Archaeologists Opened a 1,800-Year-Old Roman Coffin and Made a Heartbreaking Discovery – VICE

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Archaeologists uncovered an ancient Roman child’s coffin containing toys, clothing, and amulets, offering a glimpse into the past.
By Luis Prada
Sometimes archaeologists uncover a jaw-dropping artifact that changes everything we know about where we came from. Other times, they uncover a huge bummer. For example, archaeologists recently announced that they found a Roman sarcophagus in the ancient city of Tomis that belonged to a young child, as the well-preserved wooden sarcophagus was filled with children’s toys.
According to a statement released by researchers Constantin Băjenaru and Cătălin Nopcea from the Museum of National History and Archaeology Constanța, the team was conducting preventive work as a plot of land was being prepped for development when they happened upon a sarcophagus dating back to the second or third century CE, sitting along the edge of the ancient Tomitane necropolis in an area connecting Tomis to the fortress of Histria.
Inside the limestone box lay a remarkably well-preserved wooden coffin. It contained bronze trinkets, articles of clothing, a coin, flower garlands, a clay rattle shaped like a rooster, and two bullae, amulets for boys that symbolized luck.
The heartbreaking tableau that nonetheless provides the researchers with a wealth of information on ancient Roman funeral practices. As the team says in the released statement, “we consider this discovery to be important, primarily due to the intact preservation of the sarcophagus, as well as the untouched preservation of the funerary inventory, which provides precious information regarding Roman-era funerary practices in Tomis.”
The museum opened the coffin on October 27, 2026, and has yet to confirm whether any skeletal remains survived the centuries.
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