Sealed Roman sarcophagus opened in Budapest – History

A huge, still-sealed Roman limestone coffin discovered in Budapest has been opened, revealing the skeleton of a woman and dozens of precious grave goods, including intact glassware, an amber gemstone and 140 coins. It dates back to the fourth century, when old sarcophagi were often reused, but this one was made specifically for the deceased.

The sarcophagus was discovered during excavations in the Obuda district (site of the ancient city of Akunkum). The settlement was founded by the Celtic Ilawesi tribe in the 1st century BC, and after the defeat of the Ilawesi in 12 BC, Rome converted it into a Roman military castle and an associated civil city. Its strategic location on the Danube limestone made Akuncum a center of military and commercial activity. In 103 AD it became the capital of the imperial province of Lower Pannonia and by the end of the 2nd century had grown into a city of 30,000 people with public baths, an aqueduct, two amphitheaters, temples and sanctuaries, extensive industry (pottery making, metalworking, fabric dyeing, food production), the governor’s palace, and other luxurious residences for wealthy residents and city officials.

The sheer size and mass of the sarcophagus and its contents mark the deceased as one of those wealthy inhabitants. It was discovered among the remains of abandoned houses from the third century that were later repurposed as a cemetery. Eight other tombs have been found in the area, but none are as elaborate, richly furnished or as well preserved as the sarcophagus.

The lid remains in place, clamped to the sarcophagus with iron brackets and molten lead. It must have been a daunting sight for the looters, as the sarcophagus had never been disturbed until a team of archaeologists and heavy machinery from the Budapest History Museum removed the lid.

onePreliminary excavation of the interior of the coffin at the site removed 1.5 inches of clay that had seeped into the seal. Archaeologists found a bone hairpin, bronze figurines, a piece of amber, 140 coins, a light green glass vase and a matching small bowl, and traces of gold thread fabric. The size of the bones and the nature of the artifacts indicate that the deceased was a young woman.

The skeletal remains and artifacts will now be analyzed and preserved at the Budapest Historical Museum.