Historic bone box was discovered inside the grave of a young woman in Worcestershire

Archaeologists say the Roman box found in Broadway, Worcestershire, could offer new insight into the lives of the people who once occupied the north Cotswolds. Photo / Wychavon District Council

A one-of-a-kind Roman box, carved from bone, has been unearthed at an archaeological site.

The box, believed to have held a medicinal ointment or similar substance, was found intact in the grave of a young woman at a site in Broadway, Worcestershire.

Jamie Wilkins, who led the excavation, said he had “never seen anything like this object before” and knew immediately that the team had “uncovered something truly special”.

The top of the box is decorated with intricate ring and dot markings, which suggests it dates to the late Roman period. Specialist analysis showed that it was made from the bone of a roe deer.

Constance Mitchell, of Worcestershire Archaeology, said that “currently, we can find no known parallel examples” to the carved box.

One theory the archaeologists are looking at is that the box contained ointment used for pain relief.

Analysis of the burial by an osteoarchaeologist has revealed lesions and evidence of inflammation around her [the woman’s] joints which would have caused pain,” Mitchell said.

‘Something truly special’

However, the original use of the box may remain a mystery.

Its careful placement in the grave indicates that it was meaningful to its owner and was likely to have been of high value.

Dating evidence suggests the owner was a young woman between 25 and 30 years of age.

The excavation has also found evidence of prehistoric, Roman and Saxon activity across the site, showing humans have populated Broadway for thousands of years.

In addition, archaeologists found the largest known late Roman cemetery in Worcestershire, containing 79 bodies, at the Milestone Ground site.

Mitchell said: “Post-excavation work will allow us to learn more about the late Roman community who lived, worked and died in this corner of the Cotswolds.”

Once the work is completed, the artefacts and records from the site will be deposited in the Worcestershire County Museum.

The carved box appeared on the BBC’s Digging for Britain programme today.

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