A British man with a metal detector and a keen sense of curiosity discovered a Roman-era grave while exploring a field outside London, archaeologists recently told Live Science.
Phil Kirk was walking through a farmer's field in the village of Kelshall, between London and Cambridge, when he found a Roman coin. Thinking there was more to be discovered, Kirk returned to the field with his metal detector in October 2014.
Kirk's trip wasn't wasted - he stumbled upon a jug and dish made out of bronze, findings that prompted him to contact local archaeologists who came and excavated the site. More artifacts were located, but experts did not know what to make of them.
The mystery was solved when scientists found a hexagon-shaped bottle.
"It quickly became apparent that the large hexagonal bottle was stuffed full with cremated bone," Archaeology and Outreach Officer Keith Fitzpatrick-Matthews, of the North Hertfordshire District Council, told Live Science.
"Suddenly that explained everything. We were looking at a wealthy burial."
Archaeologists told Live Science that the grave, dating back to 200 A.D., likely belongs to a wealthy Roman due to the iron lamp, coins, glass cups and mosaic glass plates buried with its owner. Evidence of a building attached to a villa was also found nearby.
"Whoever had this burial was quite clearly extremely wealthy. They've been buried with the second-century equivalent of bling," Fitzpatrick-Matthews said.
Of particular interest is one of the coins, made of bronze, found inside the hexagonal urn. Upon the person's death, the coin was likely placed inside the urn to ensure payment to the boatman of the mythical River Styx for passage into the underworld.
Fitzpatrick-Matthews thinks this is also why sandals, which have since deteriorated, were buried with the mystery owner.
"The idea of providing footwear in a Roman grave is that the journey to the underworld, taken by the soul after death, is taken on foot to the River Styx, where you're ferried across," he told Live Science.
"It's a walking journey, so you need a pair of footwear. Anybody who could afford it was buried with their best sandals."
Scientists hope to have the remains tested to identify the person's sex and age.
