and later graves. While it was usual for the cremated bone to be places in pottery or ceramic containers sometimes the remains are found lose. However it is probable that the remains were placed in perishable containers

The native Britains, under Roman control, however seem to have paid more attention to, and therefore it is assumed more reverence for, the monuments in the landscape left by the earlier inhabitants of the land.

Since similar behavior has also been found in nearby areas which were not under Roman control, such as Ireland, we can ask ourselves exactly how much impact the Romans actually had on the practices of the native population of Britain.

Finds from the Roman period at pre-Iron Age prehistoric sites in Britain and Ireland include

Potery and coins, both individual items and hords, as well as alters, shrines and secondary burials on or in pre-existing bronze age barrows. In Crickley Hill for example a Roman brooch and some coins were discovered in holes that had been dug into a prehistoric mound.
Neolithic Henges were also frequented, and it seems revered, by the Romans. At Avebury a bronze brooch dating from around AD43, the time of the Roman invasion, was discovered and at Stonehenge Roman pottery, coins and other small metal items as well as what it thought to be a secondary burial have been discovered.

The Romans are well known for 'taking on' and respecting the religions of other peoples and these finds do suggest that the Romans considered these ancient sites to be of religious significance and maybe even as entrances to the otherworld or sites of supernatural power.

Certainly the existing practices of individual cremations and burials, with little grave goods seem to have continued through out this period. However the care and reverence shown to the deceased indicate a continuing reverence for the dead and the reuse of existing burial mounds, as well as the continuing of the old customs does indicate that death was seen as the gateway to the otherworld, all be it in a very individualistic way.

Late Roman

1,700 to 1,500 years ago

During this period both pagan and Christian burials tended to be inhumations rather than the cremations that were prevalent during the earlier years. Often these burials were located ion large burial mounds.

A remarkable burial-mound known as Eastlow Hill, containing a skeleton in a leaden coffin, was opened at Rougham in Kent, in 1844. The coffin, enclosed in a wooden shell, was in a tomb built in the form of a small house, 12 ft. long and 6 ft. 6 ins. wide, of masonry with a tiled roof, upon a concrete platform. The only object associated with the skeleton was a small coin near the head; but a small chamber at one end of the 'house' contained broken glass and other vessels.

Pagan burials continue to have grave goods of a similar type to the earlier cremations - drinking and eating vessels, sometimes personal ornaments and dress accessories, coins in the mouth or on the eyes, and hobnail boots on the feet. Pagan cemeteries often include unusual burials.

Decapitation with the head placed at the feet is relatively common finding. A good example of this practice was discovered at Worcester where a late roman cemetery was discovered. One of the burials included such a decapitated inhumation.

One of three decapitated burials found in a late Roman cemetery during the construction of the Crowngate centre, Deansway, 1989/90.

Most late Roman inhumations are extended on their backs (supine), but occasionally some are found in a prone (face down) position, or on their side.
Complete burials without a body are sometimes found in cemeteries, and these were probably cenotaphs to the memory of a lost individual. Tombstones mentioning such events are known.

At Icklingham in Suffolk, a good example of a 4th century Christian cemetery has been excavated. Burials were oriented east-west with the head at the west end, and there was a central building which was probably a church. A lead christening tank was found; this had a chi-rho symbol (XP - the Greek letters making up the first letters of 'Christos') on it.

Late Roman burials are often in stone or lead-lined coffins, and sometimes these are filled with gypsum or plaster. An example of this was recently found at Long Melford, Suffolk.

Roman law prevented burial within settlements, so cemeteries are located along the major routes out of large towns and along smaller roads at rural sites. Occasionally burials are found in settlements, but often these seem to have been the result of foul play. One exception is the burial of infants, which appears to have been a common occurrence, particularly in villa sites and small towns where they are often found under thresholds and in corners of rooms.