07/06/2010

 Issued by York Archaeological Trust

York Archaeological Trust is throwing down the gauntlet to would-be archaeologists to see if they can solve a puzzle that has sparked debate about human remains unearthed in York almost a decade ago.

The Trust uncovered 80 skeletons in Driffield Terrace, York, between 2003 and 2005 whilst assessing the area for housing development.  The skeletons date from the late first century AD to the 4th century AD and have been the subject of ongoing and detailed research that aims to shed new light on life in Roman Britain.

A Channel 4 documentary, which will be aired on 14 June, reignites the debate about the skeletons' origins and follows the lead theory that the remains are those of Roman gladiators.  But - as Kurt Hunter Mann, who is leading the research at York Archaeological Trust explains, - there is evidence to support other theories, too:

"There are numerous pieces of evidence that point towards or are consistent with the interpretation that the skeletons are Roman gladiators, but there is also other evidence that suggest the individuals could have been soldiers, criminals, or members of a religious cult," he says.

The Trust will launch a website next week - http://www.headlessromans.co.uk/  - presenting all the evidence and inviting members of the public to make up their own mind and vote for the theory they believe is the strongest.

One of the most significant pieces of evidence supporting the gladiator conclusion is a large carnivore bite mark - probably inflicted by a lion, tiger or bear, which archaeologists believe would have been sustained in an arena context.

COULD YORK'S HEADLESS ROMANS BE GLADIATORS?  YOU DECIDE!    

Other evidence includes a high incidence of substantial arm asymmetry - a feature mentioned in ancient Roman literature in connection with a gladiator; some healed and unhealed weapon injuries; possible hammer blows to the head (a feature attested as a probable gladiatorial coup de grâce at another gladiator cemetery, Ephesus in Turkey).

"An alternative interpretation - that the individuals are soldiers - is potentially undermined by the fact that most of them have been violently decapitated and that one of them has a large carnivore bite mark, almost certainly sustained in an arena context," says Mr Hunter-Mann.

"Another potential interpretation - that they are all criminals - appears to be undermined by the substantial respect (and grave goods) with which many of them were buried."

"This is a fascinating discovery that gives a real insight into the world of interpreting archaeology," says York Archaeological Trust chief executive, John Walker.

"With archaeology, you are very rarely dealing in the definite.  There are almost always elements of ‘possibly' and ‘probably' and the archaeologist's job is to weigh up the evidence and make an informed judgement on the most likely explanation."

For your chance to look at the evidence and vote, visit http://www.headlessromans.co.uk/ from next Monday (14 June).  ‘Gladiators: Back From The Dead' will be shown on Channel 4 on Monday 14 June at 9.00pm. 

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