This page is viewed 3187 times
Sunday Mercury A 1,700 year old skeleton unearthed on the site of a Roman cemetery in Warwickshire is that of an African man who lived in a small riverside settlement, an archaeological study has found. The discovery, made during analysis of remains found near Stratford-upon-Avon, suggests that African immigrants lived outside major settlements such as London or York as early as the third or fourth century. Stuart Palmer, Warwickshire County Council's archaeology projects manager, said the find was surprising because it indicated that people of African descent lived in Warwickshire far earlier than previously thought. Mr Palmer said: "African skeletons have previously been found in large Romano-British towns like York, and African units are known to have formed part of the Hadrian's Wall garrison, but we had no reason to expect any in Warwickshire, and certainly not in a community as small as Roman Stratford." It is thought that the skeleton, found in the Tiddington Road area of Stratford during a dig in 2009, may be that of a slave or a former Roman soldier. A report on the discovery completed in recent weeks established that the man was of African descent and was probably in his 40s or 50s when he died. Mr Palmer said the skeletal remains also revealed that the man was heavily-built and that the bones in his central spine showed he was used to carrying heavy loads. Although the cause of the man's death has not been established, examination of his bones found evidence of arthritis and a childhood plagued by disease or malnutrition. "Currently there is no evidence to suggest whether he was born here, Africa or anywhere else," Mr Palmer added. "He could, for instance, have been a merchant, although based on the evidence of the skeletal pathology it is probably more likely that he was a slave or an army veteran who retired to Stratford."
Related News:
|
