york00orns

INTRODUCTORY. 7
been explored, more especially within the last few
years. Stone coffins with Latin inscriptions, the
bones of the dead, and hundreds of objects which
had been interred with them were discovered in
extraordinary abundance during the excavations
which took place in preparing the sites of the original
railway station and of the magnificent new one which
has been recently erected. Probably not one half
the burial-grounds of the Roman inhabitants of
the city has been explored, and vast quantities ot
inscribed stones, objects of art, coins, pottery-ware,
and other things of singular interest, remain yet
undiscovered under the surface of the ground which
lies outside the ancient fortifications of the city.
Amongst the sepulchral inscriptions or other sculptures
which have hitherto come to light, scarcely a
trace is to be found of the existence of Christianity in
this part of Britain. " The sacred symbol occurs
once at York, and twice on objects found on the
hne of the Roman wall, and this is all.''^ That there
may have been individual converts to the faith of
Christ amongst the Roman legionaries and settlers
quite possible, and the same may be said concerning
the British inhabitants. Christianity, no doubt, had
spread extensively in other parts of the island, but
there is little historical proof of its having taken root
in the north of England during this period.
Another indication of the high rank which Eboracum
occupied amongst the cities of Roman Britain is
manifested by the fact of an imperial palace existing
is
p.
'
"The Historians of the Church of York," &c. Preface, •
-Kx., edited by Canon Raine (Master of the Rolls Series).