English Archaeologists Dig Up Decapitated Bodies
Archaeologists from the Cambridge Archaeological Unit (CAU) were excavating Knobb’s Farm in Somersham, England when they discovered 17 decapitated bodies buried in three Roman cemeteries on the property.
Based on their positioning, the bodies are believed to have been victims of judicial executions with many of their heads placed near their feet or in a position indicating that they were kneeling when they died.
With the bodies dating back to at least 410 AD, it’s no surprise that the remains were not in the best condition. Even so, the skeletons did not indicate any signs of trauma or defensive injuries—aside from their heads being removed, that is.
The number of bodies discovered is considered “exceptionally high,” even for Roman cemeteries, where other excavations have resulted in 2.5–6.1% of…
