In 1869, a Roman sarcophagus at Westminster Abbey puzzled archaeologists with a medieval cross on its lid; 157 years later, dating of the skeleton points to an 11th-century abbot, not the Roman named on the tomb

• According to an announcement by Westminster Abbey and reports by The Guardian and Live Science published on October 21, 2026, archaeologists have identified two possible candidates for the burial, with one emerging as the likelier match.
• The limestone sarcophagus was officially excavated in 1869, although it had reportedly