Chapman Et Al, RB in 2008

Roman Britain in 2008
Author(s): EVAN M. CHAPMAN, FRASER HUNTER, PAUL BOOTH, PETE WILSON, SALLY
WORRELL and R.S.O. TOMLIN
Source: Britannia, Vol. 40 (2009), pp. 219-364
Published by: Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies
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Britannia XL
(2009),
219-363_ v j
roma
Roman Britain in 2008
By
E.M.
CHAPMAN,
F.
HUNTER,
R
BOOTH,
R WILSON
S. WORRELL and R.S.O. TOMLIN
I. Sites explored
II. Finds Reported under the Portable
Antiquities
Scheme
III. Inscriptions
FIG. 1.
Key
to numbered sections of Part I
(Sites Explored).
? World
copyright
reserved. Exclusive Licence to Publish: The
Society
for the Promotion of Roman Studies 2009
220 ROMAN BRITAIN IN 2008
I. Sites
Explored
Sites included in this
summary
are listed
according
to the new
unitary authority
boundaries
introduced in 1996.
1. WALES
By
EVAN M. CHAPMAN
CARDIFF
(1)
Cardiff Castle
(ST
1807
7659): (a)
a
deposit
dated to the first half of the second
century
was revealed
during
hand excavation for a
sign
c. 10 m to the south of the north
gate
of the
rebuilt
third-century
fort,
(b)
Elements of the Roman west wall were recorded
during repairs
to
the Ladies' Walk.1
CARMARTHENSHIRE
(1) Llandeilo, Dineftvr
Park
(SN
607
224):
sherds of Roman
pottery
and
tegulae
found
close to the
spring-source
of a
stream,
on the western
boundary
of the Deer
Park, suggested
the
presence
of a substantial Roman
building nearby. Geophysical survey
of the area identified
a
variety
of
potentially significant
features,
several of which
were
investigated. Although
the
site of a
possible
Roman
building
was
identified,
its excavation was
hampered by
a substantial
depth
of colluvium and
a continuous stream of
groundwater.
A small
investigation
below the
maximum
practical depth
of excavation
did, however, expose
the
top
of a
probable
in-situ
deposit
of
Roman-period
demolition
debris, including
charcoal and
tegulae fragments.
The location of
the
building,
in what would then have been a
relatively steep-sided
stream
valley,
is
unusual,
and
may suggest
that the
building
was located at the stream source
specifically
for ritual
purposes.
The Roman
pottery assemblage
demonstrates that this
building
was not used at the same time
as the
nearby
Roman
fort,
but was established soon after the fort's closure in the second
century
and continued in use into the third/fourth centuries. The
building
is
clearly,
therefore,
not a bath
house associated with the fort.2
GWYNEDD
(1)
Gwanas-fawr
(SH
7711
1645):
aerial
photography
discovered a
rectangular
earthwork
(NPRN 406840)
4.5 km south-east of
Dolgellau. Initially thought
to be an
early fort,
the
earthwork has now been tested
by ground survey, magnetometry
and trial
excavation,
both in
the interior and across the inner bank on the east
side,
and found to be a Roman
camp (fig. 2).
The enclosure is
rectangular
in
shape,
with rounded
corners,
enclosing
an internal area of 1.74
ha
(141
m east-west
by
124 m
north-south).
It is defined
by
a double bank with a median ditch
and has four entrances
?
those on the east and west
centrally-placed
and those on the north
and south
slightly
to the west of
centre,
indicating
that the
camp
faced west. The inner bank
was c. 3.5 m wide with an inner and outer turf revetment and a mixed infill of
soil,
stone and
dumped
turfs.
Although
not
examined,
the outer bank is of
slighter
character and
appears
to be a
counterscarp. Along
the western
side,
the
rampart only partly
survives
along
the line of a
recently
1
Excavation
by
Mr R.
Dunning, recording
of wall
by
Ms A.
Young,
both of the
Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological
Trust,
on behalf of Cardiff
City
Council. Dr E.M. Evans sent information.
2
Work undertaken
by
local volunteers
working
with the
Dyfed Archaeological
Trust. The excavation was
supported by
the National
Trust,
the David and
Christopher
Lewis Foundation and the Cambrian
Archaeological
Association. Mr D. Schlee sent information.
EVAN M. CHAPMAN 221
FIG. 2. Gwanas-fawr Roman
camp, topographic survey.
(Crown Copyright RCAHMW)
dug drainage
ditch,
bounded
by
a former
hedge
bank and
a recent
plantation
of deciduous trees.
The northern
rampart
and north-east
angle
of the site have been lost to cultivation and were
only
confirmed
by magnetometry;
a
steep scarp edge
about 20 m
into this field
suggests
the former
position
of the
destroyed rampart.
The fact that the
magnetometry survey
failed to
provide any
proof
of
permanent
internal
structures,
and that the enclosure is defined
by
a much
slighter
rampart
than that of an
auxiliary fort, suggests
the site is most*
likely
to have been a small
temporary camp, probably dating
to the
period
of the Flavian
conquest
in the A.D.
70s; however,
the
surviving
entrance
gaps
show no
sign
of the characteristic devices for
protecting
the
gates,
namely
a clavicula or a
titulum?
MONMOUTHSHIRE
(1)
Caerwent
(Venta
Silurum) (ST
469
905): geophysical surveys
within and outside the walls
of Caerwent.
(a) Magnetometry
and
resistivity
across the north-eastern
part
of the walled area
extended over almost 2
ha, covering
most of Insulae
II,
IV and V. The results revealed all of the
buildings
known from the excavations at the
beginning
of the twentieth
century, including
the
elliptical 'amphitheatre',
and confirmed that the areas in between these structures
appear
to be
free of
masonry buildings.
The
survey showed, however,
that the orientation of the town
grid
differs
slightly
from the
published plan, presumably
a
consequence
of an
original surveying
or
drafting
error,
(b)
A second
survey
was conducted
beyond
the West Gate.
Here,
an area of c. 3
ha,
from the main road southwards to
beyond
the Nedern
Brook,
was
surveyed using magnetometry
alone. The results revealed extensive
activity extending
c. 140 m
away
from the line of the
road,
including
a
regular arrangement
of ditched
enclosures, possible masonry buildings
and areas of
burning.4
NEWPORT
(1)
Caerleon
(Isca): (a) Priory
Field
(ST
33930
90410):
excavations were conducted on
the site of a
large courtyard building, provisionally
identified as a
horreum,
or
warehouse,
on the dextral side of the
praetentura
at the front of the fortress.5 The 25 m
by
20 m trench
was
positioned
over the southern half of the
building's
western front
range, including
its main
entrance from the
open yard
area between it and the three
large military granaries
close to the
porta princip?lis
dextra. The excavations revealed the remains of the
building's
external
walls,
all of which had been robbed down to their foundations. The lower courses of three internal
walls,
that divided this side of the
building
into
equal-sized
rooms,
were also
located,
as were
the latest
flagstone
floors of two of these rooms. The final surface of the main entrance also
consisted of
flagstones, possibly
reused from the internal
courtyard;
these were laid after some
major
structural alterations to this
part
of the
building.
At least two
buildings
were constructed
over the remains of the demolished or
collapsed military building
and the
yard immediately
in
front of it.
Drystone
or earth-bonded walls without foundations had been built
directly
on
top
of the
undulating pre-existing
surfaces to form narrow
rectangular buildings, apparently
built
up against
the front wall of the earlier warehouse. The remnants of a
poorly-constructed opus
signinum
surface in one of these
buildings supports
a late Roman date for their construction.
These Roman or
post-Roman phases
were sealed
by buildings
and other features that indicate
the
agricultural
nature of
occupation
in this
part
of Caerleon in the medieval
period.
Roman
ceramic material was
predominantly late,
with the
majority belonging
to the
period
between the
late third and mid-fourth centuries. The coin
assemblage
includes numerous Constantinian
types
and closes with issues of the House of Valentinian.6
3
First
recognised
from the air
by
B.
Jones,
a
pilot
from
Welshpool Airport,
and
photographed by
T. Driver
of RCAHMW. Earthwork
survey
of the
above-ground
remains
by RCAHMW; geophysical survey by
D.
Hopewell
(Gwynedd Archaeological Trust)
and J.
Burman;
excavation
by
J.G. Roberts
(Snowdonia
National Park
Authority)
and J.L. Davies
(Aberystwyth University).
L. Barker sent information.
4
Surveys
carried out
by
Cardiff
University undergraduates
directed
by
Dr T.
Young
and Dr A. Lane. Dr P. Guest
sent information.
5
The
building
was located
during geophysical surveys
conducted in 2006 and
2007;
see Britannia 38
(2007),
250-2;
39
(2008),
266-8.
6
Excavations, supported by Cadw,
Cardiff
University, UCL,
National Roman
Legion
Museum and the Caerleon
Research
Committee,
were directed
by
Dr A. Gardner and Dr P.
Guest,
who sent information.
evan m. chapman 223
(b)
Mission
Chapel,
Bulmore Road
(centred
at ST 3446
9003): archaeological
evaluation on
a
large plot
to the rear of the
chapel.
The site is across the River Usk from
Caerleon,
in an area
rich in Roman
remains, especially
burials and cremations. Three trial-trenches were excavated in
the
footprint
of the
proposed
new
development
and one small trench
against
the street
frontage.
The Roman
archaeology
in these trenches consisted of the remains of a stone
building
which was
partly
robbed
during
the medieval
period,
some
roughly
constructed drains and associated coarse
paving.
The Roman
pottery
covered a wide date
range
from the second to the fourth
century
but
no close
dating
for
any
of the contexts was obtained. The drains are
important
for the materials
used in their construction: the
fragments
of at least two ceramic altar bases and two or more
ceramic sacrificial altar tables
(mensae).1
A
group
of bones was found in the shallow fill below a
large
curved
capstone
of the drain. All the bones were of
sheep,
or
goat,
and
comprised
a
partly
scorched and
fragmented skull,
three
juvenile
lower
mandibles,
two older
upper mandibles,
and
a
fragment
of a
goat
horn-core. This
group
was
probably
in
position
when the
large capstone
was
put
in
place.
Another trench revealed the
only building
remains found on the site: two
walls,
associated with a Roman
occupation
context,
but which had been robbed
during
the fourteenth
century
or
later.8
(c)
Bulmore Road
(ST
5650
9136):
excavations and a
watching-brief
conducted
during drainage
improvements.
To the east of Great
Bulmore,
excavation identified substantial
boundary
walls of
the
early
second
century;
on the south side of this enclosure was a small stone shrine
overlying
a
grave containing
a stone burial cist. A stone
surface,
a wall and a furnace were recorded
during
a
watching-brief
beneath the modern road. The structures had fallen into
disrepair by
the mid
second
century
and stone was taken to be reused elsewhere. The
watching-brief
also recorded a
sequence
of Roman and later road construction
layers
within Great Bulmore.
Adjacent
excavations
demonstrated that a
sequence
of Roman
buildings
fronted the road on the north side from the
early
to mid-second
century. Initially
there was a timber
building
with evidence for
frequent
floor
repairs.
It was
severely
affected
by
fire and the foundation was
subsequently replaced
in
stone. The
building
had been demolished
by
the mid-third
century
and no later Roman evidence
was
present.9
POWYS
(1) Llwyn y Brain,
Caersws 1
(SO
041
926): geophysical survey
within the fort
(fig. 3).10
The
post-holes
of the East Gate show it to be
twin-portalled
with
flanking six-post
towers.
Within the
fort,
drains and foundation trenches for timber
buildings
are defined
by
some
very
weak anomalies.
Strong
thermoremnant
responses represent
ovens,
hearths and
probably pits,
particularly
in the
praetentura.
To the west of the South Gate and to the rear of the
rampart
on
the south and
north,
the
strong responses plausibly represent burning upon
the
decommissioning
of the fort. The via
praetoria,
via
princip?lis
and via decumana are defined
by
drains
?
the via
praetoria deviating
somewhat from the axis of the fort. Little can be resolved within the latera
praetorii
other than the faint outlines of the
principia, measuring
c. 35 m
by
30 m. To its
south,
linear
features, probably
of more than one
phase,
define elements of a
building,
or
buildings,
which
appears
not to be a
granary.
7
Reported
on in Britannia 39
(2008),
266-72.
8
Work
by
S. Clarke and J.
Bray,
Monmouth
Archaeology.
Mr S. Clarke sent information.
9
Work
by
J.
Brown, Northamptonshire Archaeology,
commissioned
by Hyder Consulting
Ltd on behalf
of
Newport City
Council. The results will
appear
in a
publication
on Roman Bulmore
being prepared jointly by
Trust and the National Museum of Wales
(Macdonald forthcoming).
R
Chapman
sent information.
10
Part of the eastern end of the fort had been
previously surveyed by
the
Clwyd-Powys Archaeological
Trust as
part
of the Cadw-funded Roman Fort Environs
Project,
the data
being integrated
into the
present survey.
FIG. 3. Caersws 1
(Llwyn y Brain): gradiometer survey
-
grey-scale plot.
(Survey by
D.
Hopewell,
R. Hankinson andJ.
Burman)
In the northern division of the
praetentura,
close to the via
praetoria,
are traces of a
probable
barrack,
8-10 m
wide,
and
possibly
60 m
long, arranged per strigas.
However,
there are also
traces of
a
building
with at least four room divisions
fronting
the via
princip?lis
which would
necessarily
reduce its
length
to c. 54 m. The southern
portion
of the
praetentura
shows faint
traces of three
buildings,
at least one of which
may
be
interpreted
as a barrack.
In the northern division of the retentura there are faint traces of
rectangular buildings.
To
the west of the via
quintana
are two
buildings,
10 m
wide and at least 20 m
long, seemingly
aligned per
scamna. In the north-west corner are traces of at least three other
buildings
and what
appear
to be two rows of ovens
(or kilns) running parallel
to the defences. The
large
number of
thermoremnant
responses
in this area seems to be
typical
of industrial
areas,
possibly
indicative
of a later re-use of this
part
of the fort. In the southern
portion
of the retentura there are hints of a
building aligned per
scamna,
with a row of hearths or
pits defining
its
frontage,
or that of another
building flanking
the via
quintana}1
SWANSEA
(
1
) Penmaen,
Church Hill
(SS
536
898):
trial excavation and
topographic survey
was undertaken
11
Survey,
commissioned
by
Dr J.L.
Davies, Aberystwyth University,
and funded
by
the Cambrian
Archaeological
Association,
was undertaken
by
D.
Hopewell,
R. Hankinson and J. Burman. Dr J.L. Davies sent information.
f. hunter 225
on this sub-circular enclosure associated with Roman
pottery
and tile. The section
through
the
bank showed that it
incorporated
Roman
pottery
and tile in its
make-up,
but its form
suggests
that it is more
likely
to have been
early
medieval. In the area to the south of the enclosure
a wall
of coursed rubble was
revealed,
with a cobbled surface on its west side. The wall
appears
to
have been inserted into a
layer
of
rubble,
and there were traces of a
possible
wall
underlying
the
cobbled surface. Traces of a cobbled surface were also found within the enclosure. The
pottery
suggests
that the main
period
of
occupation
was in the second
century,
with
slight
indications
of
third/fourth-century activity.
The
general
utilitarian nature of the
pottery assemblage
and the
paucity
of metal finds are at variance with the
building
materials recovered from the
site,
which
include
box-tiles, opus signinum, painted plaster
and tesserae.12
vale of glamorgan
(1) Sully:
two coin
hoards,
buried in
pottery
vessels c. 3 m
apart,
were found
by
metal detection in
pasture
?
buried in
pits
cut into the
subsoil,
with no other obvious
archaeological
context. Hoard
1,
in a local
greyware jar:
490 radiates and
1,876 nummi,
terminus
post quern
a.d. 318. Hoard
2,
in
a Black Burnished ware
jar:
14 radiates and
3,534 nummi,
terminus
post quern
a.d. 319-320.13
2. SCOTLAND
By
FRASER HUNTER
NORTH OF THE ANTONINE WALL
moray
(1) Clarkly
Hill
(NJ
13
67):
two scattered coin
hoards,
one of denarii
(ending
in the late
second
century)
and one of sestertii and
dupondii (the
latest coin so far
being
of Antoninus
Pius),
were recovered
by metal-detecting.14
Limited excavation
points
to an Iron
Age
settlement
site;
other finds include Roman brooches15 and a
range
of
indigenous
material culture.16
angus
(1)
Stracathro
(NO
617
657): magnetometer survey17
revealed details of the fort and annexe
(fig. 4).18
At least two ditches are
present
on the fort's east
side;
internal detail is
indistinct,
but
includes much of the street
system,
lines of anomalies from
buildings
in the
retentura,
and hints
of
central-range buildings.
The south-west corner is
notably magnetically rich,
while the annexe
shows
relatively
little
sign
of
activity, although
there are some
magnetic hotspots.
12
The
work,
funded
by Cadw,
was directed
by
Dr E.M.
Evans,
Ms R. Hart and Dr E.J. Owens for the
Glamorgan
Gwent
Archaeological Trust,
Swansea
University,
the
Royal
Institution of South Wales and the
Forestry
Commission.
Dr E.M. Evans sent information.
13
Declared Treasure under 1996
Act,
30 October
2008,
and
acquired by
the National Museum of Wales. Mr E.
Besly
sent information.
14
By
A. McPherson and R.
Krawczyk;
excavations
by
F. Hunter. Coin identifications are uncertain as conservation
is
ongoing.
15
For
previous
finds from the site see Britannia 38
(2004),
255.
16
Other Roman finds from
indigenous
sites in 2008
comprised
a further brooch from
Birnie, Moray (Britannia
36
(2005),
393 with further
references)
and a knee brooch from
Harperdean,
East Lothian
(see
C.
Haselgrove,
The
Traprain
Law Environs
Project (forthcoming)),
while a
stray
enamelled
trumpet
brooch came from
Torbreck, Highland
(Discovery
& Excavation in Scotland
2008, 108).
17
By
P.
Morris,
who sent a
report.
18
For the
site,
see D.J. Woolliscroft and B.
Hoffmann,
Rome's First Frontier
(2006),
168-9.
_-j-r- -!-1-1
-50 0 50 100 150 200 250
m
fig. 4.
Magnetic survey
of Stracathro
fort, Angus.
(Courtesy of
Dr P.
Morris)
perth and kinross
(1)
Bertha
(NO
097
268): geophysical survey19
over the fort site revealed considerable detail
of its
layout (fig. 5).20
The ditch
system
was traced on the
east,
west and north
sides;
evidence
of further ditches within this area and the lack of a
gate
on the west side
suggest
the western
defences are those of a later annexe.
Magnetometry
revealed a row
building (perhaps
a
workshop
19
By
the Roman Gask
Project;
Dr DJ. Woolliscroft sent details.
20
For the
site,
see D.J. Woolliscroft and B.
Hoffmann,
Rome's First Frontier
(2006),
144-7.
F. HUNTER 227
fig. 5.
Magnetic survey
of Bertha
fort,
Perth and Kinross.
(Courtesy of
Dr DJ.
Woolliscroft)
with ovens or
hearths)
within the
?annexe,
six
pairs
of barracks in the
praetentura,
and
courtyard
buildings
for the
principia
and
praetorium
in the central
range.
The lack of
any
retentura
may
imply
a non-standard
layout,
but it has more
plausibly
been lost to
erosion,
with the
supposed
southern
rampart being
a much later earthwork.
(2) Strageath (NN
898
was extended to the west and south of the
fort.
Subsequent targeted
excavation located the
approach
road from the
west,
in
good
condition;
two
square flagstones
beside it could
represent sculpture
bases. Other
magnetic
anomalies
proved
to be natural in
origin.
STIRLING
(1)
Doune
(NN
7277
0134):
further excavation22 within the fort located the timber foundations
of a barrack-block and an
adjacent,
shorter
building
on a
slightly
different
alignment.23
21
By
the Roman Gask
Project;
Dr DJ. Woolliscroft sent details. See Britannia 39
(2008),
274-5 for earlier
work.
22
For
Stirling
Council
by
P. Masser of Headland
Archaeology;
J. Franklin sent a
report.
23
Earlier work is
reported
in Britannia 31
(2000),
381.
228 roman britain in 2008
ANTONINE WALL
falkirk
(1)
Falkirk:
(a) 'Mostrim',
Pleasance Gardens
(NS
8866
7979):
a ditch
edge
noted24 in a
foundation trench was
probably
the northern ditch of the Falkirk
fort, giving
its dimensions
within the ditches as c. 112 m west-east
by
97 m
north-south.25
(b)
59
Blinkbonny
Road
(NS
8716
7997):
a feature noted in a limited evaluation trench26
was
probably
a terrace to
support
the Wall base on a
slope.
This
puts
the Wall a few metres north of the Ordnance
Survey line,
matching
earlier work in the
vicinity.27
north lanarkshire
(1) Dullatur,
The Lane
(NS
7452
7668):
evaluations28 in two small areas of the
temporary
camp29
found no evidence of internal structures.
east dunbartonshire
(1)
Cadder
(NS
618
726):
small-scale evaluation30
c. 80 m east of the
fort,
to test whether
the bath-house noted in the 1930s31 had survived
subsequent poorly-recorded quarrying
was
inconclusive. No
clearly pre-modern
levels were
located,
and oral testament records extensive
disturbance in the area.
(2)
New
Kilpatrick (NS
556
723):
the two sections of Wall base
long exposed
in the
cemetery
were cleaned and recorded in detail.32
(3)
Castlehill
(NS
525
727): geophysical
and
topographic survey33
revealed the fort's
slightly
trapezoidal form, tapering
to the south. The east and west
gates
were
located, along
with a
second ditch north of the Wall to
provide
additional
protection.
Some traces of internal features
were
recovered,
but no clear
sign
of the
putative
fortlet in the north-west corner.34 Further
survey
is
planned.
SOUTH OF THE ANTONINE WALL
falkirk
(1)
Carriden:
(a)
bath-house
(NT
0232
8077):
further
excavation,35
constrained
by standing
buildings,
confirmed the bath-house was a variant
row-type (fig. 6).36 Light
foundations at
24
By
G.
Bailey
of Falkirk
Museum,
who sent a
report.
25
For the
fort,
see A.S. Robertson and L.
Keppie,
The Antonine Wall: a Handbook to the
Surviving
Remains
(2001),
64-5.
26
By
G.
Bailey
of Falkirk
Museum,
who sent a
report.
27
L.J.F.
Keppie,
PSAS 107
(1975-6),
68-73.
28
For K.
Kennedy
and A. Mitchell
by
L. Dunbar and R.
Engl
of AOC
Archaeology,
who sent details.
29
For
previous work,
see C.E. Lowe and R.
Moloney,
Britannia 31
(2000), 239-53;
Britannia 38
(2007),
258.
30
Directed
by
Professor L.J.F.
Keppie,
who sent details.
31
J.
Clarke,
The Roman Fort at Cadder
(near Glasgow) (1933),
53.
32
By
Professor L.J.F.
Keppie,
who sent a
report.
See G.
MacDonald,
The Roman Wall in Scotland
(1934), 165,
pl. XXVI;
A.S. Robertson and L.
Keppie,
Surviving
Remains
(2001),
106.
33
By
a team from
Glasgow University Archaeology Department;
R. Jones sent details. Around half the site was
examined.
34
For the site and
suggested
fortlet see A.S. Robertson and L.
Keppie,
Surviving
Remains
(2001),
111-13.
35
By
G.
Bailey
of Falkirk
Museum,
who sent a detailed
report.
36
See Britannia 38
(2007),
259.
F. HUNTER 229
doorway
later
smithy
tank over
furnace
zz caldarium
(hot
wet
room;
tepidarium
<^
^
frigidarium
(exercise room)
(warm room)
' "
iL
I_
cold
plunge
apodyterium
(changing room)
aqueduct
fig. 6.
