Mystery As ‘Unique’ Roman Artifact Discovered in Medieval Burial

Archaeologists have discovered a “unique” ancient Roman drinking vessel mysteriously embedded in an Anglo-Saxon burial from the early 6th century A.D.

The burial is one of 49 that were interred between A.D. 480–540 at an early medieval cemetery site in Scremby in the East Midlands of England.

The complete Roman cup is believed to date to the 3rd century and could have been some 300 years old when it was finally placed in the Anglo-Saxon grave, study lead author Hugh Willmott, with the University of Sheffield, told Newsweek.

How exactly this enamelled Roman cup—made from a copper alloy—ended up in the grave remains unclear. While the presence of Roman material in early Anglo-Saxon graves in England is well-documented, the “very rare” find represents a “unique” example of an antique object being reused in a funerary context, the authors said.

“The cup is significant for two reasons. As a Roman artifact, it is a very rare find in Britain. There are only a handful of similar vessels known here and this one is different in style and, thus far, unique,” Willmott said.

“For me, its even greater significance lies in its extended biography and re-use in the Anglo-Saxon period.

“We sometimes find Roman coins and other small metal scraps in Anglo-Saxon burials, often interpreted as having a ritual or symbolic significance. However, finding a complete Roman metal cup is without parallel, especially as it seems to have been reused for the specific purpose of a funeral container.”

The cup, which is exceptionally well preserved, first came to light in 2018 during excavations conducted by researchers with the University of Sheffield. But it is only now being reported in the scientific literature for the first time, with the find detailed in a study published in the European Journal of Archaeology.

The medieval cemetery where the vessel was found dates to the Migration Period of European history. On the island of Great Britain, this era was characterized by the decline of Roman rule (around the early 5th century) and the establishment of Anglo-Saxon kingdoms over the following two centuries or so.

The Anglo-Saxons were a group of Germanic tribes that settled in Britain during the early medieval period after the Roman withdrawal.

The Scremby cup was found beside the skull of an adolescent female skeleton in a sparsely furnished grave—one which otherwise only contained two plain brooches and a pair of simple wrist clasps.

“The cup nevertheless clearly held significant meaning for the deceased and the people who performed the funerary rites,” the authors wrote in the study.

“Not only was it placed prominently by the head of the deceased, but also it was an intact and still functional vessel.”

The vessel, which stands around 2 inches tall, is decorated with vertical panels of cast insets, most of which retain the remains of colored enamel in aquamarine, red, and deep blue/purple. The authors tentatively suggest that it was manufactured around the third quarter of the 3rd century.

Intriguingly, the researchers also conducted a residue analysis of the vessel, finding that it contained a significant quantity of pig fat when placed in the burial.

“We don’t know precisely what this was for, but it might have been a medicine or salve, amongst other possibilities,” Willmott said.

How the cup survived for three centuries or so and then ended up in the Anglo-Saxon grave is a matter of speculation for now, according to the researcher. But given that the vessel was complete and in good condition when placed in the burial, it is unlikely that it was simply an accidental find made whilst scavenging amongst the ruins of a decayed Roman building.

Another possible explanation is that the cup was initially placed in a Roman grave, thus preserving it well, before being rediscovered and re-used in the 6th century.

“The most intriguing possibility is that the object was an heirloom that was actively passed down between generations and never buried,” Willmott said. “However, over the centuries its original meanings and use were lost.

“Unfortunately, we will never be able to tell which of these scenarios is the correct one, but given the excellent condition of the cup, I would favor the last one.

“I think tracing its changing use and the meanings it might have held to its audience is really exciting. Objects such as this are often viewed purely through an artistic or technological lens, rather than as items that could take on many different meanings in various cultural and chronological contexts.”

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Reference

Willmott, H., Thompson, L., Lundy, J., & Crichton-Turley, C. (2024). From Roman Table to Anglo-Saxon Grave: An Archaeological Biography of the Scremby Cup. European Journal of Archaeology, 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1017/eaa.2024.12