Dead gorgeous: Ancient sarcophagus held mirror, cosmetics

The massive stone sarcophagus contained an unusual amount of beauty products. Photo / AP

Archaeologists say a 3rd century sarcophagus found in what is now western Germany contained the remains of a young Roman woman who was buried along with perfume bottles, a makeup palette and a silver hand mirror.

A silver hand mirror was one of the many items contained in the 3rd century sarcophagus. Photo / AP

The Landesmuseum in Bonn said yesterday that the massive stone coffin contained an unusual wealth of beauty products, jet jewellery, pins and a folding knife with a handle in the shape of a Hercules figure.

Perfume bottles and a make-up palette were just some of the items recovered from the stone coffin. Photo / AP

The 4.5-ton sarcophagus was discovered along the route of an ancient highway connecting the Roman empire settlements of Trevorum and Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium — now the German cities of Trier and Cologne.

Archaeologists kept their discovery last year secret until further graves in the area had been investigated.

- AP