Plutarch describes the the traditional procedure when a Vestal strayed.

"For their minor offenses the virgins are punished with stripes, the Pontifex Maximus sometimes scourging the culprit on her bare flesh, in a dark place, with a curtain interposed. But she that has broken her vow of chastity is buried alive near the Colline gate. Here a little ridge of earth extends for some distance along the inside of the city wall....Under it a small chamber is constructed, with steps leading down from above. In this are placed a couch with its coverings, a lighted lamp, and very small portions of the necessaries of life, such as bread, a bowl of water, milk, and oil, as though they would thereby absolve themselves from the charge of destroying by hunger, a life which had been consecrated to the highest services of religion. Then the culprit herself is placed on a litter, over which coverings are thrown and fastened down with cords so that not even a cry can be heard from within, and carried though the forum. All the people there silently make way for the litter, and follow it without uttering a sound, in a terrible depression of soul No other spectacle is more appalling, nor does any other day bring more gloom to the city than this. When the litter reaches its destination, the attendants unfasten the cords of the coverings. Then the high priest, after stretching his hands toward heaven and uttering certain mysterious prayers before the fatal act, brings forth the culprit, who is closely veiled, and places her on the steps leading down into the chamber. After this he turns away his face, as does the rest of the priest, and when she has gone down, the steps are taken up, and great quantities of earth are thrown into the chamber, hiding it away, and making the place level with the rest of the mound. Such is the punishment of those who break their vows of virginity."


eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep