Scientists stumble upon 1,500-year-old archaeological anomaly

Archaeologists excavating at Grange Farm, near Gillingham, discovered 15kg of litharge. This

fused lead oxide with an admixture of oxidesother metals, it is obtained by purifying silver with lead. Remarkably, this is the largest amount of litharge ever found in Roman Britain. Scientists suggest that in rural areas silver refining took place on an industrial scale. However, archaeologists have not found any signs of corresponding infrastructure.

During further excavations, scientists foundrectangular building with three aisles. This type of building was quite common in Roman Britain and was used as a place for crafts. Although archaeologists have found evidence of small scale metalworking at one end of the building, it was not high enough to explain the large amount of litharge.

Also, scientists are faced with another mystery,when they found a stone mausoleum. It is usually found in the territory of the villas of the ancient Romans, and not in industrial buildings. It was built at the end of the 3rd or beginning of the 4th century AD. According to archaeologists, the inside of the mausoleum had a mosaic floor of plain red mosaic tiles, which was very unusual for mausoleums in Roman Britain.

Also, scientists are faced with another mystery.In the ruins of the mausoleum, archaeologists discovered a lead-lined coffin with the body of an elderly woman. Isotopic analysis of the woman's teeth showed that she was local, and radiocarbon dating showed that she was buried around the same time that the mausoleum was built. Although it was not unusual in Roman Britain for people to be buried in lead coffins, this was not a widespread practice. Also, scientists did not find any evidence that the woman was buried with any personal belongings or inventory, which was a common occurrence at that time.

In addition to the lodge and the mausoleum, the team of archaeologists alsodiscovered 453 Roman coins, more than 20,000 pottery fragments and 8,000 animal bones. Now scientists are trying to unravel the mystery of Grange Farm and explain the 1,500-year-old archaeological anomaly.

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