Two enormous grave slabs dating back to the 13th century were recently retrieved by maritime archaeologists from a medieval shipwreck.
The ship, known as the “Mortar Wreck,” went down off the coast of the Isle of Purbeck in Dorset, southern England. It is considered the oldest wreck in English waters.
Among the various items on board, the ship carried grave slabs and grinding mortars, all crafted from Purbeck Marble—a distinct limestone exclusively found on the peninsula, historically utilized for decorative purposes.
Tom Cousins from Bournemouth University led a team of experts to successfully recover the grave slabs on June 4th. The operation took about two hours, with the slabs retrieved from a depth of 23 feet.
The best-preserved slab measures 5 feet in length and weighs around 154 pounds. Another slab, split into two pieces, has a combined weight of about 440 lbs.
These slabs, embellished with Christian crosses, were likely utilized as coffin lids.
Cousins remarked, “The Purbeck stones were highly sought after during the time of the shipwreck. The recovered grave slabs were popular memorials for archbishops and bishops from various cathedrals and monasteries across England.”
While grave slabs made from Purbeck Marble are not rare, with over 800 found in English churches and some in Ireland and parts of France, the Mortar Wreck was initially discovered in 1982 but only revealed its true nature in 2019.
Bournemouth University plans to conserve and prepare the recovered grave slabs for display in a new museum opening later this year.