Monument record MDO18511 - Southfield House, Dorchester; Roman grave 066

Roman grave 066 was one of two graves found cut into an L-shaped ditch pre-dating the Roman town defences during evaluation excavation by Wessex Archaeology at Southfield House, Dorchester in 1987. It was aligned E-W and contained an extended adult female decapitated burial with the head placed between the feet. The presence of coffin nails suggest the burial was in a wooden coffin. No grave goods were present, but 2nd century AD pottery was found in the grave fill, giving a terminus post quem for the burial

Grave 066 was one of several possible Roman graves found during evaluation excavation by Wessex Archaeology at Southfield House, Dorchester in 1987. It was a shallow subrectangular grave aligned roughly E-W, cut 0.25m deep into the top of an L-shaped ditch of 2nd century AD date. This grave contained a single extended supine burial of a female aged c. 55-60 years, laid with the ‘head’ to the east and the arms crossed over the chest. The body had been decapitated and the skull, mandible and four vertebrae laid between the feet. The presence of coffin nails suggest the burial was in a wooden coffin. No grave goods were present, but 2nd century AD pottery was found in the grave fill, giving a terminus post quem for the burial.

Record last edited

Nov 2 2023 11:00AM