Wikipedia article of the day for September 21, 2025

The Wikipedia article of the day for September 21, 2025 is Caerleon pipe burial.
The Caerleon pipe burial is a second-century Roman grave associated with the legionary fortress and settlement Isca Augusta in Caerleon. In 1927 building works across the River Usk from the fortress uncovered a grave containing a stone-lined tomb. Within the tomb was a lead canister containing cremated bone fragments, a piece of linen bearing traces of frankincense and a 3.8 cm (1.5 in) broken lead pipe which would originally have reached the surface. This type of burial is rare in Britain and was investigated by the archaeologist Mortimer Wheeler. The anatomist Arthur Keith determined that the bone fragments were of a single adult, confirmed in 2001 by Alice Roberts. Tombs with vertical lead or earthenware pipes are found throughout the Roman Empire, and these features are believed to have facilitated sacrifices and offerings to the departed. In particular, pipe burials are thought to have allowed relatives to pour blood or wine into the container to nourish the soul of the deceased.