Ancient bones shed light on Roman Britain

"Ancient bones shed light on Roman Britain

Archaeologists uncover farmstead and infant burial site along route of modern water pipeline
Alexandra Wood

ARCHAEOLOGISTS in Yorkshire have stumbled across fascinating remains which are shedding new light on what life was like for ancient Britons under the rule of Rome.




The experts working along the route of a new water pipeline have discovered an ancient farmstead to the south west of Bridlington.
Its occupants kept cattle, sheep and possibly pigs and lived in wood-framed roundhouses which were only yards away from where children were buried in small, round graves.

So far five infant burials have been uncovered, including what is probably a foetus.

Archaeologist Ben Westwood said: 'They are all buried in the same kind of area to the south of where the houses were, literally a few metres away.
'They are really buried within the domestic core of the settlement, keeping them very close to the centre of the village.

'Adult burials in this period were outside the confines of the settlement for obvious reasons.

'These baby burials for some reason were kept close to the houses.

'It hints at all sorts of things."

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