Bone scan points to 11th century monk in ancient Westminster coffin

A skeleton inside a limestone sarcophagus at Westminster Abbey likely belongs to a high-ranking monk from the 11th century, according to a new study. Researchers say the remains do not belong to the Roman-era individual named on the coffin's exterior. The findings were published in the Journal of the British Archaeological Association by Professor Warwick Rodwell, a consultant archaeologist at the Abbey.

The sarcophagus was dug up in 1869 and features an inscription for Valerius Amandinus, a wealthy resident of London who lived between 300 and 400 CE. However, the lid of the box displays a Latin cross that dates to the 10th or 11th century. This mismatch in dates suggests the stone container was repurposed for a later burial. Rodwell argues the occupant was likely Aelfwig, an abbot who died around 1020, or his successor Wulnoth, who died in 1049.

Rodwell noted that both candidates fit the timeline if they were appointed in their early twenties and died near age fifty. He added that Aelfwig's status as an existing Westminster monk makes him a strong candidate. In 2016, experts from Pre-Construct Archaeology examined the sarcophagus and found white residue from lime. This residue outlined a rectangular shape where a wooden coffin had once sat. The wood has since decayed, but its presence indicates the body received a more elaborate burial than the stone originally provided.

A bone specialist named James Young Langthorne estimated the deceased was between 35 and 49 years old and stood about 5 feet 9 inches tall. The skeleton showed signs of joint disease, healed rib fractures, and an infection in the lower right leg. The skull had been repaired in three places where the jaw was wired to the rest of the bone. Carbon dating of a bone sample by the Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre places the death between 987 and 1052 CE.

Rodwell said the dating confirms the sarcophagus was remodeled during the late Saxon period. The stone box remains on public display in the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Galleries at Westminster Abbey.