A CHANCE find in a North Yorkshire field could shed new light on the everyday life of the upper classes in Roman-occupied Britain.

Archaeologists are examining well-preserved human remains dating back nearly 2,000 years that have been found buried in a lead coffin.

The skeleton is believed to be that of a high-status Romano- British adult, who probably lived sometime between the second and fourth centuries.

And analysis of the bones, together with the 6ft, half-tonne coffin, is expected to help build a clear picture of life for the wellto- do of the era.

The find was made near Aldborough, three miles from Boroughbridge, by two metal detector enthusiasts working with the farmer's permission.

It was then carefully excavated in a week-long operation by experts from English Heritage and the York Archaeological Trust.

The find has since been moved to the trust's laboratory in York, where the partially-crushed coffin lid has now been opened to reveal the remains.

Principal conservator Ian Panter said: "We've not yet been able to determine the sex or age of the remains, but the skeleton is in pretty reasonable condition. We also have the teeth, which is very important.

"Thanks to modern technology, we will be able to use these to shed light on the person's childhood diet and determine whether he or she was born locally, or came from further afield."

Such finds are extremely rare and across the country and only about 300 Roman lead coffins have been unearthed.

The coffin, which reveals few signs of decoration on its surface, was found in a fairly roughly cut stone-lined chamber. Once all the soil is removed, the bones will be carefully extracted and subjected to detailed analysis.

English Heritage's inspector of ancient monuments, Keith Emerick, said: "The fact the burial involved an expensive lead coffin signifies the person was perhaps of high status. Funeral practices for such people varied at different times between cremation and interment."

Aldborough, known to the Romans as Isurium Brigantium, was an important tribal settlement for the Iron Age Brigantes people, who fought unsuccessfully against the Roman invaders.

It then evolved into a prosperous Imperial outpost, the most northerly such town in the Roman Empire.