Reading expertise helps solve Gladiator mystery

Friday, 18 June 2010

Dr Gundula Mueldner

A team from the Department of Archaeology have been helping to uncover the mystery of the ‘Headless Romans' of York.

The remains of around 80 people were discovered during building work at a site to the west of York city centre in 2004, but their likely origins are only now being revealed thanks to extensive forensic analysis.

Researchers from the York Archaeological Trust recently announced the site could be the world's best-preserved gladiator burial ground.

As part of an Arts and Humanities Research Council funded research project investigating diversity in Roman Britain, a team from Reading's Department of Archaeology conducted chemical analyses of the bones and teeth of the skeletons in order to reconstruct their geographical origin.

Dr Gundula Mueldner who led the Reading team said: "The results demonstrated that the origins of the 'Headless Romans' were extremely diverse, hailing from all parts of the Roman Empire including Central and Eastern Europe, the Mediterranean and possibly North Africa." These results form part of the clues that helped archaeologists formulate their current lead theory: that the burials formed part of a gladiator cemetery in Roman York.

A Channel 4 documentary featuring the work of the Reading team was shown on Monday 14 June, at 9 pm, and is now available on 4OD - ‘Gladiators: Back from the Dead'.