Hypothetical
reconstruction of Carriden bath-house: blacked-in walls mark excavated
portions.
(Courtesy of
G.
Bailey)
the east end
probably represent
the
changing-room, adjoining
solid stone foundations for the
frigidarium.
The middle was
inaccessible,
but the caldarium at the west end
preserved
some
stumps
of stone
pilae.
A room to the north is the
latrine,
with a robbed-out drain
(not
a later
ditch,
as
previously suspected) running through
it. Structural materials include wall
plaster,
opus signinum, lightweight
concrete,
and roof tiles
(stone
and
ceramic),
while a reused voussoir
among
the stonework hints at an earlier bath on the site. The latrine had been
partly
dismantled
and reused for
iron-working
in the Roman
period,
and the whole structure was
heavily
robbed
in the medieval
period, (b) (NT
026
807): field-walking37
over the area of the fort and annexe
recovered a
range
of
pottery.
CITY OF EDINBURGH
(1) Newbridge,
2A Kirkliston Road
(NT
1231
7285):
excavation38 revealed stretches of cobbled
road and associated
quarry pits immediately
east of the river Almond. The
best-preserved stretch,
some 6.9 m wide between
kerbs,
ran
east-west;
an
underlying
earlier
phase
was
aligned
south
west-north-east. An Iron
Age pot
sherd
incorporated
in the
make-up supports
a Roman date. The
line is consistent with other evidence for a Roman road in this
area,
the continuation of Dere
Street
heading
for the
Forth-Clyde
isthmus.39
(2)
Cramond:
(a)
Cramond Kirk
(NT
1900
7688):
excavations40 in advance of consolidation
37
Organised by
G.
Bailey
of Falkirk Museum.
38
By
R.
Engl
and A. Hunter-Blair of AOC
Archaeology
for Rooster II
LLP;
R.
Engl
sent details.
39
G.S.
Maxwell,
PSAS 113
(1983),
382-3.
40
For
City
of
Edinburgh Archaeology
Service
by
M. Cook of AOC
Archaeology,
who sent a
report.
exposed
much of two barrack-blocks in the
praetentura.41
Details of Barrack B's
phasing
were
clarified,
while Barrack
A, only sampled previously, produced
in-situ
deposits
with a
range
of
artefacts and structural
features, including
a row of slab-lined
pits;
elements of a
phase pre
dating
the stone barrack were noted. More limited work in the
granary
and eastern
gateway
largely
confirmed earlier results,
(b) (NT
192
769): magnetometry42
clarified earlier
geophysical
results,43 supporting
the
likely
annexe ditch line
along
the raised
beach; magnetic
anomalies
within this area
may represent
industrial
activity.
(3) Danderhall,
Edmonstone House
(NT
3015
6955):
evaluation44 located remains of a road
running approximately
south-east-north-west on a
plateau
above the current A68 Old Dalkeith
Road. It
comprised
several
phases
of kerbed cobbled
surface,
c. 5.0 m wide within shallow
flanking
ditches. No
dating
evidence was
recovered;
it
may
be a version of or
spur
from Dere
Street,
but could be
post-Roman.45
MIDLOTHIAN
(
1
)
Glencorse
(NT
2332 6271
):
evaluation46 of a
possible large
fortlet known from
cropmarks47
located the truncated remains of a
single V-shaped
ditch
(1-1.8
m
wide, up
to 0.6 m
deep)
on three
sides, enclosing
an area 65 m
wide;
the fourth side
lay
outside the
development
area. Limited
trenching
in the interior found no structural
remains, perhaps
due to the evident truncation. There
were no
finds,
but the identification remains feasible.
EAST LOTHIAN
(1) Inveresk,
3 Smeaton Grove
(NT
3495
7150):
ditches located in an
evaluation48 south-east
of the fort are
probably
further
components
of the
Roman-period field-system
known in the
area.49
SCOTTISH BORDERS
(1)
Dun
Law,
Dere Street
(NT
46454
56616):
a
well-preserved
section of Dere Street was
excavated50 in advance of
road-building.
The Roman road was
supported
on a raft of brushwood
to cross a
peat-filled palaeochannel;
over the
deepest
area,
a
regular
lattice of thicker branches
was used instead. An intermittent
gully lay
on its east side.
Only
the foundations
(heavy cobbling
in
sand)
of the
agger survived, up
to 0.5 m thick and 7.5 m
wide;
the former
gravel
and sand
surface was noted as extensive erosion washes in the
surrounding peat. Repairs post-dating
erosion of its surface indicate
long
use;
the absence of other road lines
suggests
this remained
the
preferred
route for centuries.51
41
For
previous
work on these
structures,
see A. and V.
Rae,
Britannia 5
(1974),
163-224.
42
By Edinburgh Archaeological
Field
Society;
see
Discovery
and Excavation in Scotland
2008,
71.
43
See Britannia 36
(2005), 399;
37
(2006),
387.
44
For Boskabelle Ltd
by
C. Francoz of
GUARD;
Dr A. Leslie sent a
report
and discussed the results.
45
The
likely
Flavian line lies to the south-west
(G.S. Maxwell,
Britannia 14
(1983), 175),
but the road
system
in
this area saw substantial
changes
in the Antonine
period.
46
By
M.
Kirby
of CFA
Archaeology
for ERM and Scottish
Water;
S. Anderson sent details.
47
See G.S. Maxwell and D.R.
Wilson,
Britannia 18
(1987), 41;
I am
grateful
to Dr R. Jones
(RCAHMS)
for
confirming
it is more
likely
to be a fortlet than a
camp.
48
By
I. Hill of CFA
Archaeology
for Timber Bush
Associates;
S. Anderson sent details.
49
M.C.
Bishop,
Roman Inveresk:
Past,
Present and Future
(2002), 52-69;
M.
Cook,
PSAS 134
(2004), 131-60;
Britannia 37
(2006),
387.
50
By
R. White and M.
Cressey
of CFA
Archaeology
for Renewable
Energy Systems Group;
S. Anderson sent a
report.
For
previous
work see Britannia 38
(2007),
259.
51
See
Discovery
and Excavation in Scotland
1964,
24 for a
nearby
section on firmer
ground.
PETE WILSON 231
SOUTH LANARKSHIRE
(1) Cleghorn, Hagholm
Road
(NS
91139
45035):
limited excavation
adjacent
to the known
road line located a
bipartite
field
oven,
the
deeper
end
stone-lined;
radiocarbon dates on charred
fuel remains
(predominantly heather,
with some roundwood birch and
alder)
indicate a late first
to
second-century
date.52 It lies
immediately
west of
(and perhaps within)
a stretch of Old
Intrinchment' of uncertain character noted
by Roy.53
DUMFRIES AND GALLOWAY
(
1
) Burnswark,
South
Camp (NY
188
over
parts
of the south
camp
and the
indigenous
settlement to the south-west
provided
hints of
activity
within and
beyond
the
camp;
its nature and date as
yet
unclear.
ENGLAND
3. HADRIAN'S WALL
By
PETE WILSON
SOUTH TYNESIDE
(
1
)
South Shields fort
(Arbeia,
NZ 365
679):
excavation was
completed
in the area
immediately
south of Granaries C15-16. The construction levels of the mid-Antonine
(Period 4)
fort
wall,
rampart
and intervallum were removed to reveal the
pre-fort ground
surface.55 This consisted of
a
grey
turf horizon
up
to 250 mm
deep
in which occurred a number of circular
mounds, up
to 1
m in diameter and 0.20 m
high.
It is not known how these mounds were formed. There
was no
sign
of cultivation in this surface.
Presumably
it had existed
contemporaneously
with the
pre
stone
fort,
Hadrianic or
early
Antonine
(Period 3),
metalled surface
(a possible parade-ground?)
excavated
immediately
to the south-east.56 A number of
pits
and
post-holes
had been cut
through
the turf horizon before the construction of the stone
fort,
but these formed no overall
pattern.
These were the earliest Roman features on this
part
of the site. Beneath the turf horizon was a 150
mm-thick
layer
of
orange
windblown sand. Below this was encountered
cord-rig cultivation, part
of the same
system
encountered 40 m to the south-east and
contemporary with,
or earlier
than,
a mid-Iron
Age
roundhouse excavated there.57
Following
the
completion
of excavation in this
area,
it is intended to consolidate and
display
the remains of a
third-century
barrack
(belonging
to the
larger, third-century fort)
which was the
best-preserved
structure in this area.58
52
Work
by
A. Matthews of Rathmell
Archaeology
for Riach
Partnership;
L. Turner sent a
report.
Radiocarbon
dates:
SUERC-22528,
1860?30 on birch
fragment
from basal
fill; SUERC-22527,
1875?30 on birch
fragment
from
waste debris associated with
pit.
53
W.
Roy,
The
Military Antiquities of
the Romans in Britain
(1794), pl.
IX.
54
By
R.
Jones,
J. Malcolm and O.
O'Grady
of
Glasgow University,
who
provided
a draft
report.
55
For
previous
(2008),
278-9.
56
For the
'parade ground'
see P. Bidwell and S.C.
Speak,
Excavations at South Shields Roman Fort Volume 1
(1994),
14-16.
57
For earlier work on the Iron
Age
levels see N.
Hodgson
et
al.,
'An Iron
Age
settlement and remains of earlier
prehistoric
date beneath South Shields Roman
Fort, Tyne
and
Wear',
Archaeol. Journ. 158
(2001),
62-160.
58
Excavations directed for
Tyne
& Wear Museums
by
N.
Hodgson,
P.
Bidwell,
and G.C. Stobbs with the
support
of Earthwatch Institute. DrN.
Hodgson
sent information.
NEWCASTLE
(1) Throckley: (a) Throckley Filling
Station
(NZ
1545
6685):
in December 2007 a
length
of
the
Military Way
was shown to be bounded
by
rows of
rough,
sandstone
kerbstones, averaging
about 0.40 m in
length
and 0.23 m in
width;
the road surface was
comprised
of
compacted stony
rubble
topped
in
places by finings
of small
pebbles, decayed
mudstone,
and
fragments
of coal
and cinders.59
(b) Prospect
House
(NZ
1565
6685):
in March 2006 a
length
of road of similar
appearance
was
revealed.60
(2)
Walbottle,
St Cuthberts School
(NZ
1700
6665):
in March 2005 a similar road
surface,
though
without
surviving kerbstones,
was revealed.61
NORTHUMBERLAND
(1)
Walwick Hall
(NY
9030
7050):
four evaluation trenches were excavated in
July
2008 to
test for the
presence
of
components
of the Hadrian's Wall frontier
complex adjacent
to Walwick
Hall. A trench east of the Hall uncovered the
well-preserved
remains of the Roman
Military Way.
The road was seen to lie
slightly
north of the line
projected
on the modern Ordnance
Survey map
but on a similar
alignment,
and was formed of smooth but
irregularly shaped
and sized stone
slabs,
blocks and cobbles.
Although
the south flank of the
roadway
within the trench had been
disturbed,
the northern
edge
survived and was formed of substantial kerbstones. To the north a
possible
roadside
gully
or ditch was
seen,
but not excavated
as it
lay
outside the
development
area.
The
variability
recorded in the four road
exposures
described above
may perhaps
be accounted
for
by
factors of erosion and
partial resurfacing,
the latest occurrences of which
may
date to the
post-Roman period, perhaps
as
recently
as the
eighteenth century.
The more substantial cobble
surfacing
recorded at Walwick
may
have been a
response
to the
sloping topography
which would
have rendered a less substantial surface vulnerable to
slippage,
or
may
be a factor of the
greater
availability
of local raw materials
?
in this case
perhaps
sourced from the
nearby
river
Tyne,
or
local
outcrops.62
(2)
Vindolanda
(NY
768
663): (a)
excavation in Area concentrated on the south-west
part
of
the vicus.63 Two
separate phases
of Roman
activity
were examined. In the later second
century
the area
appeared
to have had an industrial use. Extensive amounts of burnt material and waste
were recovered from at least one timber-framed
building,
which had also contained several
large
hearths. The main focus of the excavation was on stone-built features that
overlay
these
workshops,
associated with the main vicus of the
early third-century
stone fort. A network of
cobbled roads was
identified,
one of which led
away
from the south-west of the site towards
'Kingcairn'
hill. A small industrial
workshop
had flanked the south side of this
road,
with a
potential cemetery
situated on its northern side. It is
anticipated
that work will continue in this
area in 2009 to further establish the
scale,
date
range,
and number of
potential
burials.
59
Excavations
by
The
Archaeological
Practice Ltd and Alan Williams
Archaeology.
Mr R. Carlton sent
information.
60
Excavations
by
The
Archaeological
Archaeology.
Mr R. Carlton sent
information.
61
Excavations
by
The
Archaeological
Archaeology.
Mr R. Carlton sent
information.
62
Excavations
by
The
Archaeological
Archaeology
for Mr
Wylie.
Mr R. Carlton
sent information.
63
Under the direction of J. Blake. For
previous
(2008),
279-80.
233 PETE WILSON
(b)
Work in Area A64 concentrated on the two massive
store-buildings
on the west side of
the
principia (fig. 7).
Both
buildings
had been reconstructed in the
early
fourth
century,
and
64
Under the direction of A.
Birley.
both had
eventually
been converted into
living accommodation, perhaps
in the fifth
century.
A notable feature was the
heavy
accumulation of coins
(over 300)
on the via
princip?lis
on
the north side and on stretches of the intervallum roads
nearby
?
the
majority being
of mid
fourth-century
date and later. A
comprehensive
environmental
sampling programme
will
provide
valuable information about the
goods
once
kept
in the
buildings.
Notable finds included two
fragments
of RIB
1705,
the dedication to Caracalla found in the
adjacent principia
in
1933,
and a small
fragment
of bronze from either a calendar or a
water-clock, featuring
the month of
September.65
CUMBRIA
(1) Carlisle,
land
off Burgh
Road
(NY
37423
56202): archaeological
excavation identified
part
of a
large
ditch believed to form the western and southern sides of a rectilinear
enclosure, together
with a
complex
of smaller ditches.66 Based on the dimensions of the western and southern
sides,
it is estimated that the enclosure measured c. 35 m north-south
by
c. 30 m east-west
(externally).
The ditch
forming
the enclosure measured c. 3.6
m in width
by up
to c. 1.4 m in
depth,
and
had the classic
V-shaped profile generally
associated with Roman
military
installations. Most
of the interior
lay
outside the area of
investigation.
The ditch was of a size and
design
to have
served a defensive function and the enclosed area was similar in size to those associated with
watch-towers and smaller fortlets elsewhere in Roman Britain. The location of this
site,
on a low
ridge overlooking
the
low-lying ground
to the north of Hadrian's
Wall,
would also have been
appropriate
to such a function. The
complex
of smaller ditches
probably represents
evidence of
land
management dating
to the Roman
period.
The random
layout
of the ditches
suggests
that
they may
not be
contemporary.67
(2) Walltown, King
Arthur s Well
(NY
6806
6664):
excavation in advance of
footpath
work
associated with the Hadrian's Wall Path National Trail revealed the remains of a
rectangular,
stone-built structure
immediately adjacent
to the south face of the Wall at
King
Arthur's
Well,
in the nick close to Walltown Farm
(Wall
Mile
44).
The structure was
aligned perpendicular
to
the
Wall,
and was
approximately
5 m wide and over 5 m
long,
with a central hearth and walls
of unmortared whinstone.
Preliminary analysis
of the associated
pottery
indicates a mid- to late
second-century
date for the entire
assemblage;
an
intaglio
was also recovered. Radiocarbon
determinations for two
samples
of burnt animal bone and charcoal from the central hearth are
currently
awaited.68
(3) Knockupworth
Farm
(NY
3720
5680):
excavations on the line of the Wall were carried
out in advance of the construction of a new road
bridge
over the River Eden
(Wall
Mile
67).
Probable evidence for the Turf
Wall, together
with remains of the Stone Wall and the
Vallum,
were recorded. The Turf Wall had been
slighted prior
to construction of the Stone
Wall,
which
had been built
directly
on
top
of its
predecessor.
The Stone Wall
proved
to be
poorly preserved,
for the most
part only
the rubble core
remaining, together
with some of the southern
facing
stones,
to a
maximum
height
of two courses. The north face had been
completely eroded,
and
it seems
likely
that much of the
masonry
had fallen down the
steep
river bank in
antiquity.
The
Vallum ditch was
largely
obscured
by
the remains of the Carlisle and Silloth
Railway.
Sections
were excavated
through
the ditch and the north
mound,
and
organic deposits
were found towards
65
Mr R.
Birley
sent information.
66
Work
by
M.
Kiry
for CFA
Archaeology
Ltd.
67
Miss S. Anderson sent information.
68
Excavation for Hadrian's Wall
Heritage
Limited and the Northumberland National Park was
supervised
for
Oxford
Archaeology
North
by
J.
Bradley.
Mr J. Zant sent information.
PETE WILSON 235
the base of the ditch. The mound
comprised deposits
of
gravel
and
clay, presumably upcast
from
the
ditch,
above a
layer
of cobbles laid
directly
on the
underlying
turf.69
4. NORTHERN COUNTIES
By
PETE WILSON
NORTHUMBERLAND
(1)
Knaresdale with
Kirkhaugh, Whitley
Castle
(lEpiacum,
NY 6949
4868):
detailed
landscape survey
and
geophysical survey
of the fort.70 The earthwork
analysis
and
geophysical
survey
have
considerably
advanced our
understanding
of the fort and its
surroundings.
The
location was almost
certainly
chosen to control
production
and
shipment
of lead from the Alston
ore-fields,
evidence for which has been assembled from a number of sources.
Although
an
earlier,
timber-built
phase
could not be
identified,
there are indications that the first stone-built fort of
the
early
second
century supplanted
a
pre-existing boundary
or enclosure. The fort's curious
lozenge shape
is the
adaptation
of a standard
military plan
to match the
shape
and
topographical
advantages
of the knoll.
Thus,
in a slanted
fashion,
it was able to accommodate a maximum of
six barracks
(or
similar
ranges)
to the rear of the
principia
and four to the
front,
within a
space
of c. 1.2 ha. Extramural settlement has been recorded to the north of the
fort,
and an absence of
features over a swathe of level
ground
to the south has been
tentatively interpreted
as a
parade
ground. Suggestions
have also been made
concerning
the location of a mithraeum and other
temples
evident from historic collections of altars and
statuary.71
DURHAM
(1)
Bowes
(Lavatris),
Holme Lea
(NY
9905
1305):
an excavation was carried out on the south
side of Bowes main street in March 2008 in advance of
proposed
residential
development.72
The area is known from
previous
work to have been
occupied by
civilian settlement east of the
fort73 and the site lies about 50 m out from the ditch
belonging
to the defences and about the
same distance north of the road
emanating
from the east
gate.
Elements of a
masonry building
equipped
with a
flagged
floor were found on the east
part
of the
site;
this was
provisionally
dated
to the third
century. Poorly-surviving
remains of
gullies
and/or
building footings
and a
possible
pit
in the south-east corner indicate
probable
remains of earlier Roman
occupation.
Traces of one
or more timber
buildings
were found on
the west
part
of the site associated with
large quantities
of late first- and
second-century pottery.
An
amphora fragment
bore a crude
inscription.
This
investigation
is the first to reveal substantial and
well-preserved
remains of
buildings
outside the
fort
apart
from the extramural bath-house. It is also
significant
in
suggesting
continuous
activity
on the site of the vicus from the late first
century
to fourth
century
A.D.74
69
Excavation for Birse Civils Limited was
supervised
for Oxford
Archaeology
North
by
P. Clark. Mr F. Brown
sent information.
70
Landscape survey by
D. Went and S. Ainsworth of
English Heritage's Archaeological Survey
and
Investigation
team and
geophysical survey by Archaeological
Services
University
of Durham.
71
The full
report
will be
published
in 2009 in the
English Heritage
Research
Department Report
Series. Mr M.
Jecock sent information.
72
Excavation
by
The
Archaeological
Practice Ltd on behalf of the owner Mr Close.
73
See S.S. Frere and B.R.
Hartley,
'Excavations at the Roman Fort at Bowes in 1966-67 and
1970',
in Excavations
at Bowes and Lease
Rigg,
Yorkshire
Archaeological Society
Occasional
Paper (2009).
74
Mr R. Carlton and Dr D. Mason sent information.
(2)
Lanchester
(Longovic?um) (NZ
1596
4706):
a
geophysical survey
of
parts
of the extramural
area north and east of the fort.75 The line of Dere Street was found
directly
east of the fort
and was traced for c. 300 m in a
north-westerly
direction. There were
plentiful
indications of
masonry strip-buildings
to both sides of the road within the area
surveyed.
(3) Sedgefield,
East Park
(NZ
3505
2894):
further
geophysical survey
and excavation76
on
this
'ladder-style'
settlement
?
currently unique
in the North East.77 The
geophysical survey
was continued into the Show
Field,
between East Park and the
village.
This not
only
showed that
the Roman settlement extended onto this
area,
but also clarified
understanding
of the settlement
as a whole. Ditched and fenced enclosures lie on both sides of the main north-south Roman
road,
known in modern times as Cade's Road. Previous work
suggested
that these
probably
contained
small household
units,
with some industrial
activity taking place,
such as
pottery
manufacture. To
the east side of the
road,
the settlement widens out. In the centre of this area is a
large, relatively
open space
surrounded
by
rectilinear enclosures. This area is accessed
by
smaller roads
leading
in from various directions and was
presumably public space.
In the north-west corner of this area
is a small isolated
enclosure, investigated
in
2006,
which contained a
single building
believed
to have had a
public
function. Excavation in the rest of this area revealed a series of
palisades
which would have demarcated or defended the crest of a small hill on the western
edge
of the
Show Field. The
palisades belong
to a
previous layout
of the
settlement,
before the dominant
layout
of enclosures visible in the
geophysical survey.
north yorkshire
(1) Brough
with St Giles: in excess of 136 base-metal radiates
ranging
in date from Valerian
(a.D. 253-60)
to Tetricus II
(a.D. 273-4),
found while metal
detecting.78
(2) Filey:
75 silver
siliquae (Constantius
II and Julian Caesar
(a.D. 355-60)
to Honorius and
Arcadius
(a.D. 395-402)),
10 nummi
(Valentinian
I
(to
a.D.
375)
to
Eugenius
and Arcadius
(to
a.D.
395))
and a
pot sherd,
found while
metal-detecting.79
(3)
Levisham: 20 nummi of the House of Valentinian and 6
stray
Roman coins
ranging
from
a.D. 138 to a.D.
222,
found while
metal-detecting.80
(4)
Marton cum Grafton
(SE
42
63):81
excavation of a moderate to
high
status Romano
British
burial, originally reported by
a
metal-detector,
near
Aldborough (Isurium Brigantum).
A stone cist encased a lead
coffin,
which contained an articulated skeleton. An
adjacent
linear
feature,
with
parallel
rows of oxidised iron
nails, may
have
represented
a
secondary
burial. No
associated
grave goods
were found. A
geophysical survey
of the
surrounding
area indicated the
absence of other burials or
structures.82
(5)
Towton: a
gold
stater of Cunobelin
('wild type')
and a
gold
stater inscribed VEP
CORF,
found while
metal-detecting.83
75
Commissioned
by
The Friends
of Longovicium
and carried out
by Archaeological
Services Durham
University.
76
Project
undertaken
jointly by Archaeological
Services Durham
University
and Durham
County
Council
Archaeology Section, involving
both students and local volunteers.
77
For
previous
accounts see Britannia 38
(2007),
264-5
(with plan);
39
(2008),
285.
78
Information from Mr R.
Abdy,
British Museum.
79
Abdy,
British Museum.
80
Abdy,
British Museum.
