In 2004/5, 59 inhumations and 13 cremated burials were excavated at 3 Driffield Terrace; part of the vast Roman cemetery situated on the Mount, outside the city walls. A few months later, 23 inhumations and one cremation were uncovered at 6 Driffield Terrace. They were all young male adults. Cuts to the neck bones of 40 individuals (48.7%) indicated they had been decapitated, but the number of decapitations could have been higher. Several individuals had their heads placed in the graves in unusual positions, such as near the feet.
25 of the decapitations from Driffield Terrace were by a single cut to the neck. The direction of multiple cut marks on some of the skeletons suggested that the victim was relatively still and the majority of blows were delivered from behind. As well as the decapitations, there were unhealed blade injuries, fractures and evidence of a large carnivore bite mark.
These decapitated burials from Driffield Terrace have already been the subject of wide interest and there are many theories as to who they were; whether gladiators, soldiers, criminals or slaves.
The high proportion of younger adult males and frequency of violent trauma could indicate they were gladiators. The demographic profile at Driffield Terrace most closely resembles a burial ground of the 2nd and 3rd century AD at Ephesus, in ancient Greece. Excavated in 1993, this has been interpreted as a burial ground for gladiators.
The Roman army had a minimum height for recruitment and fallen soldiers would match the young adult profile of the Driffield Terrace cemetery. The mix of adults from Britain and abroad in this burial ground could suggest the later practice of enlisting soldiers locally.
The burials took place over the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD, possibly into the 4th. This disproves the theory that the burials are the result of a “mass execution” of members of the Imperial Court after Emperor Septimius Severus’ death in York in AD 211.
The relative uniformity in age and sex of the individuals, their above average height, and their burial in the area of The Mount, one of the most high-status cemeteries of Roman York, does not suggest that they were slaves.
The discussion continued through this multi-faceted project which provided a series of training opportunities, new genomic, isotopic and osteological research, and resources to create a touring exhibition ensuring that this important element of our collection was made accessible to a much wider UK based audience.
This work followed the project undertaken during Resilience Year 1, more information for which can be found here.
Reconstructing a Roman Face
The face of a man of Central European origin excavated at Driffield Terrace has been digitally reconstructed in partnership with the Centre for Anatomy and Human Identification of the University of Dundee. Facial reconstructions are made by specialist forensic anthropologists who rely on measurements and landmarks (standard reference points) on the human skull to add the missing layers of muscle to the bone. This allows them to reconstruct the contours of a person’s face, including the shape of the eyes, nose and mouth. A forensic artist then adds details such as eye and skin colour and possible hairstyles.
The process of reconstruction
This fascinating video takes the viewer through the process of facial reconstruction.
The final touches
The finished reconstruction brings the viewer face to face with an inhabitant of Roman York.
Preservation of the metaproteome: variability of protein preservation in ancient dental calculus by Meaghan Mackie , Jessica Hendy , Abigail D. Lowe , Alessandra Sperduti, Malin Holst, Matthew J. Collins & Camilla F. Speller
Unearthed Issue 1 – 3 Driffield Terrace, York: Vertebrate remains analysis by Alison Foster
Unearthed Issue 3 – 6 Driffield Terrace, York: Vertabrate remains analysis by Alison Foster and Deborah Jaques
Kurt Hunter-Mann on Driffield Terrace
Site director Kurt Hunter-Mann discusses the skeletons and finds made at Driffield Terrace.
Rui Martiniano on Driffield Terrace
Rui Martiniano, researcher on ancient human genomics, shares his insights on the Driffield Terrace skeletons.
Janet Montgomery on Driffield Terrace
Dr Janet Montgomery, from the University of Durham, explains how isotopic analysis has been used to develop our understanding of the Driffield Terrace skeletons.
David King on Driffield Terrace
Dr David King, a doctor at York hospital, describes the process of CT scanning and how it has provided us with a unique portrait of some of the Driffield Terrace skeletons.
