Grave of Ancient Druid Discovered
Very little is known about the Druids who roamed the lands of England prior to the Roman invasion in 43 AD, though we do know Emperor Claudius ordered the extermination of the cult in 61 AD, wherein all groves and sacred structures related to the Druids were systematically destroyed, leaving us with very little information about who the Druids were.
This lapse in our knowledge may be changing, as archaeologists believe they have discovered the first Druid grave.
Read More (Source: Daily India)In the grave, archaeologists uncovered a board game with the glass counters laid out, medical equipment - the earliest ever found, a tea strainer still containing some kind of herbal brew, and some mysterious metal poles.
The first find at the site was made in 1996. But now, after 12 years of painstaking digging and research, the final report into the unearthing suggests that the grave could be the only one of a druid ever found.
The clues are not just in the objects buried with an obviously important man, but also in the way they are laid out.
The metal rods, possibly used for divining, are in a specific order and near the surgical equipment - scalpel, surgical saw, hooks and forceps. There is also a jet bead, believed to have been seen as magical.
"The so-called druid could have been a doctor. The tea strainer contains artemisia pollen, which is commonly associated with herbal remedies. Healing is an attribute given to druids," said Philip Crummy, director of the Colchester Archaeological Trust.
