3-008-478 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

Roman leaden coffin found in Bethnal-Green, [east London], 1862. 'As Mr. Buckmaster, weaver...was digging in a corner of his garden...he uncovered a leaden coffin about 4ft. from the surface. In endeavouring to lift the lid he broke off almost a third part of it. The coffin was nearly filled with lime, through which a portion of a human skeleton appeared. Mr. Rolfe...says that the contents had been greatly disturbed before he saw it, but from the lid alone he declared it to be Roman. The sides are plain, the ends have a well-known ornament on Roman coffins, an X, and on each side an I...Instead of the usual cord, or bead and two-line pattern, generally seen on Roman coffins, the double lines in this example are joined by curves turned inward, having the appearance of the spinal column of some fish, or a close-jointed bamboo. The left upper limb of the cross alone has three lines between the curves. There is no other further ornament beyond a border of the same pattern around the overlapping lid...The weight is estimated at 4 cwt. There was an outer coffin of oak. In the accompanying Engraving are shown two hairpins (one half the natural size) made of jet, which were taken from the coffin, and a broken nail which was extracted from the oaken coffin'. From "Illustrated London News", 1862.