BBC News reports that a rare 2,000-year-old Roman skull has been returned to the cave beneath the Yorkshire Dales where it was discovered by divers in 1996. Archaeologists were called in after cave divers unearthed human bones in what is believed to be one of the most important cave discoveries ever made.

The skull dates to the 2nd Century and is that of a local woman in her 50s. It was stored at Sheffield University for carbon-dating and recently returned to the cave, which has now been sealed. Experts believe the cave could have been a tomb, but that some of the deaths may have been through sacrificial ceremonies.

Mr Lord calls the cave an “ancient time capsule” because of the many different remains inside. He believes the cave was considered a sacred place for centuries because of its supposed entrance to the underworld.

One theory is that she may have been a high-born figure from the local area who voluntarily sacrificed herself, believing she would enter the underworld.

Other factors could, however, point to the woman wanting to escape Roman hardship.

Read the full article here.

Originally posted 2008-04-12 11:22:12. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Trackback URI | Comments RSS