There were 22 gold objects, in addition to other impressive grave goods, buried with the deceased, indicating they were likely of elite status.
Dimitri Otis.
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Archaeologists discovered a bustum-style Roman funeral pyre containing 22 gold objects.
The gold pieces included various forms of jewelry, such as a Greek ring with an engraved inlaid stone, possibly bearing the name of the deceased.
The burial also held several vessels and precious stones, suggesting a person of high status.
A Roman-era bustum funeral pyre uncovered in France revealed far more than cremated remains. During the excavation, archaeologists found 22 gold items buried alongside an individual who was likely part of the wealthy Roman elite, based on the richness of the grave goods placed there between the first and second century C.E.
The discovery was made by France’s National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research during a development project in Lamonzie-Saint-Martin in southwestern France. The team originally expected to uncover Late Neolithic structures or medieval silage pits. Instead, they found a perfectly rectangular funerary structure, about seven feet long and three feet wide, tucked into the brown silt of the Dordogne River. Inside were the cremated remains of one person, placed among intricate gold jewelry and precious stones.
