LEICESTER, ENGLAND—A team of archaeologists from University of Leicester Archaeological Services excavated 83 skeletons in a Late Roman cemetery in Leicester’s West End. In one of the burials, they found the remains of a middle-aged man who had been buried wearing a type of belt often worn by soldiers stationed on the eastern frontier of the Roman Empire. “The survival of the delicate thin sheet bronze belt plate is remarkable,” post-excavation manager Nick Cooper told the Leicester Mercury. The belt plate, decorated with interlocking spirals, was probably riveted to a wide leather belt or girdle. It had a thinner strap, capped with a tapered strap end, that ran through the buckle to secure it. The strap end features crouching dogs on either side, while the buckle bears images of dolphin heads. The condition of the man’s skeleton supports the idea that he had been a soldier. The researchers found evidence of a healed fracture in his left forearm, perhaps from warding off a blow with a raised arm, and signs of muscle damage in his upper right arm and shoulder. The muscle damage could have been caused by repeated throwing and lifting. To read about another discovery in Leicester, go to "Richard III’s Last Act."
