Woman in Roman tomb was of African descent

YORK, England, Feb. 26 (UPI) -- A woman buried in the British city of York 16 centuries ago with signs of great wealth in her tomb was of African descent, scientists said Friday.

A research team examined skeletons excavated in 1901, using modern techniques, The Guardian reported. In an article published in Antiquity magazine, researchers said at least one-fifth of the bodies appeared to be immigrants or the descendants of immigrants who had come to York from far-flung parts of the Roman Empire.

"We're looking at a population mix which is much closer to contemporary Britain than previous historians had suspected," Hella Eckhardt, an archaeologist from Reading University, said. "In the case of York, the Roman population may have had more diverse origins than the city has now."

York, then known as Eboracum, was one of the most important cities in Roman Britain and became the capital of Britannia Inferior under the Emperor Severus.

The "ivory bangle" lady got her nickname from jewelry made from elephant ivory found in her sarcophagus along with a mirror and a blue glass perfume bottle.

Analysis of her bone suggested she grew up in a warmer region. Her skull shape showed ancestors from sub-Saharan Africa and elsewhere.