81
Four
figure
NGR
given
to deter illicit metal
detecting.
82
Excavation directed
by
B. Antoni on behalf of York
Archaeological
Trust with
funding
from
English Heritage.
C.
Kyriacou
sent information.
83
Abdy,
British Museum.
pete wilson 237
york
(1)
York
(Eboracum): (a) Hungate (SE
6075
5185):
in the central Block H excavation area
a
back-filled, north-south-aligned
ditch had two
graves
cut into
it,
each
containing
a
single
inhumation.84 Both burials were oriented
north-south,
with the head situated to the north. The
fact that the
grave
cuts had been
neatly
and
squarely
cut into the back-filled ditch
suggests
that
the earlier ditch earthwork still had some form of relative
visibility
in the local
landscape prior
to the internment of the bodies. Due to the nature of the
post-deposition
burial
environment,
consisting
of sands and
sandy silts, very
little of the two skeletons survived but the
recovery
of
coffin nails indicated that both bodies were buried in coffins. Both
graves
had a
single pottery
vessel
placed
at the foot end of the
grave
cut. Elsewhere within Block H a Roman
period
land
surface was
partially
excavated
containing
a mixed
assemblage
of Romano-British
pottery.
(b) Bedford
Hotel,
108-110 Bootham
(SE
5975
5254):
a
watching-brief, recording
boreholes
and
trenches,
revealed the full width of the north-western Roman
approach
road to York
(Margary 801).
Two roadside ditches were identified.85
(c)
Robin Hood
Tower,
City
Walls
(SE
60320
52445):
a small excavation was undertaken
during
restoration work.86
Silty clay deposits
were identified as
possible
Roman
rampart deposits,
and stubs of
masonry exposed may
have
formed
part
of the corner of the Roman fortress. Residual sherds of
second-century pottery
were
found.87
(d) Waggon
and Horses Public
House,
19 Lawrence Street
(SE
6118
5139):
excavation
of two trenches revealed a
sequence
of
deposits
from Roman to modern date. Roman material
uncovered
may
have
belonged
to a
yard
surface
adjacent
to a
major
Roman road on the south
east side of York
(Margary 2e).88
(e) Heslington
East
(SE
641
509):
excavation of a
Roman
masonry
building, measuring
c. 5 m
by
8 m and
containing
a small
hypocaust system
and
opus signinum
floor at one
end, along
with
associated
pebble
surfaces and
post-holes.
A few metres from this
building lay
a human burial of
an adult male who was
suffering
from
spinal
tuberculosis when he died. To the north was a series
of ditches and
pits,
and to the west a substantial
rectangular
cobbled
foundation, measuring
c. 5
m
by
6.8
m,
for a structure of unknown function. The coin and
pottery evidence, together
with
radiocarbon
dating
of the
skeleton,
all
suggest
that the site was
occupied
in the third and fourth
centuries a.d. Further excavation and
post-excavation analyses
will continue here in 2009 and
2010.89
east riding of yorkshire
(1) Beverley:
three uninscribed North Eastern/Corieltavian
staters,
found while metal
detecting.
Part of a hoard recovered between 2001 and 2007.90
(2)
Hatfield: 2 silver denarii of
Trajan (a.D. 98-117),
found while
metal-detecting.91
(3)
North Dalton: 1 silver denarius of Titus Caesar
(a.D. 77-78),
found while
metal-detecting.92
84
Excavation on behalf of
Hungate (York) Regeneration
Ltd
by
R
Connelly
for York
Archaeological
Trust. C.
Kyriacou
sent information.
85
Excavation
by
G. Dean for York
Archaeological
Trust. C.
Kyriacou
sent information.
86
Excavation
by
G. Dean for York
Archaeological
Trust. C.
Kyriacou
sent information.
87
Excavation
by
G. Dean for York
Archaeological
Trust. C.
Kyriacou
sent information.
88
Excavation
by
J. McComish for York
Archaeological
Trust. C.
Kyriacou
sent information.
89
Excavations directed
by
S.
Roskams, Department
of
Archaeology, University
of York. Ms C. Neal sent inform
ation.
90
See Numismatic Chronicle
2008, 384,
no. 4. Information from Mr R.
Abdy,
British Museum.
91
Abdy,
British Museum.
92
Abdy,
British Museum.
(4) Thwing (TA
699
058):
work continued on the southern
part
of the
building
excavated in
2006-793 and a section was excavated across the Iron
Age
ditch
sequence
to the south of the
structure. The
completion
of the work demonstrated two
pre-building phases:
the first
part
of a
'ladder' settlement of Iron
Age date,
the second a series of enclosure ditches
containing
second
century
midden material. The Roman stone
building
had four
phases; initially rectangular,
subsidence led to the eastern wall
being
moved back to
produce
a
winged
corridor
plan
and
in the third
phase
the main
range
was further narrowed
?
at this time the main southern room
was decorated with
painted plaster
and had a
fireplace
with a
chimney
stack. In the final
phase,
dating
to the
early
fourth
century,
the
pavilions
were demolished and an
iron-smelting
furnace
was established in the main room.94
LANCASHIRE
(1) Lancaster,
St
Marys Priory Vicarage (SD
4733
6196):
a
watching-brief during
works to
a
nineteenth-century boundary
wall within the interior of the
superimposed first/second-century
and
fourth-century
Roman
forts;95
this was located c. 4 m east of 1928-9 'Area
8',96
and c. 15 m
south-west of a trench excavated in
1969,97
in both of which the Roman structures were
poorly
understood.
Nineteenth-century levelling deposits
behind the wall
overlay
the north-west corner
of a substantial medieval
?
or
perhaps partly
Roman
?
earthwork visible in the
vicarage garden.
At the bottom of the excavations two
parallel,
short
fragments
of wall-robber
trench,
1.1m
apart,
were revealed. These were orientated due north-south and
probably
therefore
belonged
to the
Benedictine
Priory
of St
Mary
rather than the Roman
forts,
but the
identity
of the
building
to which
they belonged
could not be determined. Disarticulated human remains and residual Roman and
medieval sherds were recovered from both the
nineteenth-century
fills and the robber trenches.
(2) Poulton-le-Fylde, Garstang
Road East
(SD
35973
39286):
several ditches and structural
remains
containing fragments
of Romano-British
pottery
were identified
during
a
watching-brief
that monitored
topsoil-stripping
in a field to the east of
Poulton-le-Fylde.
Detailed excavation
carried out
subsequently
revealed the remains of an enclosed settlement that was defined
by
at least two rectilinear ditched
enclosures,
with further ditches
extending beyond
the limits of
excavation.
Ring-gullies
and
post-holes
within each of the enclosures
represented
the remains
of two roundhouses with outer diameters
measuring approximately
12 m and 7.9 m. Both
roundhouses featured
opposing
double entrances that were
aligned ENE-WSW,
although
the
specific
construction
styles
differed. Roman
pottery, including
sherds of
mortaria,
was recovered
from features associated with the
larger roundhouse,
and also from the enclosure ditches.
Domestic
activity
was
further
suggested by fragments
of
quernstones
that were recovered from
the
site,
whilst a
group
of stone-lined
pits containing fragments
of
metal-working
residues
might
indicate
craft-working activity.
A
probable
entrance to the settlement was revealed on the western
side of the site. This consisted of a metalled
trackway
that was flanked
by
ditches and led to a
gap
within one of the enclosure ditches. The
presence
of four
post-holes
within the
entranceway,
and
further
post-holes
within one of the backfilled
ditches, suggested
that the modification of these
ditches
might
have been associated with the construction of a timber
gateway.98
93
For
previous
work and
plan
see Britannia 29
(2008),
287-9.
94
Excavations
by
R.
Terraby
and R Johnson. Professor M.J. Millett sent an interim
report.
95
Work
by
Neil
Archaeological Services,
on
behalf of Blackburn Diocesan Board of Finance. N. Neil sent inform
ation.
96
See J.P.
Droop
and R.
Newstead,
'Excavations at
Lancaster, 1928, 1929,
and
1930', Liverpool
Annals
of
Archaeology
and
Anthropology (1928-30),
15-17.
97
See G.M.
Leather,
Roman Lancaster 1972: Some Excavation
Reports
and Some Observations
(1973).
98
Excavation for United Utilities was
supervised
for Oxford
Archaeology
North
by
Mr A. Beben. Information
supplied by
Mr A. Vannan.
PETE WILSON 239
MANCHESTER
(1) Manchester,
Chester Road/ Great Jackson Street
(SJ
8327
9736):
excavations within the
vicus recorded
a network of ditches and numerous
pits."
Some of the ditches were
up
to 2
m wide and over 1 m
deep
and it is
possible
that
they represent
land boundaries
defining
the
southern extent of the Roman civil settlement. Possible
Roman-period
timber structures were
exposed,
as well as
many pits containing
Roman
pottery
and domestic
debris,
some of substantial
dimensions that
may represent gravel
extraction or refuse
disposal.
One
pit produced
an altar
(see pp. 314-15)
which sealed a decorated samian bowl of the second half of the second
century
A.D. The bulk of the
pottery
was of second to
early third-century
date,
with small
quantities
of
earlier and later material.
STOCKPORT
(1) Mellor,
Old
Vicarage (NGR
SJ 9818
8890): community
excavations of a
hilltop
settlement
have been carried out since 1998.100 This is a
multi-period
site with continuous
occupation
from
Late Bronze
Age
until
probable
closure in the late fourth
century
A.D. Romano-British
activity
centres in and around a Middle Iron
Age
ditched enclosure which was
substantially
re-modelled
during
the first to second centuries A.D. There is evidence for
roundhouses,
internal
enclosures,
and some craft
specialisation.
The artefacts
suggest
that the
occupants exploited
cross-Pennine
trade links.101
WIGAN
(1) Wigan (Coccium), Millgate (SD
58356
05569):
development
in
the centre of
Wigan,
some 70 m to the north-west of the Roman bath-house excavated in
2005,102
and
incorporating
the site of excavations carried out
during
the 1980s.103 The
fragmentary
remains of a
probable
timber structure and a few associated features were succeeded
by
a metalled
surface,
with a
probable
timber barrack-block on its northern side
belonging
to the second half
of the first
century.
Its excavated
ground plan suggests
that it
may
have been a
barrack-block of
conventional
early
Roman
type.
A brief abandonment was succeeded
by
numerous
post-holes
and/or small
pits, probably indicating
structures in the area which were associated with
pottery
of the late first or
early
second
century.
Whilst the
post-holes presumably
indicated the
presence
of one or more structures on the site at this
time,
no coherent
pattern
could be discerned. Of
this date were several
hearths,
with associated
pebble
and stone surfaces and concentrations of
metal-working debris,
as well as
pottery
wasters
suggesting
ceramic
production locally.
No later
features were
found.104
CHESHIRE
(1) Middlewich,
land
off Jersey Way (SJ
7060
6660):
evaluation of a c. 2 ha area of
open
ground
at the south-eastern limits of Middlewich's area of Roman settlement revealed evidence
99
Excavations directed
by
A. Goode for Pre-Construct
Archaeology.
Ms J. Proctor sent information.
100
pgr
previous
(2006),
400.
101
Excavations
by
the
University
of Manchester
Archaeological
Unit in
partnership
with the Mellor
Archaeological
Trust and
Stockport Metropolitan Borough
Council. The excavations are
supported by
the
Heritage Lottery
Fund. Mr
P. Noble sent information.
102
por
previous
(2006),
399.
103
G.C. Jones and J.
Price,
'Excavations at the
Wiend, Wigan 1982-4',
The Greater Manchester
Archaeological
Journal 1
(1985),
25-33.
104
Excavation for
Wigan
Council was
supervised
for Oxford
Archaeology
North
by
C. Gardner. Mr I. Miller sent
information.
of
ditches, gullies, pits,
and burnt areas of
clay.
Provisional
dating
evidence
suggests that,
in
common with sites elsewhere in
Middlewich, occupation
occurred
primarily
in the later first and
second centuries.105
LINCOLNSHIRE
(1)
Stixwould and Woodhall: 14
gold
staters and 2 silver units of uninscribed North-Eastern/
Corieltavian
types
found
during
a
metal-detecting rally.106
(2) Welby (SK
9720
3768): fieldwalking
revealed a scatter of Roman
pottery, including
several
second-century
samian
sherds,
Nene
Valley
colour-coat
sherds,
mortarium
fragments,
and local
greywares,
as well as
pieces
of three box-flue tiles
indicating
the
probable presence
of a hitherto-unrecorded
building.107
The site lies
approximately
1.1 km NNW of the
building
identified
during
the
Harrowby
to
Aswarby pipeline
work in 2005.108
5. THE MIDLANDS
By
PAUL BOOTH
DERBYSHIRE
(1)
Near Stanton
by Bridge:
a hoard of 62 base metal nummi of the first
Tetrarchy, deposited
c. A.D. 305.109
SHROPSHIRE
(1)
Baschurch:
a hoard of 36 base-metal
radiates,
deposited
c. A.D. 274.110
(2) Chetwynd
Aston and Woodcote II: a small mixed silver and bronze Antonine hoard
(15
denarii and 1
sestertius).111
The latest
closely
datable coin is of Lucius Verus
(TR
V and IMP III
=
second half of A.D.
165). However,
a lifetime issue coin of Faustina II could
potentially
have
been struck
up
to A.D. 176. This is the second hoard from
Chetwynd
Aston and Woodcote.112
(3) Downton,
Hillpike
and Stubbs
Coppice (SO
4333 7623-SO 4434 7641 and SO 4584
7754-SO 4633
7793):
air
photography by
Chris Musson detected remains of
a
Roman road
running
north-east from Leintwardine towards Corvedale. It crosses the
Onny
2 km west of
Bromfield at
Cookeridge
where it has been recorded as a linear
parchmark,
but has not been
recognised beyond
here. At this
point
it is
aligned
on the northern
slopes
of Brown Clee hill.
Surface remains can be traced between Mocktree Farm and Wetmore Lane. The Roman
origin
of the road is demonstrated
beyond Hillpike,
where the Roman structure with
quarry pits
can be
105
Work for Russell Homes was undertaken
by
Oxford
Archaeology
North and Wardell
Armstrong.
Mr M. Leah
sent information.
106
Abdy,
British Museum.
107
Fieldwork
by
Dr G. de la
B?doy?re
108
Britannia 37
(2006),
403.
109
Found
by
Ms L. Grace and Mr A.
Staples
while
searching
with metal
detector(s).
BM Ref.: 2007 T570. R.
Abdy
sent information.
1,0
Found
by
Messrs I. Collins and R
Oakley
while
searching
with metal
detector(s).
BM Ref.: 2007 T665. R.
Abdy
sent information.
111
Found
by
Ms A. Hall and Messrs R
Dunne,
T.
Jones,
M.
Kent,
R
Leigh,
I.
Manfield,
G.
Maston,
D. Dale and R
Webster. BM Ref.: 2008 T6. R.
Abdy
sent information.
112
Chetwynd
Aston and Woodcote I
(43
AR/BI radiates to A.D.
274)
=
2005 T70
+
2006 T559
(addenda).
PAUL BOOTH 241
seen
alongside
the
parchmark
of the road terrace. It has not been used
by any post-medieval
road
since 1808 or
by any turnpike
and therefore can
only
be of Roman
origin.113
(4)
Near Ellesmere: a hoard of 13 AE sestertii in
generally poor
condition with almost half
the coins unidentifiable. The latest identifiable coin is for the deified Marcus
Aurelius, probably
produced very
close to the time of his death in A.D. 180.114
(5) Oswestry
area: a
?single
hoard of 97
(+23)
AR
denarii,
to A.D. 176.115 The second
group
may
be considered
a
separate
hoard because of the distance
(c.
50-80
m)
between the two
deposits,
but the date
range
of the second
group
is within that of the first one.
(6)
Whitchurch area: 3 AR denarii to
Trajan.116
HEREFORDSHIRE
(1)
Aston
Ingham:
48 late Tetrarchic/Constantinian base metal nummi
deposited
c. A.D.
335,
probably
addenda to a known hoard.117
(2) Bishopstone,
'Rosemullion
'
(SO
4207
4308;
HSM
48664):
a
watching-brief
on land to the
east of Rosemullion
bungalow
uncovered the remains of one of the
early military
roads from
Kenchester to the Roman fort at
Clyro. Although
no finds were
recovered,
the
deposits
exhibited
all the hallmarks of Roman road construction in Herefordshire: a foundation of cobbles beneath
a
compact layer
of red
gravel.118
WARWICKSHIRE
(1)
Alcester:
(a)
6
Newport
Drive
(SP
0858
5705):
observation on the south-western
edge
of
the Roman extramural settlement revealed a
pit/ditch
and
layers
of
probable
Romano-British
date.119
(b)
53
High
Street
(SP
0889
5735):
evaluation
by
boreholes within the extramural
part
of the Roman town revealed a
sequence
of
possible clay make-up layers
and alluvial
deposits
that
may
be Roman in
origin.
Peat
deposits
were located at the north-western end of the site
and
probably correspond
to more extensive ones
previously
identified to the west of the Roman
town.120
(2)
Chesterton and
Kingston, Tyler Packaging,
Fosse
Way (SP
342
600):
observation of
foundation
pits
on the north-eastern
edge
of the Roman town revealed two
pits
overlaid
by
a
layer containing only
Roman material.121
113
Shropshire
SMR air
photograph references;
06-CN-20 frames
19-28,
06-CN-23 frames
06-09,
05-CP-01 frames
01-07. Earlier
photographs
at
Hillpike
in NMR
oblique library
refs SO 4376/1-2. H.
Toller,
A Roman Road Eastwards
from
Leintwardine
(2008), typescript report deposited
with
Shropshire
SMR. H. Toller sent information.
114
Found
by
Messrs G.
Bennett,
R.
Griffiths,
T.
Ransome,
M. Punnett and G. Griffiths while
searching
with metal
detectors. BM Ref.: 2007 T667. R.
Abdy
sent information.
115
Found
by
Mr J. Formstone while
searching
with a metal detector. BM Ref.: 2008 T356 and T526. R.
Abdy
sent
information.
116
Found
by
Messrs B.
Clewes,
D.
Colclough
and J. Blackwell at a
metal-detecting rally.
BM Ref.: 2007 T315. R.
Abdy
sent information.
117
Found
by
Messrs D.R. Sherratt and D. Hutton while
searching
with metal detectors. BM Ref.: 2007 T563.
The known
(1855) hoard,
RBCH
1108,
comprises
c.
2,000
coins
ending
in the
reign
of Constantine I. R.
Abdy
sent
information.
118
D.
Lewis,
Excavations
by Archaeological Investigations
Ltd
(Hereford) (Hereford Archaeology
Series
795).
C.
Luke sent information.
1,9
Work
by
C. Rann and C.
Jones,
Warwickshire
Museum,
for Mr D.
Buchanan-Brougham.
N. Palmer sent inform
ation.
120
Work
by
D.
Ingham,
J. Rackham and M.
Luke,
Albion
Archaeology.
M. Luke sent information.
121
Work
by
C.
Rann,
Warwickshire
Museum,
for
Tyler Packaging
Ltd. N. Palmer sent information.
(3) Coleshill,
17/19 Ennersdale Road
(SP
1975
9020):
further excavation at the south-eastern
end of the Grimstock Hill
settlement,
to the north-west of areas excavated in
2005-7,122
revealed
a ditch and
pit
and a series of at least seven
bowl-shaped
hearth features with associated stokeholes
and
possible
flues,
filled with charcoal and
covering
an area 11 m
long by
9 m
wide.123
(4) Exhall,
Belmont
(SP
1029
5521):
further observation on the site of a
probable
villa identified
in 1998 recorded stone wall foundations and the
probable
remains of a channelled
hypocaust,
along
with
painted wall-plaster, window-glass
and roof- and flue-tile.124
(5) Ryton-on-Dunsmore, former
Citroen
Peugeot
Car Plant
(SP
3779
7449):
excavation
revealed the corners of two successive
enclosures,
the later of whose
upper
ditch fill contained
two Romano-British sherds. To the east of the enclosures were a
pit/hearth
and a
post-hole,
both
undated.125
(6) Stratford-upon-Avon, Rayford
Caravan
Site,
Tiddington
Road
(SP
2155
5555):
excavation
of a cable trench across the Scheduled area in the northern
part
of the
Tiddington
settlement
revealed an area of
mid-first-century
a.D.
gullies, pits
and a
hearth, extending up
to 45 m north
west of the
Tiddington Road,
while a further 50 m
north-west,
on the
edge
of the first
gravel
terrace,
there was a
sequence
of
probable
enclosure
gullies
of
early Anglo-Saxon
date.126
(7) Warmington:
a hoard of
1,121
Roman silver
denarii, mostly Republican
and
Augustan.127
The earliest identifiable coin is a ROSTRUM TRIDENS
(206-195 b.c.)
and the latest is
a PONTIF
MAX TR X COS IUI of Nero
(a.D. 63/4). Early
Roman hoards of this nature are not uncommon
and one or two
other,
much
smaller,
examples
have been discovered within Warwickshire
(e.g.
the Great
Packington Hoard,
Treasure Annual
Reports
for 1998-99 and
2002).
(8) Wolston, Vicarage
Farm,
Coventry
Road
(SP
4305
7650):
trial
trenching
150 m east of the
Fosse
Way
revealed the remains of a Romano-British
settlement, probably
a small
farmstead,
indicated
by pits, gullies
and ditches which contained a small
assemblage
of
pottery.128
leicestershire
(1)
East Leicestershire: two silver units
deposited
mid-first
century
a.D.,
probably part
of the
wider East Leicestershire hoard
complex.129
(2)
Leicester
(Ratae Corieltauvorum), Oxford
Street,
De
Montfort University (SK
584
039):
excavation outside the south
gate
of the Roman town revealed a
length
of the road to Caves Inn
(Tripontium)
and associated
early
Roman
occupation
around an east-west
crossroads,
which
may
indicate extension of the street
grid beyond
the area
subsequently
enclosed
by
the town
defences.130
(3)
Near Lutterworth: a hoard of 12 silver denarii to a.D. 162.131
122
Britannia 39
(2008),
295.
123
Work
by
P.
Thompson,
Warwickshire
Museum,
for Waterloo
Housing
Association. N. Palmer sent information.
124
Work
by
C.
Rann,
Warwickshire
Museum,
for Stonehall Construction. N. Palmer sent information.
125
Work
by
I.
Greig,
Warwickshire
Museum,
for
Trenport
Investments Ltd. N. Palmer sent information.
126
Work
by
S.
Palmer,
Warwickshire
Museum,
for Central Networks Ltd. N. Palmer sent information.
127
Found
by
Mr K. Bennett while
searching
with a metal detector. BM Ref.: 2008 T410. R.
Abdy
sent inform
ation.
128
Work
by
S.
Palmer,
Warwickshire
Museum,
for Mr and Mrs D.
Reay.
N. Palmer sent information.
129
Found
by
Mr B.
Caddy
while
searching
with a metal detector. BM Ref.: 2007 T274. For the
previous
finds see
I.
Leins,
British Numismatic Journal 11
(2007),
22-48. R.
Abdy
sent information.
130
Work
by
S. Jones and J. Tate of
University
of Leicester
Archaeological
Services. N.
Cooper
sent information.
131
Found
by
Mr A. Jones and Mr C. Boden while
searching
with metal detectors. BM Ref.: 2008 TI 97 and T625.
R.