Katika mwaka wa 2004 na 2004, maiti 59 na maiti 13 zilizotengenezwa kwa moto zilipatikana katika eneo la 3 Driffield Terrace, sehemu ya makaburi makubwa ya Waroma yaliyo juu ya Mlima, nje ya kuta za mji. Baada ya miezi michache, maiti 23 na moja ya wafu iligunduliwa katika nyumba ya 6 Driffield Terrace. Wote walikuwa wanaume wachanga wazima. Ukadiriaji wa mifupa ya shingo ya watu 40 (48.7%) ulionyesha kuwa walikuwa wamechongwa kichwa, lakini idadi ya watu waliochongwa kichwa inaweza kuwa kubwa zaidi. Watu kadhaa waliwekwa vichwa vyao katika makaburi katika nafasi zisizo za kawaida, kama vile karibu na miguu. Watu 25 waliokamatwa huko Driffield Terrace waliuawa kwa kukatwa shingoni. Mwelekeo wa alama nyingi za kukatwa kwenye mifupa fulani ulidokeza kwamba mhasiriwa alikuwa amesimama kimya na kwamba pigo hilo lilitolewa kutoka nyuma. Pamoja na kuuawa kwa watu, kulikuwa na majeraha ya kisu yasiyoweza kupona, mifupa iliyovunjika na uthibitisho wa kidonda kikubwa cha mnyama. Maiti zilizokatwa vichwa huko Driffield Terrace tayari zimekuwa na maslahi mengi na kuna nadharia nyingi kuhusu ni nani walikuwa; kama gladiators, askari, wahalifu au watumwa. Idadi kubwa ya wanaume wachanga wazima na mzunguko wa majeraha ya vurugu inaweza kuonyesha walikuwa gladiators. Maeneo ya Driffield Terrace ni kama makaburi ya kale ya watu wa Efeso. "Kama ilivyoelezwa hapo juu, eneo hilo lilitambuliwa kuwa ""kaburi la gladiators.""" Jeshi la Roma lilikuwa na urefu wa chini kwa ajili ya kuajiri na askari waliokufa wangalingana na wasifu wa mtu mzima mchanga wa makaburi ya Driffield Terrace. Mchanganyiko wa watu wazima kutoka Uingereza na nje ya nchi katika mahali hapa pa kuzikia ungeweza kupendekeza zoea la baadaye la kuajiri askari-jeshi mahali hapo. Mazishi hayo yalifanyika katika karne ya pili na ya tatu KK, na labda katika karne ya nne. "Hii inakataa nadharia kwamba mazishi hayo ni matokeo ya ""kuuawa kwa wingi"" kwa wanachama wa Mahakama ya Milki baada ya kifo cha Maliki Septimius Severus huko York mnamo 211."" Ulinganifu wa umri na jinsia ya watu hao, urefu wao wa juu kuliko wastani, na kuzikwa kwao katika eneo la Mlima, moja ya makaburi ya hali ya juu zaidi ya York ya Kirumi, haionyeshi kwamba walikuwa watumwa. Mkutano huo uliendelea kupitia mradi huu wa pande nyingi ambao ulitoa mfululizo wa fursa za mafunzo, utafiti mpya wa genomic, isotopic na osteological, na rasilimali za kuunda maonyesho ya kusafiri kuhakikisha kwamba kipengele hiki muhimu cha mkusanyiko wetu kilifanywa kupatikana kwa watazamaji wengi zaidi wa Uingereza. Kazi hii ilifuata mradi uliofanywa wakati wa Mwaka wa Uvumilivu 1, ambao habari zaidi inaweza kupatikana hapa. Uso wa mtu wa asili ya Ulaya ya Kati aliyechimbuliwa huko Driffield Terrace umerekebishwa kwa dijiti kwa kushirikiana na Kituo cha Anatomia na Utambulisho wa Binadamu cha Chuo Kikuu cha Dundee. Ujenzi wa uso hufanywa na wataalamu wa anthropolojia ya forensic ambao hutegemea vipimo na alama (maelezo ya kawaida) kwenye fuvu la kichwa cha binadamu kuongeza tabaka zinazokosekana za misuli kwenye mfupa. Hii inaruhusu wao kujenga upya contours ya uso wa mtu, ikiwa ni pamoja na umbo la macho, pua na mdomo. Kisha mtaalamu wa kitiba anaongeza maelezo kama vile rangi ya macho na ngozi na mitindo ya nywele inayowezekana. Mchakato wa ujenzi Video hii ya kuvutia humpeleka mtazamaji kupitia mchakato wa ujenzi wa uso. Utaratibu wa mwisho Ujenzi huo umekamilika na kumleta mtazamaji uso kwa uso na mkaaji wa York ya Kiroma. Uhifadhi wa Metaproteome: Variability of Protein Preservation in Ancient Dental Calculus na Meaghan Mackie, Jessica Hendy, Abigail D. Lowe, Alessandra Sperduti, Malin Holst, Matthew J. Collins, na Camilla F. Speller, Driffield Terrace, York, Marekani, 2003 - Tathmini ya mabaki ya vertebrate na Alison Foster, Deborah Jaques, na Driffield Terrace, New York, Marekani, 2009 Rui Martiniano, mtafiti wa genomics ya binadamu wa kale, anashiriki maoni yake juu ya mifupa ya Driffield Terrace. Janet Montgomery, Mtaalamu wa Utafiti wa Diriflex, anasema kwamba uchunguzi wa isotopu umekuwa ukitumia mbinu ya kuchunguza mifupa ya Diriflex. David King, daktari wa hospitali ya York, anaelezea mchakato wa CT na jinsi ilivyotupa picha ya kipekee ya mifupa ya Driffield Terrace.