A Mystery Skeleton Found at Westminster Abbey Finally Gets an Identity

Archaeologists believe a skeleton buried in a 1,000-year-old stone coffin is actually a medieval abbot, not a Roman figure.

For a long time, people have been puzzled by a skeleton found inside a stone coffin at Westminster Abbey in London. The coffin itself is very old—it is a Roman-style stone box, which led many to believe that the person inside was from Roman times. However, new research suggests the truth is much different. Experts now believe the skeleton is actually an abbot from the Middle Ages. An abbot is the head of a monastery, which is a place where monks live and work. Why the confusion? It turns out the people of the Middle Ages were great at recycling. They often found old Roman stone coffins and…