Abdy
sent information.
paul booth 243
northamptonshire
(1) Northampton,
Milton Ham
(SP
730
573):
a
Romano-British 'ladder' enclosure
(fig. 8)
was excavated
following
an evaluation in 2002.132 The earliest evidence for
activity
on the site
dates to the late
second/early
third
century
a.d. and
comprises
a number of small
gullies
and
a small oven. Two cremation
burials,
probably
of the same
period,
were recovered from the
southern
part
of the site. The 'ladder' enclosure
system,
which is dated to the third and fourth
centuries
a.d.,
was 150 m
long by
35 m wide and was divided into several sub-enclosures. There
was a
triangular
annexe on the eastern side. Access to the annexe and the 'ladder' enclosure
system appears
to have been from the east. There was no clear evidence for habitation within the
enclosure or
annexe,
although
the
pottery, glass
and
building
material
suggest
that there was a
building nearby.133
(2)
'South
Northamptonshire':
a base silver radiate and three
plated denarii, deposited
c.
a.d. 260. The
only regular
coin is
a radiate of Salonina
(from
the
joint reign);
the three
plated
coins are all in imitation of denarii of Julia Domna.134
peterborough
(1)
Haddon
(TL
165 922 and 159
927): evaluation, using
a combination of
geophysical survey
and trial
trenching,
revealed two areas of
contemporary
Roman settlement.135 Both sites had
Iron
Age
antecedents, although
it is
presently
unclear whether there was continuous
occupation
or a brief hiatus between the
periods.
The eastern area contained a series of
subdivided, square
or
sub-rectangular,
enclosures
covering
a total area of c. 3 ha. Numerous
pits
and several
ponds
were
revealed, although
no
buildings
have
yet
been
identified; however,
some of the smaller
gullies
may
have had a structural function. A
large pottery assemblage
consisted
mostly
of shell
tempered pottery,
in a
coarse,
oxidised
fabric, broadly
datable to the second to fourth centuries.
The site is almost certain to have been involved with
pottery production; fragments
of kiln
furniture were
recovered, although
no kilns were identified. The western settlement did include
a small
pottery
kiln. The enclosures here covered an area of c. 2
ha,
and had a less
regular layout.
Fewer
pits
were
present,
but a
number of
post-holes
were
revealed, along
with several
gullies
that
may
have had a structural function. A smaller but still substantial amount of
pottery
was
recovered, along
with other
types
of domestic refuse.
bedfordshire
(1)
Biddenham:
(a)
land west
of Bedford development,
Site 1
(TL
0272
4921): open
area
excavation of a
single
farmstead was undertaken
(fig. 9).136
It
comprised
a
system
of
rectangular
ditched enclosures
extending
over 4 ha
adjacent
to the River Great
Ouse, comparable
to the three
others known from
previous investigations
within the Biddenham
Loop.137
The
major
difference
from the
previously investigated
farmsteads was the absence of evidence for an
origin
in the
late
pre-Roman
Iron
Age.
An
early
to middle Saxon settlement
comprising
16 sunken-featured
buildings
was
subsequently
established in the western
part
of the farmstead.
132
South Midlands
Archaeology
33
(2003),
52.
133
Work
by
A.
Foard-Colby, Northamptonshire Archaeology,
commissioned
by
Waterman CPM Ltd
(WCPM), acting
on behalf of
Parkridge (Milton Ham)
Ltd. P.
Chapman
sent information.
134
Found
by
Mr T. Binns while
searching
Abdy
sent information.
135
Work
by
D.
Ingham,
J.
Abrams,
J. Newboult and L.
Anderson,
Albion
Archaeology.
M. Luke sent inform
ation.
136
Work
by
M.
Luke,
B.
Barker,
J. Archer and R.
Gregson,
Albion
Archaeology.
137
M.
Luke, Life
in The
Loop: Investigations of
a Prehistoric and Romano-British
Landscape,
East
Anglian
Archaeology Monograph
125
(2008),
58.
FIG. 8. Milton
Ham, Northampton, plan
of enclosures.
PAUL BOOTH 245
fig. 9. Biddenham Site 1 : Romano-British
farmstead, showing
location of
early
to middle Saxon settlement and
proximity
to River Great Ouse.
Qo)
Land west
Site
7(TL01804901): open
area
excavation138 identified
a
small, possibly
ritual
complex
located towards the centre of the Biddenham
Loop
and isolated
from
contemporary activity (fig. 10).
It
comprised
two
small, square
enclosures situated within
a
single larger
ditched enclosure. The smaller enclosures are
comparable
to another one found
within
adjacent investigations
and
interpreted
as a
shrine.139 Small
pits
were located
centrally
138
Work
by
m.
Luke,
.
Barker and J.
Archer,
Albion
Archaeology.
139
M.
Luke, Life
in The
Landscape,
East
Anglian
125
(2008),
53-5.
A
Previous
investigations
(Luke 2008)
fig. 10. Biddenham Site 7: Late Iron
Age/early
Romano-British ritual
complex, showing proximity
to
previously
excavated 'shrine'.
within each small enclosure but no human bone or
unusual/4special'
artefacts were found in this
area.
However,
similar small
square
enclosures elsewhere have been associated with cremation
burials isolated from
contemporary settlements, e.g. Roughground Farm, Glos.,140
and within
140
T.G.
Allen,
T.C.
Darvill,
L.S. Green and M.U.
Jones,
Excavations at
Roughground
Farm, Lechlade,
Gloucestershire: a Prehistoric and Roman
Landscape,
Oxford
Archaeological
Unit Thames
Valley Landscapes
Monograph
1
(1993), 53, fig.
30.
PAUL BOOTH 247
religious
sites, e.g. Westhampnett,
West Sussex.141
Comparable
small
square
enclosures have
also been
interpreted
as shrines and occur within
settlements, e.g.
Stansted and
Heybridge,
both
in Essex.142
(c)
Land west
of Bedford development, strip
&
map
area
(TL
0195
4837):143
two
trackways
extended for 500 m but
stopped
where
they
reached a
contemporary major
east-west
boundary
ditch which
appeared
to 'cut off the Biddenham
Loop. They comprised parallel ditches,
but no
metalling
survived. The
trackways
and the
major boundary respected
elements of the
prehistoric
landscape, e.g.
late
Neolithic/early
Bronze
Age
monuments,
middle Bronze
Age fields,
and a
late Bronze
Age/early
Iron
Age pit alignment.
Prior to the recent
investigations
it had been
thought
that the extensive
field-system,
revealed
by
non-intrusive
survey, originated
in the
Romano-British
period.144
It is now clear that it
actually originated
in the middle Bronze
Age
and remained in use
throughout
the Iron
Age
and Romano-British
period.
In addition to a
handful
of burials of this
period,
an isolated bustum burial was also identified on the western side of the
Loop (TL
0182
4836).
It
comprised
a
rectangular pit
with burnt
sides;
its lower fill contained
abundant cremated human
bone,
charcoal and
nearly
one hundred nails. Two
complete pottery
vessels were recovered from the burial: a
large, locally
manufactured
jar
and a smaller Nene
Valley
beaker dated to the fourth
century.
Similar burials have been found at The
Lea, Denham,
Bucks.145
(2) Kempston,
land west
Sites 15 and 20
(TL
1700
4730):
the
system
of
bedding
trenches
reported previously146
was found to extend over an area of 70 m
by
50 m.
Four
arrays
of trenches were
identified,
all on the same south-west-north-east
alignment
and all
containing
trenches c. 31 m
long
and
consistently
4.5 m
apart.
The nearest known
contemporary
settlement is over 300 m
away,
centred on
Kempston
Church End.147 The trenches were similar
to ones found
nearby
on Bedford Western
Bypass
Sites 10148 and
13,149 although they
do not
appear
to be
part
of the same extensive
system. They
are
thought
to be associated with the
grow
ing
of vines or fruit
hedges.150
HERTFORDSHIRE
(1) Bishop's Stortford,
Whittington Way (TL
4850
1900):
an
evaluation was
targeted
on
the results of a
previous geophysical survey.
The results of the
trenching
revealed a Bronze
Age ring-ditch,
which had been reused in the Romano-British
period.
Extensive remains of a
Romano-British farmstead and associated
agricultural activity, possibly
a
vineyard,
were
also
recovered on the western side of the site. A Roman
enclosure,
which
may
have had its
origins
in
the Bronze
Age,
was
sampled
on the northern side of the site. To the west of this enclosure were
further remains of Roman
enclosures,
and
possible
structures. A number of cremation burials
141
A.P.
Fitzpatrick, Archaeological
Excavations on the Route
of
the A27
Westhampnett Bypass,
West
Sussex,
1992.
Volume 2: The Late Iron
Age, Romano-British,
and
Anglo-Saxon
Cemeteries
(2003), 15-18, fig.
33.
142
H.
Brooks,
'The Stansted
temple',
Current Archaeol. 117
(1989), 323-4;
M. Atkinson and S.J.
Preston,
'The
Late Iron
Age
and Roman settlement at Elms
Farm,
Heybridge, Essex,
excavations 1993-5: an interim
report',
Britannia 29
(1998),
92-3.
143
Work
by
M.
Luke,
B.
Barker,
A. Bell and J.
Archer,
Albion
Archaeology.
144
M.
Luke, Life
in The
Landscape,
East
Anglian
125
(2008),
62.
145
Britannia 36
(2005),
428.
146
Britannia 39
(2008),
305-6.
147
M.
Dawson,
Archaeology of
the
Bedford Region,
BAR British Ser. 373
(2004).
148
Britannia 37
(2006),
411.
149
Britannia 39
(2008),
305.
150
Work
by
M.
Luke,
B. Barker and V.
Osborn,
Albion
Archaeology.
were also observed across the
site,
some of which were
certainly
of the Roman
period,
while
others were
undated.151
BUCKINGHAMSHIRE
(1) Aylesbury, Aylesbury
Vale
Parkway
Phase II
(SP
790
160):
a series of
inter-cutting
field
boundary
or
drainage
ditches extended across the site. Some the ditches revealed
join
Roman
period
ditches uncovered in a
previous phase
of fieldwork. A
large silty spread
was
recorded,
into which further ditches and
probable clay quarry pits
were cut. Over a hundred Roman coins
were recovered
by
metal detector from the silt
spread.
Roman
pottery
was recovered from the
ditches and
pits.
The
pits
were cut
by
later
ditches, possibly drainage
ditches associated with
the Roman
road,
Akeman
Street,
that runs
adjacent
to the site. Two
badly degraded
skeletons of
possible
Roman date were
uncovered.152
(2)
Cold
Brayfield, Brayfield
Estate
(SP
93369
52140):
the earliest
phase
of
activity
was
represented by Roman-period
ditches.
Fired-clay
kiln furniture and debris were recovered from
one of the ditches.
Pottery suggested
a
third-century
date. A
group
of
pits
and a second
complex
of
ditches,
which were
higher
in the
stratigraphie sequence,
dated to the third or fourth
century.153
(3) High Wycombe,
RAF
High Wycombe (SU
834
787):
two sherds of black-burnished
ware and a
sandy grey
ware found in a tree-throw hole
suggest Roman-period activity
in the
vicinity.154
(4) Shabbington,
The
Willows,
Mill Road
(SP
66552
06843):
a
watching-brief
revealed
late Iron
Age
to
early
Roman and second- to
fourth-century activity
in the form of
drainage
and
boundary
ditches with some
pits
Environmental remains show evidence of a
very
similar
agricultural economy
to that of the
farming
settlements of the
gravel
terraces of the
Upper
Thames
Valley.155
(5)
Winslow
(south of):
a hoard of 17
gold
staters and 9 silver
units,
issues of
Cunobelin, dep
osited
early
first
century
A.D.156
MILTON KEYNES
(1)
Brooklands
(SP
907
397):
further excavation157 in advance of
housing development
revealed ditches
assigned
to the
early
Roman
period
on
stratigraphie grounds.
The
landscape
was
remodelled, probably
in the
early
second
century,
with the addition of three new enclosures
and a track or
droveway.
A
triangular
corn-drier,
made of
roughly shaped
limestone blocks with
up
to four courses
surviving,
was recorded in one of the enclosures. Three
large quarries
or
waterholes
produced assemblages
of Roman
pottery
and ceramic
building
material.158
(2) Broughton, Broughton
North
(SP
8391
4024): following
an evaluation
comprising topo
graphical
survey
and trial
trenching,
excavation of the site was undertaken in advance of
housing
151
Work
by
G.
Williams,
John Moore
Heritage Services,
for
CgMs Consulting.
D. Gilbert sent information.
152
\york
by
T.
Haines,
Oxford
Archaeology,
for John
Laing Projects
and
Developments.
Information sent
by
E.
Biddulph.
153
Evaluation
by
D.
Dodds,
Oxford
Archaeology,
for Natural
England.
Information sent
by
E.
Biddulph.
154
Evaluation
by
M.
Sims,
Oxford
Archaeology,
on behalf of Debut Services Ltd. Information sent
by
E.
Biddulph.
155
Work
by
D.
Sausins,
John Moore
Heritage Services,
for ODL
Consulting.
156
Found
by
Mr P. Russell while
searching
Abdy
sent
information.
157
cf. Britannia 39
(2008),
306.
158
Work
by
W.
Bedford,
Oxford
Archaeology,
on behalf of
CgMs Consulting.
Information sent
by
E.
Biddulph.
PAUL BOOTH 249
development.159
In the Roman
period
the site formed
part
of a
field-system comprising
at least
five enclosures and a
droveway.
This remained in use for some
time,
and was remodelled on
several occasions.
Pottery
and finds
assemblages suggest that,
between the second and fourth
centuries,
the site was in
agricultural
use,
managed
from a
nearby
settlement. Environmental
evidence
suggests
that
pastoral farming
of cattle and
sheep
was
taking place
in the Roman
period.
An
isolated,
undated female inhumation burial
may
be of late Roman date. Evidence of
early
Saxon
activity
on the site consists of two
pits containing
several sherds of Saxon
pottery.
(3)
Milton
Keynes:
a hoard of
1,456 Constantinian/Magnentian
nummi
ending
with 'fallen
horseman'
imitations,
c. A.D. 355. The hoard
appears
to have been in a
jar
of
pink grogged
ware.160
(4) Newport Pagnell,
Willen Road
(S?
8750
4230): following
an evaluation in
2005,
excav
ations were undertaken in 2006 and 2008 on an
extensive
prehistoric
and Roman site between
Willen
Road,
the Ml and the
A422,
in advance of
gravel
extraction.161 The southern
part
of the
site contained a Bronze
Age ring-ditch.
North-west of the
ring-ditch
was
part
of an extensive
Iron
Age
and Roman
settlement, comprising
a
number of ditched
enclosures,
a
large pond
and
a cremation
cemetery.
The
settlement,
which extended beneath the
motorway embankment,
originated
in the
early
to middle Iron
Age
and continued into the late fourth
century
A.D. At least
three circular huts were
identified, although
no
occupation
horizons or floor surfaces survived.
A number of
smaller, roughly rectangular
stone features were also recorded. Their function
has not
yet
been
established,
but similar features excavated at
Bancroft,
Milton
Keynes,
were
associated with
smithing
or
metalworking.
Occasional
quernstone fragments
and animal bones
suggest
a mixed
agrarian economy,
and the
range
of finds is
typical
of a native Romano-British
settlement.
OXFORDSHIRE
(1) Abingdon,
Old Goal
(SU
4984
9694):
two
phases
of work were carried
out,
involving
hand excavation within
mechanically-excavated
trenches,
to
identify
the level at which Roman
features and
deposits
survived
compared
to those found in earlier
investigations
and to assess
the
impact
of recent
activity
on
any surviving
remains. Further work is
planned
for the
following
year.162
(2) Bicester,
Leycroft
Manor
Farm,
Souldern
(SP
5238
3094):
an evaluation revealed
a
ditch
that
produced first-century
Roman
pottery
and abraded
fragments
of lava
quern.163
(3)
Dorchester on Thames:
(a) WatlingLane (centred
at SU 577
941):
excavation commenced
on an area c. 30 m
by
20 m within the walled Roman 'small town' as
part
of the Dorchester
Research
Project.164
The area
incorporated
trenches in which Professor Frere had located
features of the
very early
Roman
period
and of the late
Roman/early
to middle Saxon
period
in 1963.165 The earliest
deposits examined,
at the eastern
margin
of the
site,
were traces of the
159
Work
by
L.
Gill, Archaeological
Services &
Consultancy,
for McCann Homes. R.J.
Zeepvat
sent information.
160
Found
by
Messrs D.
Philips
and B. Plason while
searching
with metal detectors. BM Ref.: 2006 T631. R.
Abdy
sent information.
161
Work
by
A.
Hancock,
Archaeological
Services &
Consultancy,
for SGS Construction Ltd. R.J.
Zeepvat
sent
information.
162
Work
by
S.
Hammond,
John Moore
Heritage Services,
for Cranbourne Homes. D. Gilbert sent information.
163
Work
by
Paul
Murray,
Oxford
Archaeology,
for Richard
Deeley.
E.
Biddulph
sent information.
164
Work for the Dorchester
Project,
a
joint project by
Oxford
Archaeology,
Oxford
University
Institute of
Archaeology
and Dorchester
Museum,
was directed
by
P.
Booth,
165
Archaeological
Journal 141
(1984), 96, 98,
103-5.
north-south Roman road that
probably
formed the central axis of the Roman town. At least
two
gravel
surfaces and traces of a
later,
but
poorly preserved,
limestone surface were seen.
A
sub-rectangular pit
cut into the western
edge
of the road
produced large quantities
of late
Roman finds and a
couple
of
possible Anglo-Saxon
sherds. Both the fill of the
pit
and the road
surfaces were in
part
overlain
by deposits including redeposited
Roman
building
material
?
flint, limestone,
and brick and tile. These
spreads
were
probably
of middle Saxon
date, although
the
great majority
of the associated finds were late Roman. Notable
amongst
these was a belt
buckle of Hawkes
type IB;
earlier finds included
part
of the head of a small bronze
figurine,
an
intaglio,
a
spout
from a rare
ring-formed multiple lamp,
and four
fragments
of
roller-stamped
box-flue tile,
(b)
Land
adjacent
to 86
High
Street
(SU
5772
9461):
an evaluation recorded a
mid-third-century
ditch and two
pits
of
possible
late Roman date. These were cut into alluvium
which contained a flint flake.166
(4) Kirtlington, Gossway
Fields
(SP
4985
1970):
excavation on land north of
Gossway
Fields revealed residual
first-century
Roman
pottery, indicating
some
activity
of that date in the
vicinity.
A cremation burial was
possibly
of
early
Roman date. The earliest
recognisable phase
of
activity
was
represented by
a Roman ditch
system defining
fields of
roughly
similar size.
The ditches were in use from the second
century
A.D. and were re-cut thereafter
up
to the fourth
century.
Several shallow
gullies
within the fields
appeared
to form a
pattern
of north-south and
east-west
alignments, alternating
from field to
field,
and
probably
relate to
agricultural practices.
Towards the end of the third
century
or
early
in the fourth
century
one of the fields was made
narrower.
Pits, possibly
for refuse
disposal,
were
dug
in the
separated-off
area to the east. The
area of
pits
was then
expanded
to the west and a well was
dug,
while a
building
was erected to
the east over the
original
area of
pits. Only part
of the
building,
which had stone foundations and
a
flagged floor,
was
revealed,
so it is not clear if this was an isolated structure or
part
of a
larger
complex
such as a villa.
Imported pottery
formed
only
a small
percentage
of the site
assemblage.
The latter contained a
high proportion
of oxidised coarse
wares,
including probable
wasters,
suggesting very
local
production perhaps
intended
specifically
to
supply
a small nucleated
settlement close to the
junction
of Akeman Street and the north-south Roman road from Oxford
to
Kings
Sutton.167
(5)
Letcombe
Regis,
Letcombe Laboratories
(SU
3797
8634):
a
complex system
of Roman
ditches
dating
from the second to fourth centuries was
investigated during
excavation on
part
of
the site of the former
agricultural
laboratories at Letcombe
Regis.
A
second-century,
rectilinear
field-system
was
perhaps
remodelled in the later
part
of the
century
and
again
at times in the
third to
early
fourth centuries. The area
appears
to have
gone
out of
agricultural
use in the fourth
century, possibly
because of soil
degradation
over
years
of cultivation.168
(6) Mapledurham:
a hoard of 6 AE sestertii and 2 AE
dupondii/asses
to c. A.D. 212.169 This
appears
to be a small
early third-century
sestertius
(+sestertius fractions) hoard,
found
along
with a
large
number of later
stray
base-metal radiates and nummi.
(7)
Oxford:
(a)
Littlemore
Park,
Littlemore
(SP
5370
0230):
evaluation of a
proposed
development
site located a ditch
dating
to the Roman
period along
with a
second,
undated ditch
166
Work
by
D. Gilbert and A.
Ainsworth,
John Moore
Heritage Services,
on behalf of the Anderson Orr
Partnership.
167
Work
by
D.
Gilbert,
John Moore
Heritage Services,
for J.S. Bloor Ltd. D. Gilbert sent information.
168
Work
by
D. Gilbert and H.
Noakes,
John Moore
Heritage Services,
for
CgMs Consulting.
D. Gilbert sent
information.
169
Found
by
Mr W. Wadas while
searching
Abdy
sent information.
PAUL BOOTH 251
on a similar
alignment
and an undated
post-hole.170 (b) King of
Prussia,
Rose Hill
(SP
5358
0365):
three evaluation trenches
totalling approximately
70 m in
length
revealed limited evidence
for second- to
fourth-century activity, probably
associated with the local
pottery production
centre.171
(8)
South
Leigh,
Gill Mill
(SP
382
069) (fig. 11): investigation
in advance of extraction in
the Tar Farm area of the Gill Mill
gravel pit
continued.172 A further 4 hectares were
stripped,
incorporating parts
of the south-eastern end of the Roman settlement
(Tar
Farm
4,
centred SP
3825
0690)
and its environs
(Tar
Farm
5,
centred SP 3860
0670).173
In Tar Farm
4,
ditches were
examined
belonging
to the
system
of enclosures laid out
along
the northern side of the WNW
ESE-aligned
road
running
down the Windrush
valley
from the focal area of the settlement in
the
vicinity
of Gill Mill House. Within the enclosures
were numerous
pits, comparable
to those
already
recorded in
immediately adjacent
areas,
and occasional cremation and inhumation
burials were
placed adjacent
to some of the ditches. Structural evidence remained elusive.
Important
finds from this area included a small stone
figure
of a female
deity (head missing)
of
a
recognisable
Cotswold
type,
a small uninscribed stone
altar,
and the feet of a fired
clay
Venus
figurine
?
further additions to the
body
of
religious objects already
recovered from this site.
One of the
fourth-century pits produced, amongst
much other
material,
the
top
of an
elaborately
decorated
pottery
face
flagon
and
part
of a
well-preserved
small
basket, apparently
woven from
grasses.
Much of the area of Tar Farm 5 was
completely
devoid of
archaeological features, lying beyond
the limit of Roman settlement. At its south-eastern
margin,
however,
the line of the WNW-ESE
Roman road was
again encountered,
some 300 m south-east of the most
easterly part
of Tar Farm
4. The road was defined
by
ditches c. 20 m
apart
but had no
metalling,
in contrast to the situation
further west. A
single
row of
regular
rectilinear
enclosures,
also defined
by ditches,
was laid out
on the northern side of the road. Parts of four such
enclosures,
each
roughly
40 m wide and 50
m
deep,
were examined.
Very
few internal features were
present (pits
were
notably absent)
and
these enclosures
probably represented paddocks.
There were no
corresponding
features south of
the line of the Roman
road,
closer to the river.
