Second Roman sarcophagus up for sale in Dorchester (From Dorset Echo)

Second Roman sarcophagus up for sale in Dorchester

11:33am Wednesday 30th January 2013 in News

A SECOND Roman sarcophagus found in a garden is to go under the hammer in Dorchester.

Last October a coffin believed to date back to the second century that was being used as a water trough in a Dorset garden sold for £100,000 at Duke’s auctioneers.

The news prompted a pensioner from Northumberland to get in touch with the county town auction house as he had discovered something similar in his garden.

It also transpired to be a Roman sarcophagus and is believed to date back to either the first or second century.

Guy Schwinge of Duke’s said: “It is not often this sort of thing turns up and we are delighted that the publicity generated by our initial discovery has brought to light this exceptional example.”

The marble sarcophagus is set to go on sale at Duke’s on February 14 and is expected to sell for £30,000 to £50,000.