Evidence points to the possibility that the coffin belonged to an important person, perhaps the head of a prominent family.
A 'beautifully carved' ancient Roman stone coffin weighing more than 1,600 pounds has been unearthed during road upgrade works in the United Kingdom.The coffin was found along a section of the A47 road between the village of Wansford and the town of Sutton in the East of England, National Highways—a U.K.-government-owned body responsible for operating, maintaining and improving major roads in the country—announced in a press release earlier this week.
Despite the lack of grave goods, the 'beautifully carved' stone coffin and the gypsum burial are indicative of an individual of high status.The gypsum—a type of mineral—used for the burial would have come at a high cost, and the stone coffin was not only beautifully carved, but also made from stone quarried more than 30 miles away, adding to the costs of transportation.
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