London , England ( CNN ) -- Heads hacked off , a bite from a lion , tiger or bear , massive muscles on massive men -- all clues that an ancient cemetery uncovered in northern England is the final resting place of gladiators , scientists have announced after seven years of investigations . The archeological dig has found `` what may be the world 's only well-preserved Roman gladiator cemetery , '' the York Archaeological Trust said . Scientists have found 80 skeletons in the `` unique '' cemetery under the city of York , northern England , since 2003 . They announced their discoveries on Sunday , ahead of a documentary about the site due to air in Britain on June 14 . This was one of two big archaeological developments , with Israeli scientists announcing the discovery of a huge cache of ancient religious objects . They first thought the graveyard might contain the remains of criminals or political purges . But that does n't explain the teeth mark . `` One of the most significant items of evidence is a large carnivore bite mark - probably inflicted by a lion , tiger or bear -- an injury which must have been sustained in an arena context , `` said Kurt Hunter-Mann , the lead archeologist on the dig . `` Nothing like them has ever been identified before on a Roman skeleton , '' said Michael Wysocki , who examined the remains in the forensic anthropology laboratory at the University of Central Lancashire . He said the bite marks suggest the remains were of someone who fought as a gladiator . `` It would seem highly unlikely that this individual was attacked by a tiger as he was walking home from the pub in York 2,000 years ago , '' he said . One arm was bigger than the other in many remains , the scientists found -- a suggestion that the men were gladiators who trained from a young age with a weapon in one hand . Other clues include healed and unhealed weapon injuries , possible hammer blows to the head , and burial with `` grave goods '' such joints of meat or pottery -- a sign of respect . It 's not certain that the men were gladiators , Hunter-Mann cautioned . `` The research is continuing and we must , therefore , keep an open mind , '' the archeologist said . But `` almost all the individuals are male , very robust and mostly above average height -- features which would also be consistent with a gladiator interpretation . Many also have muscle attachment marks on their arm bones suggesting severe muscle stress , '' he said . They also appear to come from all over the Roman empire , which straddled the Mediterranean for hundreds of years , starting more than 2,000 years ago . `` These are internationally important discoveries . We do n't have any other potential gladiator cemeteries with this level of preservation anywhere else in the world , '' Wysocki said . The skeletons are between 1,600 and 1,900 years old . The most impressive grave was that of a tall man aged between 18 and 23 , buried , probably in a coffin , in a large oval grave about 1,700 years ago . He had been decapitated by several sword blows to the neck , the scientists said . Buried with him were what appear to have been the remains of substantial joints of meat from at least four horses -- that left behind 424 horse bones -- possibly consumed at the funeral , plus some cow and pig remains . Other graves also had joints of horse , sheep or chicken , possibly remains of funeral feasts , the archeologists speculated . The site was first discovered when archeologists probed an area scheduled for a housing development in 2003 . Also on Monday , Israeli archeologists announced the discovery of a huge cache of religious objects about 3,500 years old -- older than the Bible itself , and nearly twice the age of the Roman skeletons . `` It would appear that the vessels were used in a pagan cult that worshipped idols . During this period it was customary that each city had a temple of its own where special cultic vessels were used , '' said archaeologists Uzi Ad and Edwin van den Brink . They include a vessel that was used for burning incense , a sculpted face of a woman that was part of a cultic cup used in dedicating a libation to a god , goblets and bowls with high bases and tableware that was intended for eating and drinking , the Israel Antiquities Authority said . Scientists called the discovery `` extremely rare '' -- both because it is so old and because the objects are so well preserved . Some of them had been brought from Mycenae in Greece , including a storage vessel for precious oils -- evidence of the ancient trade relations that existed with Greece , they said .
Archeological dig finds bodies showing teeth marks , injuries from weapons . Experts say clues point to gladiators buried in cemetery . 'Highly unlikely that this individual was attacked by a tiger as he was walking home from the pub ' Israeli archeologists announced the discovery of a huge cache of religious objects about 3,500 years old .