Well-preserved sarcophagus discovered in Los Villaricos, Spain

CAIRO – 4 August 2021: Archaeologists have unearthed a well-preserved sarcophagus in Los Villaricos in southeastern Spain.

The University of Murcia (UMU) announced the discovery in July 2021. The discovery of the sandstone sarcophagus was led by Rafael Gonzalez Fernandez, along with fellow researchers Francisco Fernandez Matalana, Jose Antonio Zapata Parra and Jose Javier Martinez Garcia, according to ArtNews.

The six-and-a-half-foot-tall sarcophagus is intricately carved with spiral motif, and is decorated with ivy leaves. Inside the coffin, researchers discovered a group of human remains. The headboard features a religious sign known as Tau-Rho. Historical sources indicate that it is related to the story of the crucifixion of Christ.

During the Roman era, Los Villaricos was a rural settlement with a large villa. It formerly included a residential area, thermal baths, and industrial processing facilities for the production of oil, wine and other commodities.

The excavations revealed a central courtyard, mosaics, a variety of ceramics, pavements of tiles, travertine mosaics of various colors, and coins.