Dead gorgeous: ancient sarcophagus held mirror, cosmetics

Archaeologists say a 3rd century sarcophagus found in what is now western Germany contained the remains of a young Roman woman who was buried along with perfume bottles, a makeup palette and a silver hand mirror.

The Landesmuseum in Bonn said Monday that the massive stone coffin contained an unusual wealth of beauty products, jet jewelry, pins and a folding knife with a handle in the shape of a Hercules figure.

The 4 1/2-ton sarcophagus was discovered along the route of an ancient highway connecting the Roman empire settlements of Trevorum and Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium—now the German cities of Trier and Cologne.

Archaeologists kept their discovery last year secret until further graves in the area had been investigated.

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