In 1869, a Roman sarcophagus found in Westminster Abbey baffled archaeologists; 150 years later, they discover the identity of the mysterious skeleton

There are discoveries from the Roman era that, even to this day, continue to allow human beings to gain a deeper understanding of what culture, society, the economy, and politics were like. In this type of find, the work of archaeologists and other experts plays an essential role, and that is why the sarcophagus found in 1869 at Westminster Abbey stands out, whose symbolism baffled everyone.

Last October 21, Westminster Abbey itself and Live Science reported some advances regarding the investigation into the remains discovered at the iconic site. Apparently, the name on the sarcophagus suggested that the skeleton inside belonged to a person from that era. However, experts point to something very different.

According to the analyzed evidence, the corpse would be that of a medieval abbot and not that of a wealthy Briton, Valerius Amandinus, as the inscription stated. This has been argued, in part, because of the carved cross on the sarcophagus, since it belongs to a later period and may suggest that, in fact, the sarcophagus could have been reused to bury a new person.

Its construction does correspond to the Roman period, but the cross is from the late Anglo-Saxon period, between the 10th and 11th centuries. This would seem to corroborate that, indeed, a Roman could originally have been buried there, but it was later reused and another person was now resting in the sarcophagus.

Two possible candidates: two abbots from the 10th and 11th centuries

The analyzed data has shed a little more light: a man between 35 and 49 years old, 1.75 meters tall, with signs of osteoarthritis, gout, and two ribs that showed signs of having been fractured in the past. Radiocarbon revealed that the remains dated to between AD 987 and 1052, so this skeleton could not have been the original one buried in the Roman sarcophagus.

Everything points to two possible candidates: Ælfwig and his successor, Wulfnoth. Both held the position of abbot and lived during the years to which the remains correspond. The lack of further data prevents determining with certainty which of the two is the man found inside that sarcophagus.