Archaeologists have discovered a “unique” ancient Roman drinking vessel mysteriously embedded in an Anglo-Saxon burial from the early 6th century AD.

The burial is one of 49 that were interred between 480–540 AD in the early medieval cemetery at Scremby in the East Midlands, England.

Exactly how this enamelled Roman cup – made of a copper alloy – ended up in the tomb remains unclear. While the presence of Roman material in early Anglo-Saxon graves in England is well documented, the “very rare” find represents a “unique” example of an antique object that was reused in a funerary context, the authors said.

“The cup is significant for two reasons. As a Roman artefact, it is a very rare find in Britain. There are only a few similar vessels known here and this one is stylistically different and so far unique,” Willmott said. .

“To me, its even greater significance lies in its extended biography and reuse in the Anglo-Saxon period.

“We sometimes find Roman coins and other small metal fragments in Anglo-Saxon burials, often interpreted as having ritual or symbolic significance. However, the finding of a complete Roman metal cup is unprecedented, especially as it appears to have been reused for the specific purpose of a burial container.”

The cup, which is exceptionally well-preserved, was first discovered in 2018 during excavations by researchers from the University of Sheffield. But it is only now appearing in the scientific literature for the first time, with the finding detailed in a study published in European Journal of Archaeology.

The medieval cemetery where the vessel was found dates from the Migration Period of European history. On the island of Great Britain, this era was characterized by the decline of Roman rule (around the beginning of the 5th century) and the rise of Anglo-Saxon kingdoms over the next two centuries or so.

The Anglo-Saxons were a group of Germanic tribes who settled in Britain during the early Middle Ages after the departure of the Romans.

The Scremby cup was found next to the skull of a teenage female skeleton in a sparsely furnished grave—a grave that otherwise contained only two plain brooches and a pair of simple wrist clasps.

“Nevertheless, the cup clearly had significant meaning for the deceased and the people who performed the funeral rites,” the authors wrote in the study.

“Not only was it placed prominently at the head of the deceased, but it was also an intact and still functional vessel.”

The vessel, which is about 2 inches high, is decorated with vertical panels of cast inlays, most of which retain remnants of colored enamel in aquamarine, red and dark blue/purple. The authors tentatively state that it was made around the third quarter of the 3rd century.

Interestingly, the researchers also analyzed the remains of the container and found that it contained a significant amount of pork fat when it was placed in the grave.

“We don’t know exactly what it was for, but it could have been medicine or salve, among other things,” Willmott said.

According to the researcher, how the cup survived for roughly three centuries and then ended up in an Anglo-Saxon grave is still a matter of speculation. But as the vessel was complete and in good condition when it was placed in the grave, it is unlikely that it was merely a chance find while searching among the ruins of a crumbling Roman building.

Another possible explanation is that the cup was originally placed in a Roman grave, thus preserving it well before being rediscovered and reused in the 6th century.

“The most interesting possibility is that the object was an heirloom that was actively passed down between generations and was never buried,” Willmott said. “However, over the centuries, its original meanings and uses have been lost.

“Unfortunately, we will never be able to say which of these scenarios is the correct one, but given the excellent condition of the cup, I would favor the latter.

“I think it’s really exciting to see its changing uses and the meanings it could have had for its audience. Objects like this are often seen through a purely artistic or technological lens, rather than objects that can take on many different meanings in different cultural and chronological contexts.”

Link

Willmott, H., Thompson, L., Lundy, J., & Crichton-Turley, C. (2024). From Roman Table to Anglo-Saxon Grave: An Archaeological Biography of the Scremby Cup. European Journal of Archaeology1–19. https://doi.org/10.1017/eaa.2024.12