The remains of a Roman aristocrat have been found by archaeologists in northern England.
The skeleton of the unidentified woman, believed to be more than 1,000 years old, was found in a lead coffin in a hidden cemetery in the city of Leeds.
David Hunter, principle archaeologist with West Yorkshire Joint Services, on Monday told CNN that the discovery emerged after a commercial developer submitted an application for planning permission to the council.
He said his team had reason to believe that the site might be of archaeological interest, as they’d found Roman and Anglo-Saxon structures nearby on previous digs.
The remains will undergo testing and analysis, including carbon dating, which the team hope will help establish precise time frames, as well as details of individuals’ diets and their ancestry.
Once analysis of the find is complete – a process which could take a year or two, according to Hunter – the lead coffin is expected to go on display at Leeds City Museum.
