Roman Dead delved into the world of London’s ancient ancestors by exploring the objects left behind in their graves by friends, family and loved ones. Click on objects in the image below to see one of the stories on display.
Spurred on by the discovery of an extremely rare sarcophagus in Harper Road, Southwark, last year, curators have assembled 250 fascinating objects to reveal the surprising similarities as well as striking differences between the original Londoner and the modern global city that 9 million people now live in today.
These items range from everyday objects, such as pots and vessels which may have held incense used in ceremonies to bury loved ones, to priceless artefacts, like a millefiori glass dish which would have cost the equivalent of a year’s salary for a Roman soldier. These precious items highlight that even from its earliest days, some of London’s population possessed immense wealth, and that the city had connections to the rest of the world. Come to the exhibition to see more for yourself.
Roman Dead closed on 29 October 2018.
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