Excavation of a Roman Cemetery, Lant Street, Southwark, London

A few years ago, The archaeology of Greater London (Museum of London 2000) could report fewer than a hundred Roman cremations or inhumations from south of the Thames, compared with well over a thousand from the north. Now, thanks to the discovery of several important cemeteries, AOC Archaeology Group’s Osteoarchaeologist, Melissa Melikian, can reveal that the number of known Roman burials in Southwark has quadrupled, to nearly four hundred.

During the most recent excavations, in November and December 2004 at 52-56 Lant Street, approximately 88 inhumations and two cremations were discovered. The majority of the burials were within coffins, the iron nails of which survived. A number of high status burials were found. Most notable of these was an adult female in a chalk-packed coffin buried with two unusual glass vessels: a copper alloy box with bone inlay panels and a key on a silver necklace. Other grave goods found on the site included gold earrings, copper alloy jewellery, jet, coral and glass bead necklaces, hobnails, several complete ceramic vessels and coins.

Several of the inhumations appeared to be in earth-cut graves without a coffin. The most interesting of these was a ditch that contained four individuals, three adults and a child, buried with some care and with ceramic vessel grave goods. A most unusual discovery, and we think unique in Britain, is a cat that was buried in its own grave with an ornate copper alloy and glass necklace.

Preliminary dating of the finds and the presence of several chalk-packed graves suggests the cemetery was in use from the 2nd to 4th centuries AD. Its position raises important questions about the layout of Roman Southwark. Whereas the other cemeteries lie on approach roads - Watling Street in the south or the road from Lambeth in the west - this is more central, away from roads and near the banks of an east-west watercourse.

AOC Project Manager: Ron Humphrey
Client: Acorn Homes