New Research Links a Roman Coffin at Westminster to an Abbot
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⏮ BeforeThe coffin's later use had been unexplained since its excavation in 1869.
✅ NowNew research suggests it was repurposed to hold an abbot who oversaw the monastery.
In short
- The sarcophagus was excavated at Westminster Abbey in 1869.
- Research suggests it was reused in the 10th or 11th century.
- It may have held the remains of an abbot who oversaw the London monastery.
Why the Good News Desk likes this one
The coffin's later use had been unexplained since it was excavated in 1869. The new work suggests it was repurposed in the 10th or 11th century. It is a proposed answer, not a settled one.
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From Smithsonian
New research suggests that the ancient coffin was repurposed in the 10th or 11th century to hold the remains of an abbot who had overseen the London monastery
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For kids
Long, long ago, people in London made a stone coffin in the time of the Romans. Much later, someone used it again to hold the body of an important monk leader called an abbot. Scientists think they have worked out why, but they are still checking. Talk about it: what would you put inside a very old box if you found one?
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