Archaeologists unearth an ancient 'flatpack' bed used by the Romans in Britain

A Roman flat bed has been unearthed six meters beneath the streets of London.

The burial bed – the first found in Britain – would have carried an important person to their burial place.

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It is made of high-quality oak and has carved legs and joints secured with wooden pegs.

It was dismantled and placed in the grave of a man in his late twenties to early thirties – and ultimately preserved by mud from the underground river fleet.

Michael Marshall, of the Museum of London Archaeology, said: “It has been very carefully taken apart and put away, almost like flat-packed furniture for the next life.”

There were five oak coffins dating from the period 43 to 410 AD.

The area near Holborn Viaduct, in the centre Londonis being excavated for the construction of an office complex.

Skeletal remains, beads and jewelry have also been found.

Mola's Heather Knight said: 'The Romans buried their dead along roads, outside urban centres.

“This location would be located 170 meters west of the city walls, next to the Roman road from Watlingstraat.

“However, the level of preservation we encountered – and especially the sheer quantity of wooden finds – really amazed us.”

Excavations have also revealed a 16th-century cemetery on the site, which was thought to have been moved to the nearby Church of St. Sepulchre.

According to the Great Fire of London In 1666 houses and shops were built on top of the site.