(9) Standlake,
Malthouse Farmhouse
(SP
3833
0334):
six evaluation trenches
totalling
79.6
m in
length
revealed
ditches, pits
and
post-holes
of Roman date.174
(10) Wendlebury,
Alchester Roman town
(SP 57652035):
further
geophysical survey
was
carried out for Planned
Approach
Ltd and a LIDAR
survey
commissioned
by English Heritage.175
The
gradiometer survey
identified a main feature
composed
of a series of ditches
enclosing
a
rectangular
area. These ditches are characteristic of a Roman
fort, especially
as
they suggest
a double-ditched enclosure. The LIDAR
survey
shows the internal area of the enclosure to be
slightly higher
terrain. The enclosure is bisected
by
two
parallel
ditches
running
north-south
across it. These are
likely
to
represent
the main north-south road
through
the fort
heading
towards Akeman Street and southwards to the
parade ground.176
170
Work
by
D. Gilbert and S.
Hammond,
John Moore
Heritage Services,
for
CgMs.
D. Gilbert sent information
171
Work
by
D.
Gilbert,
John Moore
Heritage Services,
for Gould
Singleton
Architects. D. Gilbert sent information.
172
See Britannia 39
(2008),
308-9.
173
Work for Smith and Sons
(Bletchington)
Ltd was carried out
by
Oxford
Archaeology,
directed
by
P.
Booth,
who
sent information.
174
Work
by
A.
Ainsworth,
John Moore
Heritage Services,
for
Gregory
Associates. D. Gilbert sent information.
175
Work
by
J. Moore and D.
Gilbert,
John Moore
Heritage Services,
for Planned
Approach
Ltd. D. Gilbert sent
information.
176
E.
Sauer,
'The
military origins
of the Roman town of
Alchester, Oxfordshire',
Britannia 30
(1999),
289-97.
1:4000
FIG. 11. Gill Mill plan.
PAUL BOOTH 253
Given the location of the
enclosure,
its form with the rounded
corners,
apparent
double
ditches,
and the fact that it was bisected
by
two
roads,
this must be considered to be a
further fort at
Alchester,
as
previously speculated.
Whether it is
earlier, contemporary with,
or later than the
vexillation fort is unknown. The
positioning
of this fort is far more
defensively-minded
than
the western fort. The river forms
a natural
protective
barrier on two sides. It
guards
the ford on
Akeman Street and a
possible
one on a
projected
line of the known road to the
north, roughly
where the
railway
now crosses the river.
6. EAST ANGLIA
By
PAUL BOOTH
NORFOLK
(1)
Fransham: a
single
blank for a
gold
stater.177 The
metal, precise shape,
size and
weight
(6.05 g)
are consistent with those of a Late Iron
Age gold
stater. It is
likely
to have been
prepared
as
part
of the
production
of British J or Norfolk Wolf
type
stater.
SUFFOLK
(1) Braiseworth, Priory
Farm
(TM
13
71;
BRA
005):
a
magnetometer survey
was carried out
over an area of Roman finds
including building
material. This identified a
rectangular
enclosure
c. 120 m
by
95 m
with internal subdivisions.178
(2)
Coddenham
(TM
11
52;
CDD
068):
Roman
ditches,
one
flanking
a
road and with a
juvenile
burial cut into its
base,
and an
early Anglo-Saxon
sunken-featured
building
were found
on a
pipeline
excavation to the north-west of the settlement of Combretovium}19
(3) Eriswell, Liberty Village,
RAF Lakenheath
(TL
72
79;
ERL
203):
the
upper
0.5 m of
deposits
in a
prehistoric ring-ditch
contained a mix of scattered
prehistoric
struck
flint,
occasional
prehistoric pottery sherds,
and
greater quantities
of Roman
pottery.
Two
carefully-deposited pig
skulls and
feet,
in close
proximity
to a scatter of Roman
coins,
were also found at the
top
of the
eastern
part
of the ditch.180
(4) Eye
area: a hoard of 1
gold quarter stater,
22 silver units and 1 bronze
unit,
all East
Anglian
types,
dated
early
to mid-first
century
A.D.181
(5)
Hoxne: 2 AR
clipped siliquae
of A.D. 378/9-388 and A.D.
395-402,
addenda to the main
hoard of A.D. 408.182
(6) Ixworth,
Dover Farm
(TL
94
69):
a
magnetometer
and
topographic survey
were carried
out as
training
for students on the Scheduled site of a
Roman
villa,
first identified in 1849 and
177
Found
by
Mr V. Butler while
searching
Abdy
sent inform
ation.
178
Work
by
H.
Woodhouse,
L-P:
Archaeology
for
S.C.C.A.S., report
LP0663E-GSR-vl .2. J. Plouviez sent inform
ation.
179
Work
by
K.
Heard, S.C.C.A.S.,
for
Anglian
Water Services Ltd. J. Plouviez sent information.
180
Work
by
J.
Craven, S.C.C.A.S.,
for Defence Estates
(USF).
J. Plouviez sent information.
181
Found
by
Mr J.
Scopes
and Mr T. Leeder while
searching
Abdy
sent information.
182
Found
by
Mr A. Smith while
searching
with metal detector. BM Ref.: 2008 T582. R.
Abdy
sent information.
For main hoard see P.S.W.
Guest,
The Late Roman Gold and Silver Coins
from
the Hoxne Treasure
(2005).
also
investigated
in 1948
by
Basil Brown. Several linear features form
part
of an
early system
on
a
very
different
alignment
to the modern road and field boundaries.
Adjacent
to and
aligned
with
these are indications of rubble
spreads,
but no coherent
building plans.183
(7) Mildenhall,
land
adjacent
the Smoke House
Inn,
Beck Row
(TL
69
77;
MNL
598):
a 1.4 ha
housing development
identified
widespread
evidence of Late Iron
Age
and Roman rural settlement and
agriculture.184
The area lies
immediately
to the south of the site
of a
second/third-century
timber aisled
building interpreted
as a
malt-house185 and forms
part
of
a wider
landscape
of known
multi-period activity
on the
edge
of the fens. Networks of ditches
forming
a
variety
of enclosure
systems
and field boundaries have been
identified, together
with
a dense scatter of
large pits
which were
possibly
used for
grain storage.
One
possible
timber
building
was indicated
by
a line of
post-holes.
The finds
assemblage
includes
pottery up
to the
third
century,
coins and brooches.
(8)
Near Saxmundham: 1 solidus and 59
siliquae (many fragmentary),
addenda to an earlier
find.186 The total
now stands at 4
gold
solidi and 117 silver
clipped siliquae
to A.D. 402. All the
siliquae
were
heavily clipped (clipping
factor
3-4)
and few could be
closely
identified.187
(9)
Near Wickham Market
(DLL 013):
a hoard
comprising
788 Iron
Age gold
coins was found
associated with the base of a wheel-thrown
pot.188 Subsequently
a small area was
stripped
of
topsoil
to examine the
archaeological
context. Further coins were retrieved from the
ploughsoil,
bringing
the total number to
840,
of which the vast
majority
were Icenian
types plus
five South
Ferriby
staters from the tribal area of the Corieltauvi. The excavation showed that the hoard had
been buried in a small
pit adjacent
to a ditch of similar
early first-century
A.D. date. A later ditch
contained Roman as well as residual Iron
Age pottery
sherds. The hoard is
highly significant
as it is the
largest
hoard of Iron
Age gold
coins discovered since the Whaddon Chase
(Bucks.)
hoard in 1849.189
(10)
Near
Woodbridge:
a hoard of 8 solidi
deposited
c. A.D. 406.190
ESSEX
(1) Abberton,
Abberton reservoir
(TL
5998
2191):
a modern track
approaching
the north
east corner of Abberton reservoir is on the
postulated
route of a Roman road from Colchester to
Mersea Island. A trench across the 4
m-wide,
cobbled track recovered crushed brick and salt
glazed pipe fragments, demonstrating
a
post-medieval origin.191
(2) Birch,
Birch
Pit,
Maidon
/toad(centred
TL 925
192):
excavations in 2007 and 2008 revealed
a rectilinear Late Iron
Age
and Roman enclosure
(internally
c.
0.65
ha)
with a
droveway
on its
183
Work
by
H. Woodhouse for the
Faculty
of
Classics, University
of
Cambridge.
184
Work
by
J.
Craven, S.C.C.A.S.,
for Persimmon Homes
Anglia.
185
E.
Bales,
A Roman
Malting
at Beck
Row, Mildenhall,
Suffolk,
East
Anglian Archaeology
Occasional
Paper
20
(2004).
186
Britannia 39
(2008), 310,
BM Ref.: 2007 T514. R.
Abdy
sent information.
187
Found
by
Mr D.
Cummings
and Ms D. Cook while
searching
with metal
detector(s).
BM Ref.: 2008 T696. R.
Abdy
sent information.
188
Found
by
Mr M. Darke and Mr K. Lewis while
searching
Abdy
sent information.
189
Work
by
J.
Plouviez, S.C.C.A.S.,
with financial
support
from the British Museum. J. Plouviez and R.
Abdy
sent
information.
190
Found
by
Mr P.
Berry
while
searching
with a metal detector. BM Ref.: 2008 145. R.
Abdy
sent information.
191
Work
by
B.
Holloway,
for Colchester
on behalf of Northumberland Water and Essex and
Suffolk Water. H. Brooks sent information.
PAUL BOOTH 255
west side.
Although
there were internal
features,
such as an
oven,
pits
and
post-holes, building
plans
were not evident. A series of ditches defines a
contemporary
farmed
landscape.192
(3)
Chelmsford district: a hoard of 13+ base metal nummi.193 Two
groups
were stored stacked
into rolls and are now fused
through corrosion, making
all but the reverse of the
top
coin of
group
1
illegible.
This latter was a Valentinianic SECVRITAS REIPVBLICAE
type.
(4)
Colchester
(Camulo
dunum): (a)
East HUI
House,
High
Street
(TM
001
252):
the site lies
in Insula 31/32 of the Roman town. Test
pitting
and
trenching
in 2007-8194 revealed the robbed
walls and floors of at least two Roman
buildings (presumably town-houses).
A
large (but residual)
group
of unused Roman stone tesserae
may
indicate the
proximity
of a
workshop
involved in
the construction or
repair
of mosaic floors. The metalled street on the south
edge
of Insula
31/32 was
exposed
in three
places, necessitating
a
slight
alteration of its
projected alignment.
Its
northern
edge
now
aligns precisely
with medieval Bastion 1 on the external face of the Roman
town wall,
(b)
10 William's Walk
(TL
9971
2535):
this site is in Insula 13 of the Roman
town,
to the south of the site of the Roman theatre. Evaluation
trenching
identified a small area of
compacted gravel
which is in the correct
position
to be the north-south Roman street between
Insulae 12 and 13.195
(c)
21 St Peter's Street
(TL
99595
25531):
evaluation and excavation
(2005-8)196
on this
waterlogged
site has
exposed
three wooden Roman
drains,
all north-south
aligned
and at a
right angle
to the north wall of the Roman town. The
best-preserved
drain was
11.5 m
long,
and consisted of two
adjoining sections,
each
consisting
of a base
plank
and two
opposing upright planks
either side held
apart by
wooden struts. A
plank partially
covered the
drain, supported by evenly-spaced
wooden struts connected to the
upright planks by
dovetail
joints. Dendrochronological dating suggests
an earliest construction date of A.D. 62. The drain
was covered
by
a
layer
of
septaria
blocks and a
mortary
construction
layer,
both of which
may
be
contemporary
with the
(later)
construction of the Roman town wall. Two other wooden drains
of the same construction and
alignment
were found 10.5 m to the east of the above
(on
the other
side of a
gravel
'road'
surface).
The direction of the 'road'
surface,
the location of the drains
and the absence of the town wall in the
vicinity
of the drain
suggest
that there
may
have been
a
previously
unknown
gateway through
the Roman town wall. Excavation to confirm this was
not viable because of
safety
considerations. Two features cut into the western side of the
gravel
surface held
large, well-preserved
wooden
posts angled upwards
at
roughly
45
degrees (pointing
north
away
from the
town)
and held in
place by packing
stones. These features
may
have been
defensive
spikes (lilia). (d)
37 Oaks Drive
(TL
9882
2517):
the site is a short distance south of the
Late Iron
Age
and
early
Roman site of
Sheepen
in the
oppidum
of Camulodunum. A
watching
brief revealed a Roman sand
quarry.197 (e)
Central
Clinic,
High
Street
(TM
0002
2532):
the
site lies in Insulae 15/23 and 24 of the Roman
town,
and
partially
within a Scheduled Ancient
Monument
(Essex
SAM no.
1).
An evaluation in 2006 identified
patches
of the tessellated and
192
Work
by
S.
Benf?eld,
E.
Spurgeon
and H.
Brooks,
for Colchester
on behalf of Tarmac
Quarries.
H. Brooks sent information.
193
Found
by
Mr M. Cuddeford while
searching
Abdy
sent inform
ation.
194
Work
by
K.
Orr,
W. Clarke and H.
Brooks,
for Colchester
on behalf of Colchester
Borough
Council. H. Brooks sent information.
195
Work
by
B.
Holloway,
for Colchester
on behalf of Barber & Son. H. Brooks sent inform
ation.
196
Work
by
A.
Wightman,
for Colchester
on behalf of
Enterprise Heritage.
H. Brooks sent
information.
197
Work
by
S.
Benf?eld,
Colchester
on behalf of Mr D. Larond. H. Brooks sent inform
ation.
mortar floors of Roman
buildings lying
on either side of the Roman
gravel
street which divided
Insulae 15/23 and 24. A
watching-brief
in 2007-8 located the
gravel
surface of the Roman street
at three
points.198
(f) Goojerat
Barracks,
Colchester Garrison
(TL
99512
24510):
the
ground
at this
site, part
of the
continuing
Colchester Garrison
redevelopment project,
had been much disturbed
by
the
construction
(1900-1902)
or
rebuilding
of the barracks
(1971-75). However,
fragments
of
ditches indicate that there was a
co-axial Roman farmed
landscape here,
aligned
south-west
to
north-east,
and
possibly including
an
enclosure. The
recovery
of over 11
kg
of Roman brick
and tile indicates the
likely presence
of a Roman
building
in the enclosure.199
(g)
Colchester
Institute,
Sheepen
Road
(centred
TL 9880
2552):
this site lies on the
fringes
of the Late Iron
Age
and
early
Roman
Sheepen
site in the
oppidum
of Camulodunum. Work in 2008 identified
further areas of Late Iron
Age
and
early
Roman industrial
activity
and
occupation, principally
in
the form of ditches and
pits.200
Plentiful finds include
pottery,
a
glass jar
with a face of
Bacchus,
a set of
gaming
counters,
pillar-moulded glass
bowl
fragments, and,
perhaps
of the
greatest
interest,
a
complete
wooden
paddle
found in a
pre-Flavian
ditch.
(5)
Stansted
Airport: (a)
Mil
widening
scheme and
airport
access
(TL
470 000-TL 520
230):
an
assemblage
of Roman ceramic
building
material and
pottery,
recovered
during fieldwalking,201
was
largely undiagnostic.
Concentrations were recorded at Little
Hallingbury,
Harlow
Tye
and
Fiddlers
Hamlet,
corresponding
with areas where Roman features and finds have been found
previously, (b) Ryanair hangar (TL
540
222):
excavation202 uncovered an enclosure dated to the
middle to late Iron
Age.
This was
abandoned
by
the time a
roundhouse was
built,
probably during
the first
century
A.D. A feature that had been cut into the backfilled enclosure ditch contained a
large
amount of charcoal and
may
have been industrial in
use,
possibly
a
kiln or oven. Gullies and
ditches also uncovered
represent
field boundaries or livestock enclosures. The
pottery suggests
that
activity
at the site ceased
during
the second
century, probably by
c. A.D. 130.
(6) Steeple
Bumstead: 3 AR
siliquae,
the latest of A.D. 3 8 8-3 95.203
7. GREATER LONDON
By
PAUL BOOTH
GREATER LONDON
(1) 'Upper
Thames': a hoard of 16 Iron
Age
'Flat linear'
potins,
mid-first
century
B.c.204
CITY OF LONDON
(1) Project
Centurion,
St
Alphage
House,
EC2
(TQ
34250
81609): following
work in
2007,
three test
pits
were excavated in St
Alphage Gardens,
near
the medieval St
Alphage
Tower and
198
Work
by
and information from H.
Brooks,
Colchester
on behalf of
Knight Developments.
199
Work
by
B.
Holloway
and H.
Brooks,
Colchester
and R.
Masefield,
for R.RS.
(consultants),
on behalf of
Taylor Wimpey.
H. Brooks sent information.
200
Work
by
B.
Holloway
and H.
Brooks,
Colchester
and S.
Dicks,
for
CgMs (consultants),
on behalf of Colchester Institute. H. Brooks sent information.
201
Fieldwalking by
K. Welsh
(Framework Archaeology)
for BAA Ltd. E.
Biddulph
sent information.
202
Work
by
K. Welsh
(Framework Archaeology)
for BAA Ltd. E.
Biddulph
sent information.
203
Found
by
Mr A. Allen while
searching
Abdy
sent information.
204
Found
by
Mr J.
Davey
while
searching
Abdy
sent information.
PAUL BOOTH 257
within the area of the Roman
Cripplegate
fort.205 Two late Roman
dumped layers
were
recorded,
and residual
fragments
of samian
pottery,
Roman brick and imbrex tile were found in several
later features.
(2)
Princes and Bartlett
Houses,
6-12
Basinghall
Street,
93-95 Gresham Street EC2
(TQ
32570
81310):
excavation and a
watching-brief206
revealed a natural channel
running
across the
site from west to
east,
which had been canalised
during
the
early
Roman
period (mid-first century
A.D.).
This was then backfilled and an alternative channel cut further to the north. This
appears
to be related to
drainage
of the Roman
amphitheatre
to the west. There was a timber drain in
the base of the cut and a later drain in another later re-cut
(late
first
century A.D.).
Other Roman
activity
was
represented by
a small area of
early
to
mid-second-century clay-and-timber building
stratigraphy
and
pits,
two of which contained
high quality
decorated samian vessels. The later
Roman
period
was also
represented
on the
site,
with third- and
fourth-century
ditches
running
north-south
along
the eastern side of the
site, interpreted
as later
drainage
of the
amphitheatre
area,
and more
pitting.
(3)
Cannon
Place,
EC4
(TQ
32620
80850):
excavation and
watching-brief
work were carried
out on
part
of the Scheduled Ancient Monument known as the 'Roman Governor's Palace'. The
scheduling
of the area was the result of the
interpretation
of
archaeological
observations made
up
to 1972
synthesised by
Marsden.207 The central
argument
of the article is that:
'During
the
Flavian
period, perhaps
under the
governorship
of
Agr?cola,
the hillside was terraced for the
construction of an enormous official
palatial
residence
containing
a
large
ornamental
garden
and
several
reception
rooms of monumental
proportions.
It is concluded that this was
probably
the
residence of the Roman Governor of
Britain,
built at a time when Londinium
was,
as a deliberate
act of
policy, enlarged
and modified to become the
capital city
of the
province
of Britain.
'
Following previous
work in
2004,
this
phase
of the Cannon Street Station
redevelopment
included excavation and/or
monitoring
of eleven new
pile caps
within the station's viaduct
arches.208 Six of these areas were extensions of trial
pits
excavated in the 2004 evaluation. In
addition,
four trenches were excavated for new drain
sump pits.
The
watching-brief
monitored
and recorded a
series of 'starter
pits'
and other
investigative
trenches excavated on the east side
of
Dowgate
Hill for the insertion of a
series of
king posts along
the west side of the viaduct.
Truncated, in-situ,
natural London
Clay, ranging
in
height
from 3.5 to 4.15 m OD was observed
in
deep
trenches towards the north end of
Dowgate
Hill and in a car
park
area beneath the station.
Elsewhere,
in-situ natural alluvial
clay
was recorded within the viaduct towards the west site
limit at 5.19 m
OD. In the central and east
areas,
in-situ natural sands
ranged
in
height
from 4.63
to 5.58 m OD.
All Roman
masonry
has
provisionally
been dated to the first or second
century.
Extended
excavation of areas
previously
visited in 2004 increased
exposure
of
first-century
internal
brickearth
partition
walls as well as substantial first- and
second-century masonry
walls/
foundations. Whether the
masonry
all relates to the 'Governor's Palace' is
unclear,
but it seems
likely
that structural remains located towards the east site limit are associated with
buildings
interpreted by
Marsden as
lying
within the 'Garden Court'. North of the Garden
Court, newly
205
Work
by
H.
Lewis,
Museum of London
Archaeology,
for Hammerson
pic (AHC07).
V. Gardiner sent inform
ation.
206
Work
by
S.
Watson,
Museum of London
Archaeology,
for Standard Life Investments
(GHB06).
V. Gardiner
sent information.
207
P.
Marsden,
'The excavation of a Roman
palace
site in
London, 1961-1972',
Trans. London and Middlesex
Archaeol. Soc. 26
(1975),
1-102.
208
Work
by
J.
Taylor,
Museum of London
Archaeology,
for Hines UK
(CNV08).
V. Gardiner sent information.
exposed masonry
included two
ragstone
walls associated with
a massive
building
central to the
Palace
complex,
Marsden's 'Great Hall'
(or
Room
42).
Both walls had a width of c. 2 m. One
section formed the south-west corner of the
Hall,
the other section extended from and to the
west of the Hall and
corresponds
with a
separate fragment
of
masonry previously
recorded
by
Marsden
(Wall 42A).
Further
west,
fragments
of two
adjacent
wall
foundations,
also c. 2 m
wide,
may represent
an
apsidal 'chamber', mirroring
foundations of a structure Marsden recorded east
of the Hall
(Room 44).
All
surviving
Roman and medieval
masonry
has been
preserved
in
situ,
sealed within a
geotextile
skin below a
layer
of sand. Work is due to continue in 2009.
(4) Crosby Square (The Pinnacle),
EC2
(TQ
33150
81270,
33133
81214,
33135
81239,
33150
81270): following
work in
2007,
three further
phases
of excavation and a
watching-brief
were
carried out.209 In the
first,
excavation for the foundations of a service diversion
gantry
revealed
a Roman
opus signinum
floor cut
by
medieval
graves relating
to the
cemetery
of St Helen
Bishopsgate.
The second
phase
of
excavation,
at 4
Crosby Square,
revealed natural brickearth
sealed
by
Roman
dumped deposits.
Over these was a
series of Roman
clay-and-timber buildings,
the earliest of which were
provisionally
dated to the first
century
A.D.
Along
the eastern limit of
the
area,
a mud brick wall was found with white wall
plaster
and a
plain white,
fine tessellated
border. In the north-west corner of this
area,
cutting
the
clay-and-timber building,
was a sunken
Roman
plunge pool,
constructed from brick with a thick
opus signinum
floor and
rendering
on
the internal faces. These features were cut
by pits
of late Roman or medieval date beneath a
later,
undated, dumping.
A
watching-brief
undertaken on a trench for a secant wall on the east side of
Crosby Square,
was followed
by
an excavation. This revealed natural brickearth beneath the
fragmented
remains of Roman
clay-and-timber buildings.
These had been cut
by
a series of late Roman or
medieval
pits,
which in turn were sealed
by yard
surfaces and walls of late medieval date. A
small excavation on a sewer
drop
shaft at the
junction
of Great St Helens and
Crosby Square
revealed natural brickearth sealed
by
a thick Roman
dumped deposit.
Over this was a north
south-aligned
Roman internal wall with
opus signinum
floors on either side which
appeared
to
have been
destroyed
in a fire and the foundation
robbed,
leaving only part
of the eastern
plaster
face
remaining.
Demolition material sealed the remains of the
building
and over this was a later
Roman
opus signinum floor, probably
the same floor found in the
gantry
trench
immediately
to
the
east,
and
similarly
cut
by
medieval burials.
(5)
20 Fenchurch
Street,
SEI
(TQ
3308
8088):
the first of three
planned phases
of excavation
was undertaken on the south and central
parts
of the site.210 The second
phase
in the south
east corner is
ongoing. Although
truncation
by
modern and Victorian basements was
severe,
substantial
deposits
remained across the site. Natural
sandy gravel
was
capped
in
places by
brickearth.
