Spectacular elite British Roman burial unearthed with frankincense and gypsum

Archaeologists in Colchester uncovered an elite Roman woman’s burial in a decorated lead coffin at the former Essex County Hospital site.

The grave contained valuable items, including jet hairpins and glass flasks, along with traces of frankincense, gypsum, and resin.

The chemical residues suggest a carefully staged funeral with rare ritual practices in late Roman Britain.

The discovery offers an unusually well-preserved glimpse into the status and burial customs of elite women in Roman Britain.