Dead gorgeous: ancient sarcophagus held mirror, cosmetics

BERLIN – Archaeologists say a 3rd century sarcophagus found in what is now western Germany contained the remains of a young Roman woman who was buried along with perfume bottles, a makeup palette and a silver hand mirror.

The Landesmuseum in Bonn said Monday that the massive stone coffin contained an unusual wealth of beauty products, jet jewelry, pins and a folding knife with a handle in the shape of a Hercules figure.

The 4 1/2-ton sarcophagus was discovered along the route of an ancient highway connecting the Roman empire settlements of Trevorum and Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium — now the German cities of Trier and Cologne.

Archaeologists kept their discovery last year secret until further graves in the area had been investigated.