Early
Roman
occupation
on site consisted of
surfaces,
post-pits,
beam slots and
other structural evidence from the first and second
centuries, although
these were somewhat
fragmentary
due to later truncation. A line of
large
structural
post-holes
on the north side of
the
site,
early
in the
sequence,
indicated the
presence
of a
first-century building.
Some of these
features
may belong
to the
first-century
fort found to the east at Plantation Place.
In the centre of the site three sides of a late Roman cellar were found. It measured 5 m
by
7
m and was over 2.5 m
deep,
the eastern extent
being beyond
the
edge
of the excavation. Most
of the
masonry
had been robbed out after its disuse but the substantial
ragstone
foundations
209
Work
by
K.
Pitt,
Museum of London
Archaeology,
for The Pinnacle No. 1 Ltd
(CYQ05).
V. Gardiner sent
information.
210
Work
by
R. Wroe-Brown and G.
Stevenson,
Museum of London
Archaeology,
for Land Securities FEU08. V.
Gardiner sent information.
PAUL BOOTH 259
remained to show that it was
part
of an
impressive building.
To the north the wall was
dug deeply
into the natural
slope, forming
a terrace behind it. The
ceiling
had been
supported by
a
large
square
column base built of Roman bricks. It was floored with mortar
directly
onto the natural
sands.
Later, part
of the cellar was divided off
by
a thin
partition
wall between the column and
the south
edge.
A second mortar floor
may
have been associated with this
phase.
In addition to
an abundance of
pottery,
finds from the site included items of
jewellery,
a
quantity
of Roman
painted wall-plaster,
and a
glass
sherd with the letter 'A' inscribed on it.
(6)
78-87 Fenchurch
Street,
EC3
(TQ
33480
81070):
evaluation
comprising
the excavation of
six trenches and two
auger
hole transects was undertaken within the
existing
basements on the
site.211 In one
trench,
natural sand and
gravel
was cut
by
a
probable
Roman
quarry pit containing
a series of backfilled
deposits.
The
secondary
fills were
redeposited
terrace
gravels
which
may
have been used to fill and consolidate the
ground,
but could also
represent
a
continually-renewed
metalled surface. These were truncated
by
modern concrete. A trench in the south of the
site,
revealed natural
gravels
overlain
by redeposited
brickearth
possibly representing
fill or
slumping
from Roman
quarrying.
A third
trench,
on the east side of the
site,
contained natural brickearth
over
gravels,
cut
by
a
possible
Roman
pit.
(7) Drop shaft
outside 6-10 Foster
Lane,
EC2
(TQ
32180
81300):
the excavation of a
single
drop
shaft was
monitored.212 A
large north-south-aligned
brick drain of
possible
nineteenth
century
date was observed beneath a
gravel
surface which was sealed
by
a
deposit containing
fragments
of
opus signinum,
Roman
pottery, oyster
shell and animal bone. The
layers
above this
were obscured
by shoring.
(8)
36-41 Gracechurch
Street,
EC3
(TQ
3292
8089): following
work in
2007,
a limited area
excavation revealed a
sequence
of Roman
clay-and-timber buildings
cut
through by
medieval
cess
pits.213
The Roman
sequence
was
horizontally
truncated at 12.4 m OD or below and
later Roman finds were recovered from
secondary (medieval)
contexts. The Roman remains
are
consequently
limited to the first and
possibly
the
early
second
century. Archaeological
monitoring
of construction
activity
also revealed an
eighteenth-century
well and a collection of
material
including
ancient
timber,
Roman roof
tile,
and a brass
object
with classical
decoration,
possibly
of Roman or
eighteenth-
to
nineteenth-century
date. This material was recovered from
piling operations
6 m below basement
depth
and considered to be from a
secondary
twentieth
century
context.
(9)
8-13 Lime
Street,
EC3
(TQ
33130
81020): following
work in
2007,
a
watching-brief
was carried out on
groundworks during
a
piling programme
within the basement.214 Natural
brickearth was cut
by
backfilled Roman
pits
at the
very
northern end of the
site,
but no other
features were observed.
(10)
Forum
House,
15-18 Lime
Street,
EC3
(TQ
33095
81005): following
work in
2007,
an excavation took
place prior
to the construction of new
foundations.215 Natural sands and
2,1
Work
by
S.
Anthony,
Museum of London
Archaeology,
for
Shieldpoint78 (FNR08).
ation.
212
Work
by
A.
Bystron,
Museum of London
Archaeology,
for the
Corporation
of London
(FSL08).
V. Gardiner
sent information.
213
Work
by
D.
Sankey,
Museum of London
Archaeology,
for
City
of London
(GSY07).
ation.
214
Work
by
A.
Telfer,
Museum of London
Archaeology,
for PPG Metro Lime Street
(LMZ06).
V. Gardiner sent
information.
215
Work
by
S.
Pennington
and D.
Sankey,
Museum of London
Archaeology,
for F&C Investments
(LSC07).
V.
gravels
had been cut
by
several
large
Roman
quarry pits
which were sealed
by
later Roman
deposits.
Above these were a Roman
masonry-lined well,
which had been
partly
robbed
out,
a
deep
Roman
pit containing
substantial
amphorae,
and the remains of a number of
clay-and
timber
buildings (including
a carbonised beam or
sole-plate
with a lead
base).
These structures
would have fronted a substantial Roman road
running along
the east side of the later Forum.
(11)
Mariner
House,
Crutched
Friars,
EC1
(TQ
33443
80865):
excavation216 followed work
carried out in 2006. The earliest features recorded were of late Roman
date,
mainly consisting
of
pits
and ditches which have been
heavily
truncated
by
later
activity, leaving only
the bases
visible in the natural brickearth and
gravel.
An
east-west-aligned, V-shaped
ditch recorded in
a number of trenches in the north-west corner of the
site,
and a similar
east-west-aligned
ditch
located further to the
south, may represent property
or field boundaries. Several
pits containing
Roman
pottery
were observed in the northern area of the site. These
respect
the line of the
nearby
ditch, suggesting
that
they
were
contemporary
with it. On the east side of the site was a
square
feature,
probably
a
well,
which contained a number of
complete
Roman
vessels, including
black
burnished ware
pots, part
of an
amphora,
a 'face
jar',
and a bowl with a maker's
stamp.
Traces
of more substantial structures were
tentatively
identified in the western
part
of the
site, including
a robbed-out
north-south-aligned masonry
wall.
However,
the overall
impression
is that the site
lay
in
open ground during
the Roman
period.
(12) Piercy
House,
7-9
Copthall
Avenue,
EC2
(TQ
3276
8141): following
work in
2007,
a
watching-brief
was carried out on the excavation of new drains in the basement car
park.217
A dark
silty layer containing pottery
of Roman date was sealed
by
modern
made-ground
and
concrete.
(13)
Riverbank
House,
Upper
Thames
Street,
EC4
(TQ
32730
80670):
excavation218 revealed
the remains of the riverside wall which was built in the mid- to late third
century
A.D. to link
up
with the earlier
city
wall of Roman London. It consisted of a mortared flint core faced with
ragstone
and occasional tile
levelling
courses. The foundations
comprised large
timber
piles
with
a chalk raft overlain
by
a
single
course of
large
blocks. The
highest
survival was at 2.70 m OD
and the wall survived to a
height
of 1.40 m. Its full width was not seen. A
single
timber
pile
was
recovered and
may provide
an accurate date for the construction of the
wall,
which at
present
is
thought
to have been built c. A.D. 270.
Following recording,
the face of the wall was
protected
by
a
permanent
steel
plate
and backfilled with sand where
appropriate.
Several new
piles
were
also relocated to avoid
any damage
to the river wall.
(14)
Walbrook
Square (Bucklersbury House)
EC4
(TQ
32540
81000):
the
proposed
Walbrook
Square development
will see the demolition of
Bucklersbury House,
where Professor W.F.
Grimes, working
on behalf of the Roman and Medieval London Excavation Council in
1952-54,
discovered the
third-century
Roman
Temple
of Mithras.219 Evaluation entailed the excavation
of thirteen trial
pits
within the shallower basements across the
site,
and followed on from
an
earlier
phase
of works in
2005,
in which three trial
pits
had been excavated. The most
important
discovery during
the
original
evaluation was that
part
of the foundation of the north aisle
'sleeper'
216
Work
by
A.
Birchenough,
Museum of London
Archaeology,
for
City
Inn Limited
(MCF06).
V. Gardiner sent
information.
217
Work
by
S.
Pickering,
Museum of London
Archaeology,
for Ian
Springford
Architects on behalf of
Apex
Hotels
PEY07. V. Gardiner sent information.
218
Work
by
A.
Mackinder,
Museum of London
Archaeology,
for Pace
City
Investments Ltd
(RKH06).
V. Gardiner
sent information.
219
J.
Shepherd,
The
Temple of
Mithras
London,
Excavations
by
W F Grimes and A Williams at the
Walbrook,
English Heritage Archaeological Report
12
(1998).
PAUL BOOTH 261
wall of the
Temple
of Mithras still survived on the east side of the site. That
any
remains of the
temple
survived was
remarkable,
as it had been
thought
that the
building
had been
completely
dismantled and the stone and tile reused in the reconstruction of the
Temple
of Mithras
?
built
later on a
podium facing Queen
Victoria Street on the north side of
Bucklersbury
House.
The
largest
of the most recent evaluation trial
pits220
was located to determine whether the
south walls of the
Temple
of Mithras survived to a similar level as the north aisle wall in the
adjoining
trial
pit. Despite
the
high
level of truncation across the western half of the
trench,
the
deposits
to the east were well
preserved
and the remains of both the south aisle and the external
wall of the
temple
were uncovered.
Interestingly,
the external wall had a timber
shuttering
to
its south
face,
and was much more
shallowly-founded
than the aisle wall to the north. The
base of the
deeper
aisle wall was defined 1 m
lower,
and it is assumed that the foundation was
strengthened
as it constituted one of the main
load-bearing
walls of the
building;
this
supported
an internal colonnade
along
the side of the sunken nave.
It was known from the
original
work in the 1950s that the
temple
had been constructed on
unstable reclaimed
ground
on the east bank of the Walbrook
?
with the result that the
building
had been affected
by
subsidence and
required repair
and modification. The reasons for this were
evident in the
exposed
face of the trial
pit,
which
provided
a sectional view of a
large
number
of
highly organic
and
originally waterlogged
reclamation
dumps
on which the
temple
had been
constructed.
As well as
revealing
the foundations for the east end of the
Temple
of
Mithras, part
of a Roman
clay-and-timber building
was defined further
south,
occupying
a similar
position
on reclaimed
ground
on the east bank of the Walbrook. The structure was
composed
of a substantial brickearth
clay
wall based on a timber
baseplate supported
on driven timber
piles,
with a number of internal
floor and
occupation deposits
defined on either side of the wall. The Roman
sequences
recorded
in the other trial
pits
included
waterlogged
fills and
dumps in,
or on the
margins of,
the Walbrook
channel,
two
inter-cutting plank-
and tile-lined drains cut into the reclamation
dumps
on the west
bank of the
Walbrook,
and a
decayed
box-lined well.
ENFIELD
(1)
57
Leighton
Road,
Bush Hill Park
(TQ
3400
9550): sample
excavation failed to find
any
Roman material here
just
north of the southern
boundary
of the Roman settlement.221
(2)
61
Leighton
Road,
Bush Hill Park
(TQ
3399
9551): sample excavation,222 following
the
discovery
of Roman finds in minor
building
work near the southern
boundary
of the Roman
settlement,
identified a later
plough-disturbed
soil
incorporating
much Roman
pottery
and a
single pit.
The area
appeared
to have been used as a rubbish
dump
in the second and
(to
a
lesser
extent)
third and fourth centuries.
Together
with work on
backlog
sites at 53 and 51
Leighton
Road
(where
there was evidence for a western ditched
boundary
to the settlement
flanked
by
a
gravel path
and areas of rubbish
dumping, including
furnace material and
slag,
and
where a
complete
millefiori brooch was a notable
find),
it
appears
that some areas
along
a minor
stream
forming
the southern
boundary
of the settlement were used from the second
century
as
rubbish
dumps,
but
activity may
have decreased in the third and fourth
centuries, perhaps
due to
settlement
shrinkage.
220
Work
by
I.
Blair,
Museum of London
Archaeology,
for
Stanhope pic (BBU05).
ation.
221
Evaluation excavation for DPA Architects
by
the Enfield
directed
by
Dr M.J. Dearne
who sent details.
222
Work
by
the Enfield
directed
by
Dr M.J. Dearne who sent details.
HOUNSLOW
(1)
Hotel
Development, Syon
Park,
Brentford (TQ1712 7696):
extensive excavations in the
north-west corner of
Syon Park,
between London Road and
Syon
House car
park,
followed earlier
phases
of evaluation and excavation and
provided
an
almost continuous transect across a Roman
landscape.223
Two
phases
of the London-Silchester Roman road were
revealed
immediately
next to the modern London Road. The earlier road was flanked
by
a ditch and later
by
a fence.
Evidence for
occupation
on the south-east side of the road
clearly represented part
of a linear
settlement
that,
as
previous
excavations have
shown,
extended
alongside
the road into what
is now the centre of Brentford. The evidence included the remains of two substantial timber
buildings.
These had burnt down and their earthen floors were covered with charcoal and burnt
wall daub. Outside the
buildings
were bread
ovens, hearths, pits, gravel
surfaces and a
possible
cremation burial.
Further
investigation
was undertaken of a
large palaeochannel, probably
a former branch of
the River
Thames,
recorded on the south-east side of the site
during
evaluation in 2004. A trench
revealed
part
of the
profile
of the
channel,
which was filled with a
sequence
of
fine-grained
sediments. No artefacts were recovered from these
deposits during
the
excavation,
but
during
the evaluation Roman
pottery
and a coin of Valentinian I or
Valens dated to A.D. 364-78 was
found in an
upper
fill. The lower channel fills are as
yet undated,
but included thin
layers
of
peat/organic
matter that
might
be datable
by
radiocarbon
assay.
Successive Roman
field-systems, clearly
delineated
by
ditches and
gullies, lay
between the
settlement and the channel. The ditches defined individual fields and a
track,
possibly
a
droveway,
running
down from the settlement to the channel. A skeleton
lay
in one ditch and a
crouched
burial
lay
in a small
grave
next to another ditch.
Most
artefacts,
especially
metal
objects,
were found within the
settlement, although
some were
recovered from field ditches. The finds included a
large quantity
of
pottery, fragments
of tile and
burnt
daub,
120
coins,
two bronze
finger-rings, brooches,
tweezers and other toilet
instruments,
a
stylus,
lead
discs,
iron
rings,
blades and
hooks, pieces
of shale
bracelets, quernstones
and
whetstones.
ISLINGTON
(1)
Land to rear
of
23 Goswell
Road,
EC1
(TQ
32043
82077):
evaluation revealed no in-situ
Roman remains. Three
redeposited fragments
of Roman
pottery
and tile were
recovered.224
LEWISHAM
(1)
Honor Oak Park
Sports
Ground,
Brockley
Rise,
SE4
(TQ
36505
74248): geotechnical
pits
and boreholes were monitored
prior
to
redevelopment
of the site. Around the
Pavilion,
deposits
had been disturbed
during
its construction and
made-ground
was recorded in several
pits, though
one
pit
in this area contained
gravel deposits approximately
on a
predicted alignment
of the Roman road from London to Lewes
(Margary 14). Geophysical survey
then concentrated
on the west side of the site and on the Roman road
alignment.225
Two
anomalies, potentially
associated with the
road,
were identified.
During
a
third
phase
of
work,
17 evaluation trenches
were
excavated, including
four to establish whether remains of the Roman road were
present
and
223
Work
by
R.
Cowie,
Museum of London
Archaeology,
for
Ability
Hotels
(SYV04).
ation.
224
Work
by
H.
Knight
for Thornsett
Properties (GWO05).
225
Geophysical survey by Stratascan,
other work
by
G.
Rapson
and D.
Churchill,
Museum of London
Archaeology,
for
Loates-Taylor
Shannon on behalf of
King's College
London
(HKP08).
PAUL BOOTH 263
might
be affected
by
the
proposed development.
Three revealed areas of
stiff,
dark
grey clay
on
which
gravel layers
were
deposited
almost
exactly
on the
predicted
road
alignment.
The
fourth,
furthest to the
south,
demonstrated that the road
metalling
had been truncated
by
the
levelling
of
sports pitches
where the road rose
up
a natural
slope.
A section
placed
where the survival of
the road was
greatest suggested
the
presence
of a
camber on either side. No other
archaeological
features associated with the road were identified.
MERTON
(
1
)
Morden Park
Baths,
London
Road,
SM4
(TQ
24949
67476):
two evaluation trenches on the
western and eastern side of the baths revealed
only
natural London
Clay
and modern material.226
No evidence was seen for Stane
Street,
the Roman road believed to run close to the site.
NEWHAM
(1)
Warton
House,
150
High
Street,
Stratford,
E15
(TQ
38350
83720):
excavation at the north
end of the site
subsequent
to evaluation revealed natural
gravels
cut
by
Roman
quarry
pits.227
(2)
Work
Package
6,
Planning Delivery
Zone
6,
Olympic, Paralympic
and
Legacy Transform
ations
Planning Applications,
El5
(TQ
3771
8496):
natural
floodplain gravels
were recorded at
the base of evaluation
trenches,
overlain in one trench
by
a
possible
later Roman consolidation
deposit,
and later alluvial sediments.228
(3)
PDZ1
Olympic, Paralympic
and
Legacy Transformations Planning Applications:
Trench
PDZ1.12
Carpenters
Road, Newham,
El5
(TQ
3812
8417):
excavations on the site
designated
PDZ 1.12 revealed several
phases
of
archaeological activity
that
spans
the
periods
from the
later middle to late Bronze
Age through
to the Roman
period
and
beyond.229
The site was
located on a low
gravel
terrace that was
probably dry
land
during
much its
history, perhaps
a
gravel island,
associated with the braided river channels of the Lea
Valley.
A ditch
system
of
middle Iron
Age
date was
partly
truncated
by
a
substantial ditch
containing
small amounts of
Roman material. This ditch had at least two
phases
of
re-cutting,
and two flexed inhumation
burials
nearby
are believed to be associated with
it, although
neither contained
grave goods.
One was
adjacent
to the Roman ditch
system
and was oriented
east-west,
while the second was
adjacent
to the middle Iron
Age
ditch
system
and was
aligned
north-south. The location of the
second burial
suggests
that the middle Iron
Age
ditch was still
recognised
as a
boundary during
the Roman
period
SOUTHWARK
(1 )
218-224
Borough High
Street,
SEI
(TQ
32378
79717):
a
single
evaluation trench revealed
natural
gravels
overlain
by
alluvial silt
containing
residual Roman material.230
(2)
Globe
Academy,
Deverell
Street,
SEI
(TQ
32665
79070):
excavation of a
former nineteenth
226
Work
by
H.
Lewis,
Museum of London
Archaeology,
for Merton
Borough
Council
(MDK08).
V. Gardiner sent
information.
227
Work
by
A. Westman and B.
Ferguson,
Museum of London
Archaeology,
for Redloft on behalf of Genesis
Housing
Association
(WHU08).
228
MoLAS-PCA evaluation
by
Sarah
Barrowman,
Museum of London
Archaeology,
for
Capita Symonds/Olympic
Delivery Authority (OL-08908).
229
Work
by
J.
Payne,
Museum of London
Archaeology,
for
Capita Symonds
and the
Olympic Delivery Authority
(OL-01507).
230
Work
by
A.
Lerz,
Museum of London
Archaeology,
for The Winston
Group (BHV08).
ation.
century
burial
ground produced
a
single, heavily damaged
Roman cremation urn within a baulk
between two of the
graves.231
(3)
St Michael s Catholic
School,
John Felton
Road,
SE 16
(TQ
3422
7967): augering
indicated
the existence of one or more buried
palaeo-channels
in the north and centre of the
site,
where
natural sand and
gravel
were overlain
by
alluvial silts.232 In the south-east
corner,
a rise of
higher
sandy ground
had not been silted
over,
and was
probably
an
eyot.
The sand was cut
by
a
pit
containing
Roman
pottery, including
a mortarium
stamped SOLLUSF,
a
product
of the
potter
Sollus,
active in the Verulamium
region
c. A.D. 70-100.
(4)
London
Bridge
Tower
(The Shard),
32 London
Bridge
Street,
SEI
(TQ
32895
80110):
an
evaluation was carried out under the service
ramp
of the former London
Bridge
Hotel.233 Natural
brickearth was recorded beneath a
peaty layer, probably indicating
that the area was
originally
a
floodplain
or marsh. The
peaty layer
was sealed
by
a
sequence
of
dumped layers,
the earliest
of which contained a substantial
quantity
of Roman
building
material of first- to
third-century
date. This included
fragments
of box-flue
tiles,
suggesting
that a demolished Roman
building
(possibly
a bath-house or a
building
of some
status) may
have been located near the area of
development.
(5)
183-203 Union
Street, Southwark,
SEI
(TQ
31930
80000):
evaluation in the basement at
the centre of the site revealed
a
re-deposited
brickearth of
possible
Roman date.234
(6)
Rose
Court,
Winchester
Square,
Clink
Street, Southwark,
SEI
(TQ
32575
80390): following
work in
2007,
foundation demolition and excavation of
ground-beam
trenches were monitored
in
support
of Scheduled Monument Consent for
development
on the medieval Palace of the
Bishops
of Winchester.235 Natural
ground
was not observed. Alluvial
deposits
were seen beneath
Roman reclamation and
dumping layers,
and
a small amount of Roman
building
material was
recorded in the south-east of the site.
(7)
16 Winchester
Walk,
SEI
(TQ
32560
80390): following
work in
2002,
a further evaluation
was carried out.236 A
single
slot was excavated
through eighteenth-
and
nineteenth-century
deposits
to reveal several
potential
Roman features such as ditches or
pits,
with a burnt
deposit
indicating
a
possible
hearth area. Other Roman features recorded included lime surfaces and
structural debris.
TOWER HAMLETS
(1)
Goodmans
Fields,
Alie
Street,
El
(TQ
53593
19925):
five evaluation trenches were
excavated
prior
to
redevelopment.237 Although
the site lies within a known Roman
cemetery,
no
231
Work
by
A.
Miles,
Museum of London
Archaeology,
for
Capita Symonds
Ltd
(DVL05).
V. Gardiner sent
information.
232
\york
by
M.
Tetreau,
Museum of London
Archaeology,
for Atkins Ltd
(JFN08).
233
Work
by
Bruce
Ferguson,
Museum of London
Archaeology,
for Mace on behalf of
Teighmore
Ltd
(LWE07).
V.
234
Work
by
N.
Rahmatova,
Museum of London
Archaeology,
for Blair Associates Architects
(UNL08).
V. Gardiner
sent information.
235
Work
by
S.
Anthony,
Museum of London
Archaeology,
for Winchester Walk
Properties
Ltd
(SIK07).
V.
236
Work
by
S.
Anthony,
Museum of London
Archaeology,
for Winchester Walk Ltd
(WSQ02).
V. Gardiner sent
information.
237
Work
by
P.
Thrale,
Museum of London
Archaeology,
for Mourant
Property
Trustees Ltd and Mourant and Co
Trustees Ltd
(ALW08).
PAUL BOOTH 265
burials were found. Evidence for extensive brickearth
quarrying
in the medieval and
early post
medieval
periods
was observed and it is
likely
that this
activity
removed
any
Roman remains.
