HUMAN bones have been unearthed just five feet below the ground by construction workers in Chester.
The discovery was made after workers dug up part of Gorse Stacks Car Park, near to a Watkin Jones construction site off George Street, to lay foundations for an access road to a new apartment block.
Twelve human bones and a number of animal bones have been discovered that archaeologists have dated as pre-Medieval.
Pieces of pottery and ceramics believed to be Roman were also found and when the search area was widened several more ancient artefacts were dug up.
Watkin Jones archaeologists were immediately called to the scene, closely followed by council experts who were on hand to oversee the dig.
A Cheshire West and Chester Council spokesman said: “Two archaeologists came to clear the site and they did find lots of pottery and bones dating back to what they predict to be the Roman times.
“The archaeological dig came to an end about a week ago and the sections where the pieces were found have been protected by a membrane and work is now continuing above that.”
The pieces have now been taken away to be examined by archaeologists.
Chairman of Chester Archaeology Society, Philip Miles, said that anyone digging up any earth in the city centre would be sure to stumble upon a piece of ancient history.
He said the rich tapestry of artefacts lay just a spade’s depth underneath people’s feet. He said: “Wherever you dig up you will find something, whether it be from the Medieval times, the Bronze Age or indeed the Roman era.
“Whenever you disturb the soil you will get a good idea of what used to exist in that part of the city.
“You know you will find something because people have been living here for more than 2000 years.”
Mr Miles said the site around the Gorse Stacks car park was once a cobbled Victorian street.
Meanwhile, recent construction works in the area by Watkin Jones has also unearthed several new archaeological finds.
He added: “Just a little way up form there underneath the new Travelodge there is the site of a Roman quarry. They even found a Roman well and stones when they excavated there.”
City archaeologists have been consulted on the site of the planned Northgate Development under which there are believed to be Roman barracks.