Discovery Site | The Lady of Simpelveld - Simpelveld

In December 1930, miner Andreas Wierts came across no less than three Roman sarcophagi while digging in Simpelveld. Two of them had been looted, but the third held a truly unique treasure: the sarcophagus of the Lady of Simpelveld. This sandstone coffin, dating back to the second or third century AD, features detailed carvings on the inside. They give us a glimpse into the life of the wealthy Roman woman who was buried there.

The carvings on the inside show a woman lying on a couch, surrounded by furniture like a wicker chair, a wardrobe, a chest for clothes and a table with lion’s feet. It gives a pretty clear picture of how the home of an elite Roman woman might have looked. Next to her is a carved façade of a villa – suggesting she probably lived in a place like that.

When the sarcophagus was opened, several grave goods were found: a gold necklace, a gold earring, three gold rings, a small silver mirror, a glass bottle and an earthenware flask.

Research on her remains in 2016 showed that the woman was between 35 and 50 years old and had lived a life without hard physical labour.

The sarcophagus has been carefully restored and is now on display at the National Museum of Antiquities in Leiden. You can find replicas in the Simpelveld town hall and in the Thermenmuseum in Heerlen.