(2) Al?gate
Union,
35-47
Whitechapel High
Street,
El
(TQ
33950
81360):
six evaluation
trenches were
placed
at the north-east corner of the
site,
while a seventh was excavated to
provide
information on
existing
foundations.
Although
the site lies close to a known Roman
cemetery,
no burials were
observed.238
(3)
Tower
House,
38-40
Trinity Square,
EC3
(TQ
33580
80780): following
work in 2007
under the site code
TYQ03,
an
evaluation was carried out but did not uncover
any
Roman
features. Part of the Roman
city
wall was then
exposed
when the modern
building
on the site
was demolished.239 The
exposed
section of
north-south-aligned
Roman wall was 8.3 m
long,
a
maximum of 2.5 m
high,
and in
good condition, although
it had sustained some ancient
damage
at the northern end where there were
signs
of
possible rebuilding.
A
standing
structure
survey
was carried
out,
including
elevation
drawing
and
photographic
record.
WESTMINSTER
(1)
7-5
Dryden
Street,
WC2
(TQ
30360
81160):
ten
geotechnical
test
pits
located at basement
level were
monitored, revealing
cut features of
probable
Saxon
date, containing
animal bone and
residual
fragments
of Roman tile.240
(2)
St Martin-in-the-Fields
Church,
Trafalgar Square,
WC2
(TQ
30084
80524): following
work in
2006,
an excavation was carried out in Area
7,
north of the National Schools
building
in the north-east corner of the
site,
while a
simultaneous
watching-brief
was
undertaken in Area
8,
within the eastern basement of the
building.241
The earliest
activity
recorded dated to the time
of the Roman
Conquest.
This took the form of a structure at the eastern end of Area
7,
laid out
on a
north-east-south-west
alignment
and
consisting
of two slots which were truncated
by
the
construction cut for the National Schools
building.
The western
edge
of one slot was on the same
line as a north-south
cut,
and
may
have been a later re-build of the same
property,
even
though
it was on a different
alignment.
The slots
probably
held timber
beams,
since no
masonry
was
found. Due to its
prominent position,
this structure
may
have had a
military function,
although
it
could also
represent
a late Iron
Age/early
Roman farm.
These features were sealed
by
an
homogeneous layer dating
to the second half of the fourth
century
which also sealed the backfill of a
quarry pit
at the eastern end of Area 7. There
may
have
been further Roman remains in the central
part
of Area
7,
but these would have been
destroyed by
extensive Saxon
pitting. Cutting
the
fourth-century layer
was a
large
circular
feature, probably
a Saxon
well,
servicing buildings
on either side of it. The remains of a
ragstone
and tile wall or
post pad
were
recorded to the west of the
well,
while the remains of a second
possible wall,
made
from
ragstone
and
chalk,
and
possibly aligned north-south,
survived to the west of the central
'open
area' in the middle. This had been laid over the backfill of a Saxon
ditch,
suggesting
that the Saxons had reused Roman
building
material to construct their
wall,
as
masonry
is not
normally
associated with Saxon construction in Lundenwic.
238
Work
by
A.
Daykin,
Museum of London
Archaeology,
for Tishman
Speyer (ALU08).
ation.
239
Work
by
R. Wroe-Brown and A.
Bystron,
Museum of London
Archaeology,
for
City
Offices LLP
(TRH08).
V.
240
Work
by
L.
Wood,
Museum of London
Archaeology,
for Robson Warren Architects on behalf of London Film
School
(DDN08).
241
This site was excavated in
2007,
but the
dating
had not been confirmed at that
point.
The
present summary
contains the revised
dating
and
interpretation
of the site.
Three
phases
of
possible
Roman
activity
were recorded at the western end of Area 7. The
earliest was
represented by
a
supine, east-west-aligned
burial cut into the natural brickearth.
Only
the lower arms and
upper legs
had
survived,
in
poor
condition. The backfill of the burial
was sealed
by
a
brickearth surface which showed
signs
of
weathering
and evidence for
roots,
suggesting
that the area had been abandoned or left
open
to the elements. This was truncated
by
a
group
of stake-holes and
post-holes thought
to be associated with a later mud-brick oven which
represented
the latest
phase
of
possible
Roman
activity
at the western end of Area 7. Several
deposits
of debris from this feature were
recorded and are still
being
assessed.
To the
west,
a
separate
room or
property contemporary
with the oven was
represented by
mortar
scars,
a
beamslot and
post-holes.
The remains of another
room/building
were
present
further to the west and included a
probable
beamslot and a
fragment
of floor. The oven had been
truncated
by
the remains of an east-west
beamslot,
from which
pottery
of
sixth-century
date
was recovered. To the
west,
and
apparently contemporary,
was another
early
two-room Saxon
building, represented by
a
north-south-aligned
beamslot and
a
possible
east-west brickearth sill
(which
would have
supported
a
wall)
between two
fragments
of brickearth floor.
Sealing
the
rooms were two further
phases
of Saxon
building.
The central section of Area 7
produced
a series of
large pits containing Roman,
Saxon and
medieval
pottery.
These
appeared
to be rubbish
pits
and related to an
external/open
area of land
between the eastern and western areas of construction. Saxon
pits
were also recorded
during
the
watching-brief
in Area 8.
Refined
dating
from the burials excavated in Area 4
(in 2006) suggests
a
group
of Late Roman
inhumations in the
vicinity
of the
sarcophagus.
As well as the
discovery
of the
early
Roman
structure in Area
7, therefore,
evidence now
points
to the
possibility
of a Late Roman sacred site
or small settlement on the
site,
which the Saxons
appeared
to
respect
and maintain as a
religious
place.
In
addition,
there is evidence for
continuity
from the Roman
period
into the
Saxon,
in a
settlement area
(Area 7)
to the north-east of the burials.242
8. SOUTH-WESTERN COUNTIES
By
PAUL BOOTH
GLOUCESTERSHIRE
(1)
Bourton on the
Water, Sycamore
House,
Lansdown
(SP
1644
2092):
a
watching-brief
recorded a
post-hole
of Roman or earlier
date,
thirteen features
dating
to the Roman
period,
two
undated
walls,
and a limestone well
likely
to be
post-medieval
in date.243 The Roman features
represent
at least two
phases
of settlement
activity.
Several ditches and a
possible
industrial
feature were dated to the second
century A.D.,
whilst evidence for a
building, surviving
as three
walls and a
surface,
was of
third/fourth-century
date.
(2)
Cirencester
(Corinium Dobunnorum): (a)
Corn
Hall,
Market Place
(SP
0238
0198):
excavation occurred inside the Corn Hall which lies
immediately
to the north-east of the
projected
line of Ermin Street within Insula XXIII of the Roman town.244 Construction works
required
the
archaeological
excavation of an area 12 m
by
11 m to a level which
lay
within
242
Work
by
A.
Telfer,
Museum of London
Archaeology,
for St Martin-in-the-Fields Church
(SMD01 ).
V. Gardiner
sent information.
243
Work
by
N.
Witchell,
Gloucestershire
County
Council
Archaeology
Service. J.
Hoyle
sent information.
244
Work
by
D.
Cudlip
and L.
Coleman,
Cotswold
Archaeology.
N. Holbrook sent information.
paul booth 267
the
build-up
of Roman
deposits.
A
depth
of c. 1.5 m of
archaeological deposits
above natural
accordingly
remained
largely unexcavated;
the
exception
to this
being
four
pits,
each 2 m
square,
which were
dug
to natural to take the foundations for a mezzanine floor. One of these
pits
was
within the main excavation
area,
while the other three
lay
to the south-east of it. Natural
gravels
were covered
by
a
clay
relict
ground surface,
which was cut
through by
several
quarry pits.
The
ground
surface was overlain
by
consolidation
deposits
which
produced pottery
consistent with
a date in the first or
early
second
century
a.d. Above these a stone
building
was
constructed,
one wall of which survived to a
height
of 24 courses. Little of the
plan
of this structure can be
determined as it remained
largely
unexcavated,
nor is it clear whether there was a
preceding
timber
phase.
The most
likely interpretation
is that the walls formed
part
of
a
range
of
shops
which
lay
behind a
portico flanking
the north-east side of Ermin Street.
Only
the rear wall of the
portico lay
within the excavation
area,
and this had been
extensively
robbed. Successive surfaces
built
up
within the
portico during
the second and third
centuries,
presumably
in
response
to the
rising
level of Ermin Street caused
by resurfacing.
Within the
shops
successive floor levels were
found,
one associated with an
oven,
although only
small
upstands
of
stratigraphy
had survived
medieval stone
robbing
and
pit digging.
At some
point
in the third or fourth
century
the
building
was demolished and
replaced by
a structure on a new
layout.
This extended for a
distance of
11.25 m
behind the
portico,
the walls
being
founded on
rough
rubble
footings.
The
portico
wall
was also rebuilt in cruder work. The front wall of the
portico may
also have been reconstructed
at this
time,
as the foundations for a
masonry pier,
0.7 m
by
1
m,
were
dug through
earlier
surfaces within the
portico.
It is conceivable that this relates to a
slight narrowing
in the width
of the
portico,
an
original stylobate
wall
(which
must have lain
just
outside the excavation
area)
perhaps being replaced by
a
series of individual
piers
which
supported
an arcade.
Only
one
pier
fell within the excavation area.
(b)
Tar Barrows
(SP
031
025): geophysical surveys
around the monuments known as Tar
Barrows,
located some 500 m
north-east of
Cirencester,
have revealed the remains of an
extensive
settlement outside the walls of Corinium.
During
2007 and 2008 extensive
magnetometer surveys
examined an area of
approximately
16 ha around the eastern
barrow,
while a
ground resistivity
survey
was conducted over
slightly
less than 5 ha of the same area. Tar Barrows are
thought
to
date to the later Iron
Age
or
early
Roman
periods, although
Reece noted
recently
in this
journal
that their
presence
on the hillside
overlooking
the River Churn
might explain
the deviations of
the Fosse
Way
and Ermin Street from their intended
alignments.245
The
magnetometer survey
results
(fig. 12)
indicate a
complex pattern
of ditched tracks and
enclosures, many
of which
appear
to contain
square
and
rectangular masonry
structures. The barrow itself is located within
a
square
enclosure and it is
thought
that the monument is one of the settlement's earliest features.
At least four other ditched
enclosures,
each
containing
a
rectangular
stone
building,
extend to the
south-west and north-east of Tar Barrow
(the
most
southerly
of these is
open
on its south-western
side).
A
trackway along
the western side of this row of enclosures is on the same
alignment
as the
Fosse
Way
as it
approaches
Corinium from the
high ground
to the north-east. Another
trackway
at
right angles
to the first would
appear
to connect the Tar Barrows
complex
with the Fosse
Way.
The area to the south-east and east of the main barrow is more
open
and contains numerous
small stone-built structures that seem to be
arranged
in rows. A series of ditched enclosures runs
along
the side of the Fosse
Way,
at least two of which are
packed
with
pits.
A
very large
ditched
enclosure,
some 75 m
by
54
m,
lies to the north-east of the
occupied
area. This is sub-divided
into smaller internal
enclosures, again containing
stone
structures,
some of which are
apparently
245
Britannia 34
(2003),
276-80.
FIG. 12. Tar
Barrows, Cirencester, plot
of
geophysical survey.
superseded by
a later
phase
of
occupation
that included
a
large rectangular building
set within
another ditched enclosure.
The
newly
discovered settlement at Tar Barrows covers an area of
approximately
350 m
by
at
least 200 m. The north-east to south-west
alignment suggests
that it
post-dates
the Fosse
Way
and the
original
settlement at
Cirencester, though
it is
possible
that the barrow
itself,
which
appears
to have become the main focus of later
activity, predates
the arrival of the Roman
army
and its
surveyors.
The small
square
and
rectangular
stone structures
arranged
around the barrow
would
seem to be too small for domestic
buildings
and it is
Suggested
that these are mausolea
set within
funerary
enclosures. The
pits
that
produced high magnetic readings
are
tentatively
PAUL BOOTH 269
interpreted
as cremation burials set within more
communal
funerary
enclosures that lined the
western side of the Fosse
Way
as it neared the Verulamium Gate of Corinium.246
(c) Kings
hill North
(SP
0365
0250):
excavation revealed a
grave containing
an inhumation
aligned
east-west,
with the head to the east. The skeleton was of
a mature adult male
aged
35-45
and was
supine
and extended. The
hindquarters
of
a
sheep
or
goat
had been
placed
beside the
skull. No finds were recovered to
give any
indication of date but it is
suggested
from the burial
rite that it is Iron
Age
or Roman. A series of
pits
also
belongs
to the late Iron
Age
or
early
Roman
period.
One
pit
contained
a
seemingly deliberately-positioned quernstone.247
(3) Dymock, Kyrleside, High
Street
(SO
6998
3112):
excavation to the rear of the
property
revealed Roman features
consisting
of
pits
and
post-holes,
with
pottery dating predominantly
to
the first
century
A.D. Evidence for
smelting
was
found,
with some
pits containing large
amounts
of
slag
and also some crucible
fragments.248
(4) Frocester,
Frocester Court villa
(SO
785
029):
excavation between 1995 and
2008,
combined with some
geophysical survey work,
has added much to the
history
of the
development
of the site.249 The
origin
of a
major
land
boundary
and
a
trackway
are now dated to the late
Neolithic
period.
These survived as
landscape
features that
probably
determined the location
of the middle Iron
Age
farmstead and the extent of its
field-system.
In the Roman
period
the
farm continued to
develop
and the
field-system
was
replaced by larger paddocks, mostly
within
the area enclosed
by
a
major
extension of the south-east
perimeter.
In the second
century
A.D. a
threshing-floor
of mortared stones was constructed in the bottom of a
large gravel pit dug
in this
part
of the site. The
pit
was
eventually
fenced off and was backfilled with debris and domestic
rubbish,
much of it from site clearance associated with the erection of the
third-century
villa.
This
dump
was
partly
covered
by
a roundhouse and an
adjoining approach
road that
predated
a
small
courtyard
with
wing walls, part
of a semi-monumental arched estate entrance. A
post-built
industrial structure situated close to the south-east
perimeter
ditches housed a
group
of
T-shaped
kilns and circular and
elongated
furnaces or ovens. It was
destroyed by
fire and was
replaced by
a
similar but less
well-preserved complex alongside
the north-east
boundary.
These are
interpreted
as
early
and late
fourth-century maltings.
A
post-Roman, part
sill-beam based structure was
associated with the
collapse
of the
entrance-courtyard wall,
and traces of features of two similar
periods
of
occupation
were identified near the north-east
boundary.
All
predated
the medieval
ridge
and
furrow,
as did
a
small
outlying group
of inhumation
burials,
one of which returned a
radiocarbon date of
eighth-
to
ninth-century.
The excavation has now ended.
(5)
Hambrook: 16 base metal radiates to c. A.D.
274,250
addenda to an earlier find of 28
radiates.251
(6) Sevenhampton,
Dower
House,
Brockhampton (SP
0365
2252):
Gloucestershire Police
reported
a skull and other
fragments
of human
bone,
discovered
during building
works. The
remains were from a
previously
disturbed
burial,
of a
female over 45
years
old. One of the bones
produced
a radiocarbon date of A.D. 223?44.252
246
Geophysical surveys
undertaken
by
Dr T.
Young
of GeoArch and funded
by
The Roman Research
Trust,
Cardiff
University
and ARW Trust
(Cirencester).
The
project
was
co-ordinated
by
Dr R Guest who sent information.
247
Excavation
by
K. Welsh of Oxford
Archaeology
for
CgMs Consulting.
E.
Biddulph
sent information.
248
Work
by
B.
Williams,
Gloucestershire
County
Council
Archaeology
Service. J.
Hoyle
sent information.
249
Excavation directed
by
E.G.
Price,
250
Found
by
Mr D.
Upton
while
searching
Abdy
sent information.
251
G.
Boyle
and R.
Abdy,
CHRB XII.
252
Work
by
R.
Macpherson Barrett,
Gloucestershire
County
Council
Archaeology
Service. J.
Hoyle
sent inform
ation.
(7) Shurdington,
Brizen Farm
(SO
932 198
centred):
an
evaluation uncovered
pits
and ditches.253
No definite structural remains were
discovered,
but features contained a
relatively large
amount of
pottery, along
with ceramic
building material,
fired
clay
and stone. The
pottery
dates
spanned
the
Roman
period,
but there was a
particular emphasis
on
the Late Roman
period.
(8) Winchcombe,
Greet Road
(SP
0246
2920):
housing
construction
recorded evidence of Iron
Age,
Roman and
post-medieval activity.254
Iron
Age
settlement was
concentrated in the northern
portion
of the site. Roman settlement was also focused in the
northern
portion
of the site and was
represented by possible
enclosures and linear
features,
dating
to the first
century
a.D. Some of these reflected the
alignments
of Iron
Age features,
suggesting
a
continuation of use from the Iron
Age
into the
early
Roman
period.
A second
phase
of Roman
activity
was
represented by
the
build-up
of a
ploughsoil
or terrace
deposit
which
overlay
the earlier Roman ditches in this
area,
indicating
a
period
of abandonment or
withdrawal.
The area was
resettled later in the Roman
period
when a stone
building,
associated with
high
status
finds,
perhaps suggesting
a
military connection,
was constructed on the terrace.
Only
the
south-east corner of this
building
was
exposed during
excavation,
although
at least two
phases
of construction were
identified,
indicating
that it had been extended at least once
before
being
abandoned
by
the
early
second
century
a.D.
somerset
(1)
Bath
(Aquae Sulis): (a) Gainsborough Building,
Beau Street
(ST
7496
6460):
excavation
occurred on the site of Roman hot baths which were
partially
recorded
by
J.T.
Irving
in 1864-6.
To
judge
from his
plan,
there were at least two successive
buildings,
the earlier of unknown
function,
the later
clearly
a baths
utilising
water from the
nearby
Hot Bath
spring.255
A series
of
large, flat,
stone blocks was
exposed immediately
to the east of an
apsidal
bath recorded
by
Irving. They appeared
to form three
steps leading down,
but from their finish and size seem
fairly
clearly
to be the result of the
robbing
of
very large
blocks from a
massive
masonry
structure
not unlike the
large,
solid ashlar buttresses in the
Temple
Precinct of Sulis Minerva.
Overlying
the
'steps'
was
clay levelling
into which was cut a stone culvert and two walls. The culvert ran
north-west to south-east and utilised the lowest course of the
'steps'
as its base. The walls of the
culvert did not
display any signs
of the
staining
which would be
expected
if it had
transported
hot
spa
water. It
may
have
supplied
or drained cold water from the
apsidal
bath. The culvert was
cut
through by
an east-west wall which can
probably
be correlated with one recorded
by Irving.
A
fragment
of floor surface survived to the south of this wall. A wall
parallel
to,
but
immediately
south of the former cut
though
this floor level and so is
presumably
a
replacement.
Two north
south
walls,
3 m
apart,
defined a
probable
corridor.
Immediately
to the east of this room was a
large
room,
with a smaller room added to the west. A succession of floors was found within the
large
room.
Through
the
top
of the latest of these floors was cut a
stone-lined,
rectangular pit
which contained a coin hoard. The hoard was lifted as a block and
probably
contains in the order
of
1,500
coins. It will be excavated and conserved in Bath Museum.
Preliminary
examination
of about 260 coins which became detached from the block
suggests
that the hoard was closed
in the a.D. 260s. The
large
room was sub-divided at some date
by
the insertion of at least two
partition walls,
while a north-south wall associated with a stone
flagged
floor is even later still.
A thick
deposit
of demolition debris
overlay
the
clay levelling
in a second area. Cut into this was
a
north-east to
south-west-aligned
stone
culvert, which,
in
turn,
was truncated
by
a later wall.
253
Work
by
H.
Meara,
Oxford
Archaeology,
for
Newbridge
Construction Ltd. E.
Biddulph
sent information.
254
Work
by
E.
Stratford,
Gloucestershire
County
Council
Archaeology
Service. J.
Hoyle
sent information.
255
B.
Cunliffe,
Roman
Bath, Rep.
Res. Comm. Soc.
Antiq.
London 24
(1969),
151-4.
PAUL BOOTH 271
Another culvert ran
alongside
this
wall,
the red mineral
staining indicating
that it
transported
hot
spa
water.256
(b) Southgate Redevelopment (ST
75120
64470): evaluation, watching-brief
and excavation
were undertaken on this
multi-period
site
extending
over c.
35,500m2
of the Avon
floodplain,
immediately
south of the
City
Wall and north of the
river,
between
Southgate
Street in the
west and Manvers Street in the east.257 No
significant
Romano-British
activity
on the site has
been
established, although
confirmation of the date of the earliest of a series of
large gravel
quarries,
which
produced only
abraded Roman brick and
pottery,
awaits radiocarbon
dating.
Those
quarries
with
good
ceramic
dating
are
clearly
late
Saxon/early
medieval in date. The
overwhelmingly negative
evidence tends to
support
the
suggestions
of earlier researchers that
there was no road
running directly
south out of the core of the civic and
religious
centre
ofAquae
Sulis and no southern
gate
in the Roman wall.
(2) Kingsdon,
Glenda
Spooner
Farm,
Brincil Hill Lane
(ST
51051
25791):
a
geophysical
survey
and evaluation were conducted
along
the line and either side of a Roman road.258 The
Roman road was bisected
by
three
trenches,
where it was seen to survive in
varying degrees
of
preservation.
The road itself was
heavily truncated,
with
only
the lowest courses of its rubble
sub-base left. In some
places,
even this had been
heavily
disturbed and
dispersed
with
fragments
of ceramic field drain mixed
amongst
the stones. Some fields
displayed
stone on the surface on
the line of the road. No trace of an
agger
was seen under this stone
layer.
The southern roadside
ditch survived in
places
and there
appeared
to be traces of a
northern ditch as well.
DEVON
(1)
Exeter: a hoard of 22 AE
dupondii/asses
to c. A.D.
54,
recovered
during
controlled excav
ation.259
(2)
Whiddon Down: a hoard of 4 denarii and 305 base-metal sestertii and fractions to c. A.D.
198,
with 5 later
stray
losses.260
9. SOUTHERN COUNTIES
By
PAUL BOOTH
WILTSHIRE
(1)
Calne Without: an
uninscribed Western silver
unit,
late first
century
B.c. to
early
first
century
A.D.,
possibly
buried at the same time as a similar
single
coin found earlier.261
DORSET
(1) Bradpole,
Boarsbarrow Farm
(SY
4874 9417-SY 4840
9422):
the course of the Roman
256
Work
by
N.
Wright
and M.
Collard,
Cotswold
Archaeology.
N. Holbrook sent information.
257
Work
by
B.
Barber,
R.
Bluer,
B.
Eaton,
C.
Halsey,
M.
Lewcun,
N.
Lyons,
D. Waterfall and B.
Watson,
Museum
of London
Archaeology,
for Multi
Development
UK/Aviva
pic (SO-SGT06).
258
Work
by
D.
Gilbert,
John Moore
Heritage Services,
for DLA Ltd. D. Gilbert sent information.
259
Work
by
Exeter
Archaeology.
BM Ref.: 2008 T102. R.
Abdy
sent information.
260
Found
by
Messrs A.
Osbourne,
S.
Bassett,
G.
Stevens,
J. Hill and J. Evans while
searching
with metal detectors.
BM Ref.: 2008 T160. R.
Abdy
sent information.
261
Found
by
Ms A. Last
during
a metal-detector
survey.
BM Ref.: 2008 T740. R.
