Inside Colchester Castle's new exhibition Decoding the Roman Dead

Decoding the Roman Dead takes visitors back in time by giving them behind the scenes access to a new scientific investigation studying Roman cremations.

The study, run as part of a partnership between Colchester Museums and the University of Reading, has helped piece together the lives of Roman inhabitants of the town thousands of years ago, by examining what happened to them after they died.

First look at Colchester Castle’s ground-breaking new Roman exhibition. Picture: Steve Brading

It is the first major study to have examined Roman cremations in Britain and some of the the remains examined have been in storage in Colchester for about 100 years.

Using ground-breaking Isotope analysis of skull fragments, archaeologists discovered about 25 per cent of the remains were from those who spent their childhood as far away as Greece, Italy or Germany.

The exhibition showcases the stories of 15 of these Roman individuals which were cremated in Colchester.

First look at Colchester Castle’s ground-breaking new Roman exhibition. Picture: Steve Brading

Split into three parts - Why Is It Special?; Meet the Romans; and Meet the Specialists - the exhibition chronicles how the study came about and the groundbreaking insights it discovered.

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Darius Laws, portfolio holder for heritage, said: “Colchester Castle has once again been filled with the sounds of excited visitors as the start of the school summer holidays coincided with the opening of our new exhibition, Decoding the Roman Dead.

“Hundreds of people have already passed through the Castle’s doors to experience the ground-breaking science behind the exhibition, which unlocks the lives and stories of the earliest inhabitants of Roman Colchester, uncovering the astonishing people who once called the town ‘home’.

"From those who journeyed to a new land, suffered painful illness or lived a life of military service – visitors will find their stories revealed from the ashes of a hidden past for the first time.”

First look at Colchester Castle’s ground-breaking new Roman exhibition. Picture: Steve Brading

Decoding the Roman Dead runs until January 6.

Mr Laws said: “Already, visitors have described the exhibition as a ‘fantastic and amazing experience’ and said how they have ‘loved how much the kids got into the history!’

“‘This place is awesome’, claimed one visitor, and with the beautiful transformation of the Castle’s Charles Gray Room and the use of innovative science to unravel some of our deepest ancient mysteries, it’s hard to disagree.”

First look at Colchester Castle’s ground-breaking new Roman exhibition. Picture: Steve Brading

Decoding the Roman Dead runs until January 6.

To book tickets to the exhibition, visit colchester.cimuseums.org.uk/DTRD.