Abdy
sent information.
road from Dorchester to Axminster is lost south of
Eggardon
hill
approaching Spyway
Green
and Yondover. It has been assumed to turn towards the south-west at
Up
Loders and to run
past
Bridport
towards Chideock. Evidence has been found to indicate that the Roman road ran on a
more
northerly
course which would avoid a block of
high ground
north of Chideock and follow
an easier and more direct course towards Axminster. A 5 m-wide
stony strip
observed
running
north of west across an arable field at Boarsbarrow Farm between the above
grid
references is
probably
the remains of the road. There are also
possible
but inconclusive indications farther
west at Blackmore Farm between S Y 40759627 and S Y 39079613.262
(2)
Edmondsham: a hoard of 6 uninscribed
South-Western/Durotrigan
silver staters of the
mid- to late first
century
b.c.263
(3) Melbury Osmond,
North End Farm and Princes Place
(ST
5783 0818-ST 5712
0980):
indications on
Google
Earth
coverage
led to the
discovery
of remains of a
Roman road terrace and
agger, averaging
6 m wide over a distance of 1.6 km. This is
a continuation of the direct
alignment
of the Roman road from Ilchester to Dorchester
(Margary 47)
to the south of Yeovil. It had been
assumed to follow the line of the modern A37 but can now be seen to have run to the south-west of
the modern road. The two roads
diverge
at ST 568 105 and
rejoin
at ST 5 8 2 0 73.264
(4)
Melcombe
Horsey:
28 AR
siliquae
to c. A.D. 40 2265
are addenda to earlier finds. The hoard
total now stands at 1 Iron
Age
silver
stater,
2
miliarenses,
110
siliquae (many fragmentary),
and
1 bronze coin to A.D. 402.266
(5)
Tarrant
Valley:
2
early
uninscribed British
gold
staters267
are addenda to an earlier
hoard from the same
findspot
discovered in several batches between 2001 and 2002.
(6)
Turnworth: a hoard of 9
Durotrigian
silver
staters,
late first
century
b.c.268
(7) Wey mouth,
Ridgeway
Hill,
Weymouth relief
road
project
(SY
612
857):
excavation revealed
Roman-period
inhumation
graves dug
into a Bronze
Age
round barrow. The inhumations were
east-west
aligned
and
accompanied by
hobnails. Roman
pottery fragments
were collected from
the backfill. Five
large pits,
three
being
over 12 m in
diameter,
were
interpreted
as chalk
quarries.
Little
dating
evidence was
retrieved,
but
a Roman date is
possible.269
berkshire
(1) Burghfield,
Atomic
Weapons
Establishment
(SU
686
684):
an evaluation uncovered an
adult cremation burial
accompanied by
late Iron
Age pottery.
A
Roman-period
feature of uncertain
function
?
possibly
a natural hollow or a
pond
?
contained third- to
fourth-century pottery.270
262
Information from H. Toller.
263
Found
by
Messrs J.
Adams,
D.
Eagles,
J.
Earley
and J. Hinchcliffe while
searching
with metal detectors. BM
Ref.: 2008 T552. R.
Abdy
sent information.
264
Information from H. Toller.
265
Found
by
Mr J. Adams while
searching
Abdy
sent information.
266
The
original
find was made in October 1999
(by
Messrs A.
Mitchell,
J.
Adams,
J. Hutchins and Ms F.
Hutchins).
Addenda I was found in October 2000 and Addenda II in March 2002
(BM
r?f.: 2002 TI
3).
For the
original
find
+
Addenda I & II see J. Williams and R.
Abdy
in CHRB XII. R.
Abdy
sent information.
267
Found
by
Mr J. Adams and Mr R. Bruce while
searching
with metal detectors. BM Ref.: 2008 199. R.
Abdy
sent information.
268
Found
by
Messrs R.
Green,
R. Macleod and J. Brannan while
searching
with metal detectors. BM Ref.: 2008
T323. R.
Abdy
sent information.
269
Work
by
D. Score of Oxford
Archaeology
for Dorset
County
Council. E.
Biddulph
sent information.
270
Work
by
D. Dodds of Oxford
Archaeology
for Atkins
Heritage.
E.
Biddulph
sent information.
PAUL BOOTH 273
(2) Windsor, Imperial
House,
67 Alma Road
(SU
96051
76412):
ten evaluation trenches
were excavated.
Although
the SMR record for the area includes several finds of Roman coins
?
including
one of
Claudius,
found on the site itself in 1952
?
no evidence of Roman
activity
was
observed.271
HAMPSHIRE
(1) Hursley:
a hoard of 8 silver
denarii,
6
Republican
and 2 of
Augustus.272
(2)
Leckford: a hoard of 136 base-silver denarii and radiates to A.D. 2 74.273
(3) Lockerley-Marchwood, gas pipeline (SU
302 255-394
111):
a
watching-brief
uncovered
two
Roman-period ditches,
one
containing second-century pottery including
a samian ware
dish.274
(4)
Milbrook: a hoard of
4,386
base-metal radiates and one base-metal denarius to c. A.D.
293.275
(5)
Winchester
(Venta
Belgarum),
The Winchester
Hotel,
Worthy
Lane
(SU
47955
30288):
excavation in advance of hotel extensions revealed further elements of the northern Roman
cemetery
of
Winchester, immediately adjacent
to the Lankhills School excavations of Giles
Clarke and Oxford
Archaeology.276 Fifty-six graves,
and a number of other
features, including
a
mortuary
enclosure and several linear
boundary features, many
associated with the
development
and use of the
cemetery,
were found. A new section was excavated
through
the north-south ditch
(Clarke's F12)
which formed the
original
eastern
boundary
of the
cemetery. Dating
from the
graves
excavated
through
the ditch fills
suggests
that the
cemetery expanded
across the
boundary
in the A.D. 350s.
Furthermore,
burials
were
identified in an area
previously thought
to lie outside
the bounds of the
cemetery
to the east. The burials in this area
may
well be
amongst
the latest in
the
cemetery, possibly
even
dating
to the fifth
century.
Numerous
grave goods
were recovered
during
the
excavations, including pottery
and
glass vessels, personal
ornaments
(crossbow
brooches, buckles, bracelets, finger-rings,
beads
etc.),
antler
combs, coins,
and hobnails from
shoes. Some of these are unusual
objects,
with some most
closely paralleled
on the Continent.
Two
graves
in
particular
contained
grave goods unlikely
to have
originated
in Britain.277
ISLE OF WIGHT
(1)
Carisbrooke: a hoard of 28 AE
dupondii/asses
to A.D. 167.
271
Work
by
H.
Knight,
Museum of London
Archaeology,
for Watts
Group pic (BR-IHW08).
V. Gardiner sent
information.
272
Found
by
Mr C. Allaker while
searching
Abdy
sent
information.
273
Found
by
Mr M. Pond while
searching
with a metal detector. BM Ref.: 2006 TI 94 and 2008 T630
(addendum).
R.
Abdy
sent information.
274
Work
by
A. Norton of Oxford
Archaeology
for NACAP Land and Marine. Information sent
by
E.
Biddulph.
275
Found
by
Mr M. Burton
during
machine excavation of a sewer
pipe
trench. BM Ref.: 2008 TI 67. R.
Abdy
sent
information.
276
G.
Clarke,
The Roman
Cemetery
at
Lankhills,
Winchester Stud 3: Pre Roman and Roman Winchester Part II
(1979);
Oxford
Archaeology,
Lankhills
Special
School, Winchester,
Hampshire,
Post-excavation
assessment,
unpub.
client
report
(2006).
277
Work
by
Wessex
Archaeology
for CPB
Management
Services Ltd on behalf of The Winchester Hotel Ltd. P.
McCulloch sent information.
278
Found
by
several members of the Isle of
Wight
Metal
Detecting
Club while
searching
with metal detectors. BM
Ref.: 2008 T558. R.
Abdy
sent information.
WEST SUSSEX
(1)
Chichester
(Noviomagus Regnensium): (a)
Chichester I: a hoard of about 50 barbarous
radiates c. A.D. 270-290 and an indeterminate number
(probably
several
hundred) present
as a
corroded
mass recovered from the fill of a
pit.279 (b)
Chichester II: a hoard of over 470 base
metal radiates/barbarous
radiates, mostly illegible,
recovered from fourteen contexts
covering
a small area.280 Different context dates
suggest
that the hoard was disturbed in
antiquity.
The
majority
of the coins are
extremely poorly preserved,
but some 74 coins can be identified as
irregular
radiates of the
period
A.D. 270-290.
(2)
Near Chichester: 3 silver
siliqua fragments,281
addenda to earlier finds
up
to c. A.D.
402.282
EAST SUSSEX
(1)
Ashburnham:
a hoard of 8 AR denarii of 32-31 B.c. or
later.283 The coins
appear
to have
been burnt. Four were too worn to be
fully
identified;
one coin
appears
to have a bust and
may
have been of
Imperial
date.
(2) Barcombe,
Church Field
(TQ
4190
1425):
in 2008
a new research and
training project
was
started in Church
Field,
which is
adjacent
to Dunstalls
Field,
the site of the Barcombe Roman
villa which was excavated between 2001 and 2007.284
Previously,
field
walking, geophysics
and
test-pitting
had indicated the
presence
of a
Roman-period building
with a
hypocaust.
In
2008 excavations revealed
a
large
Roman
bath-house, measuring
some 20 m
long by
6 m wide
and
aligned approximately
north-east to south-west. At the northern end of the
complex
is a
praefurnium
with walls of mortared flints. The south-western side of this room had a tile base
some 1.2
m wide set into flint
masonry.
This tile base would have been used for either a hot bath
or a steam tank/boiler. To the west of the tile base was the caldarium which had a
projecting
apsidal
hot bath on its south-eastern side. At the
apex
of this semi-circular structure was a tile
lined drain
running
south-eastwards towards a
large drainage
ditch which is orientated
parallel
to the
longitudinal
axis of the baths. The ditch was in-filled with
large quantities
of
rubble,
both
tiles and flints. The ditch
may
have
discharged
into the stream which forms the south-western
side of Church Field. To the south-west of the caldarium was the
tepidarium
and on its western
side this still contains
part
of the mortar base of the
room,
with some of the
hypocaust pilae
columns
represented by
the bottommost tiles in situ. In addition there are also traces of an in-situ
covered channel
(perhaps
a
drain)
formed of imbrex tiles. Other
parts
of the floor in this room
had been cut
through by
a
large feature,
possibly
a ditch which served a
postulated
and smaller
second-phase
bath-house to the south-west. At the north-west corner of the bath
complex
is an
area of curved mortar which
may represent steps
into another
(?cold)
bath. Further west
still,
and
on the same
alignment
as the flint-walled rooms described
above,
were a number of walls with
279
Excavation
by
Pre-Construct
Archaeology
in 2006
(see
Britannia 39
(2008),
329 for the
site).
BM Ref.: 2006
T302. R.
Abdy
sent information.
280
Recovered with the aid of a metal detector
during
excavation in 2006
by
Pre-Construct
Archaeology.
BM Ref.:
2006 T303. R.
Abdy
sent information.
281
Found
by
Mr Mordle while
searching
with metal detector. BM Ref.: 2008 T743.
282
Earlier
finds, published
as
Eartham,
West Sussex
(Britannia
39
(2008), 329),
consisted of
part
of a silver
miliarensis
(in
two
fragments)
and half of a silver
siliqua.
R.
Abdy
sent information.
283
Found
by
Mr A. Charman while
searching
Abdy
sent
information.
284
For
previous
(2002), 351;
Britannia 34
(2003), 353-5;
Britannia 35
(2004), 311;
Britannia 36
(2005), 443;
Britannia 37
(2006), 425;
Britannia 38
(2007), 298;
Britannia 39
(2008),
329-31.
PAUL BOOTH 275
chalk foundations. These walls
may belong
to the
postulated second-phase
baths. The source of
the water needed for both
phases
of baths is
likely
to have been a
spring/s
to the north/north-east
of the excavations. Provisional
dating
for the baths
spans
the second to fourth
centuries,
but in
contrast to the
broadly contemporary
villa site in Dunstalls
Field,
the baths
appear
to have been
demolished/robbed in Roman rather than medieval and/or
post-medieval
times. It is not known
how the baths related to the
nearby
villa.
Perhaps they
were
part
of the villa
complex,
or
possibly
the wider villa-estate?
Alternatively they may
have
belonged
to an unrelated
neighbouring
settlement, perhaps
one located on or near the site of St
Mary's
church.
Nearby,
on Culver
Farm,
Rob Wallace continued a
programme
of
survey
and excavations in order to establish the routes
of two Roman roads.285
SURREY
(1) Ashtead,
Ashtead Common villa and tileworks
(centred
at
TQ
1775
6017):
excavation
was
completed
in the area near the centre of the 'front' of the villa.286 Evidence was found for a
number of robbed-out walls and other features that make it
possible
to
suggest
some
phasing
for
the
building,
and better understand the
previously published
evidence. An area with a rammed
chalk floor
may
be
part
of a structure earlier than the
villa,
as
already suggested by
A.W.G.
Lowther.287 The foundations for the
original
front wall were also
located,
with associated
stub walls of flint and
(mostly) tile,
in the area of Lowther's
postulated 'porch'.
There was no
evidence for the latter in the form
previously suggested.
A small
apsed
feature was later added
in this
area,
but still as
part
of an
early phase.
The corridor floor as recorded in the 1920s can be
seen to be
part
of a later
phase, probably
associated with construction of the tile
gutters
around
the
building,
which themselves must be later.
Probably
at the same time the level of the villa was
substantially raised, using building
demolition
material, presumably
in an
attempt
to deal with
the
unpleasantness
of the site when wet.
The two main
early
and late
periods
may
relate to
phases
revealed in a new section of the ditch
running
close to the rear of the
building
near the
junction
of Rooms 10 and
8;
a small area of the
latter's tessellated
pavement
was also
uncovered,
surrounded
by
robbed-out walls. In its second
main
phase
the ditch was
probably
re?ut and
rapidly
backfilled with rubble to act as a linear
soakaway
for the bath-block attached to the villa.
The wall
junction
found
by
John
Hampton
and others in the 1960s to the north-east of the
villa288 was relocated and studied in more detail. The walls had
clearly
been built in sections and
there were two related tile-built features of
(currently)
unknown
purpose.
No
dating
material
was found
except
for the tiles in these features and built into the
walls,
and there was little
sign
of
occupation
material of
any
kind. It remains unclear if this was
simply
the corner of
an enclosure wall or
part
of a
building, possibly
related to the tileworks known to exist close
by
to the east. Further
magnetometer
and
topographical surveys by Archaeology
South-East
have located
possible
kiln sites in this area which it is intended to test in 2009 and later. The
results of environmental
sampling
carried out some
years ago
in one of the
quarry pits
have
now been
analysed by
Professor
Martyn
Waller of
Kingston University,
who has also obtained a
285
Work
by
D.
Rudling
and R. Wallace of the
University
of Sussex and C. Butler of the Mid-Sussex Field
Archaeological
Team. D.
Rudling
sent information.
286
Work for the Roman Studies
Group
of the
Surrey Archaeological Society
was directed
by
D.
Bird,
who sent
information. For
previous
(2007),
299 and 39
(2008),
331-2.
287
For the
'porch'
and the
early
chalk
deposit,
also the ditch and the location of Rooms 8 and
11,
see A.W.G.
Lowther,
'Excavations at
Ashtead, Surrey.
Third
report (1929)', Surrey Archaeological
Collections 38.2
(1930), plan
opposite p.
148.
288
See D.G.
Bird,
Roman
Surrey (2004), 121-3,
figs 54,
55.
radiocarbon date associated with the basal silts in the main
quarry
which
suggests dating
within
the
period
A.D. 60 to 240. This matches well with other
dating
evidence for the overall site that
indicates
occupation
and
activity mostly
across the second
century.
Work on
gathering
and
recording
all known finds from the site is
continuing
and
good
progress
has been made with
study
of the ceramic
building
material.
Significant
finds from
the excavation included a bronze
cockerel, probably part
of a set on a stand with a
figure
of
Mercury
and other relevant
animals,
and stratified
pottery, including
substantial
parts
of three
vessels that had
apparently
been smashed in situ. These were in an area with other rubbish and
it is therefore
unlikely
that
they
were ritual
deposits,
but
they
seem to
predate
the villa
building
whose construction can therefore be
tentatively
dated to around the end of the first
century
A.D.
or
early
in the second.
KENT
(1) Bigbury
and South Blean
(centred
at TR 1170 5750 and TR 0660 5640 to 0975
5635):
a walkover
survey
of the known hillfort of
Bigbury Camp,
3 km west of
Canterbury, prior
to
proposed
tree clearance within the known
earthworks,
clarified
some details of the recorded
earthworks and re-assessed the extent of the earthworks within and
beyond
the Scheduled
Ancient Monument.289 Since
recognition
as a hillfort in the late nineteenth
century,
this site has
been
damaged by
small-scale
quarrying
but has been the
subject
of three
major archaeological
investigations.290
In the
present study,
contour
survey
of the
putative
eastern entrance
suggested
that one of the more
prominent
earthworks here related to a
presumed post-Roman
hollow
way
but that the outermost earthworks returned to link with the north-eastern corner of the
previously
identified hillfort
annexe,
rather than with what is
a recent drain at the base of the
northern hillside. To the south and
south-west,
the line of Parish
Road,
now the
Centenary
Walk,
Canterbury, may represent
an extensive outer
work,
visible as denuded
multiple
earthworks
below
Bigbury
Wood
(TR
1175
5705). Slighter
earthworks within the hillfort annexe and to the
west
probably represent
recent wood banks.
In the South
Blean,
2 to 6 km to the south-west of the
camp
and west of Chartham Hatch
village,
an extensive series of earthworks was identified within woodland. Substantial but
much denuded
earthworks,
sometimes
forming multiple parallel
banks and
ditches,
were traced
following
the contours of a
ridge overlooking
the Stour to the south.
Although
undated,
these
features
appeared
to
predate
a
system
of wood banks and the line of a medieval or
post-medieval
trackway heading
towards Chartham Hatch. Traces of a small
hilltop enclosure,
pit complexes
and
possible
field terraces
along
the southern hillside were also identified in an area where traces
of
early iron-working
are known. If indeed of
early
date and associated with
Bigbury Camp,
these earthworks
may
form
part
of an extensive territorial
oppidum extending along
the
high
ground
to link with the hillfort on the
spur overlooking
the
early
Stour
crossing.
(2) Birchington,
Monkton Road
Farm,
Seamark Road
(TR
28551
66910):
continued excavat
ions ahead of
a 90 hectare
greenhouse development
uncovered a further seventeen cremation
burials,
some
positioned alongside
a
partially
metalled
trackway.
A sunken-floored
structure,
about 8 m
long
and 4 m
wide,
was
closely comparable
to those excavated in 1994.291 Various
289
Survey by
C.
Sparey-Green, Canterbury Archaeological
Trust,
for Kent Wildlife Trust. Information sent
by
C.
Sparey-Green.
290
Most
recently,
K.
Blockley
and P.
Blockley,
'Excavations at
Bigberry,
near
Canterbury,
1981',
Archaeologia
Cantiana 107
(1989),
239-51.
291
A.
Hicks,
'The Roman
settlement',
in At the Great Crossroads.
Prehistoric,
Roman and Medieval Discoveries
on the Isle
ofThanet 1994-95, Canterbury Archaeological
Trust Occasional
Paper
no. 4
(2008).
PAUL BOOTH 277
internal features and areas of
burning suggested
the
presence
of
possible
corn-driers and a
domestic hearth. Several small
pits, drainage gullies
and a
large rectangular pit appeared
to be
associated with the
building.
Ditches
representing possible field-systems
and the various cremation
burials,
either isolated or
strung along trackways, suggest
the
presence
of a
substantial
settlement,
perhaps
in the area of a
widespread cropmark complex
to the north-east of the site.292
(3) Canterbury (Durovernum Cantiacorum): (a)
Best Lane
(TR
1486
5793):
evaluation
prior
to the extension of the
Beaney
Institute revealed evidence for a Roman
building
situated
immediately
north of the line of a
major
street.293 Road or
yard
surfaces were
capped by
floors for
a
building. Building
materials included roof- and
flue-tile, opus signinum
and tesserae.294
(b)
St
Mildreds
Tannery:
the
ongoing watching-brief
on a
major
residential
development
concentrated
on the central
part
of the site
(TR
1450
5770).
Further evidence was found for a
large building
south-west of Roman
Watling
Street and for a smaller one
facing
it across a back street flanked
by
a wide leat. A substantial flint and tile wall
apparently closing
off the riverward end of this
street was
partially
dismantled. What was
probably
a Roman
clay
floor was
exposed
in a test
pit
south-east of the river
(TR
145 8 5 7
61).295 (c)
19
Wincheap (TR
14439
57250):
excavation
prior
to
redevelopment
revealed
a
number of
early pits containing
domestic refuse. A timber structure
was
represented by
five
post-holes
and a
beamslot,
over which a series of
clay
floors showed
signs
of successive
repairs
indicative of a
long period
of use. East of the structure a
sequence
of metalled
surfaces,
which extended
beyond
the limit of the
excavation, may
have been the
remains of an
open
yard
associated with the timber
building.296 (d) Ryde
Street,
St Dunstans
(TR
14207
58246):
a
single
evaluation trench cut
prior
to house construction revealed
early
Roman
activity
in the form of
gravel metallings
for a
yard
or
street,
and
perhaps
evidence for
quarrying
of the same date.
Redeposited brickearth, perhaps indicating quarrying,
was cut
by
a
Late Roman cremation
burial,
comprising
a
cinerary
urn with two
accompanying pottery
vessels
and
fragmentary
iron nails
possibly representing pyre goods.
The cremation is the latest Roman
burial thus far recorded in
Canterbury
and is located further east than the
previously
recorded
extent of the London Road
cemetery.297 (e)
Old Dover Road
(TR
15725
56590):
evaluation
prior
to
development
at St Lawrence Cricket Ground revealed
an unurned cremation
burial,
some 40
m
south-west of the road
frontage.
The Old Dover Road follows the
projected alignment
of the
Roman road from the town's
Ridingate
towards Dover.298
(4) Deal,
Deal
Waterworks,
off
St Richards
Road(TR3645 5090, centred):
excavations ahead of
a new
housing development
revealed a number of ditches
relating
to a rectilinear
field-system.299
Further traces of this
system
had been
previously
recorded on the
adjacent
Dossett Court site.300
The
pottery
indicates that the ditches date to the first and second centuries. Extensive traces of a
preceding early
Iron
Age
settlement were also recorded.
292
Work
by
J.
Rady, Canterbury Archaeological
Trust,
for Fresca
Group
Ltd. J. Elder sent information.
293
'Nos 15 and 16 Best
Lane',
in S.
Frere,
R
Bennett,
J.
Rady
and S.
Stow, Canterbury
Excavations Intra- and
Extra-mural Sites 1949-55 and
1980-84,
The
Archaeology
of
Canterbury
VIII
(1987),
105.
294
Work
by
T.
Wilson, Canterbury Archaeological Trust,
for
Campbell
Reith
engineers.
J. Elder sent information.
295
Work
by
S.
Pratt, Canterbury Archaeological Trust,
for Biddle and Biddle on behalf of
Bellway
Homes.
Information sent
by
S. Pratt.
296
Work
by
D.
Robertson, Canterbury Archaeological Trust,
for
Bignold
Elevations Limited. J. Elder sent inform
ation.
297
Work
by
M.
Diack, Canterbury Archaeological
Trust for Mr
Murray.
J. Elder sent information.
298
Work
by
J.
Holman,
Canterbury Archaeological Trust,
for Kent
County
Cricket Club. J. Elder sent inform
ation
299
Work
by
K. Parfiitt and B.
Corke, Canterbury Archaeological
Trust. Information sent
by
K. Parfitt.
300
Britannia 14
(1983),
335.
(5) Dover, Cowgate
Hill
(TR
3182
4134, centred):
limited evaluation
trenching
across the
western side of the
second-century
fort of the Classis Britannica revealed chalk block walls and
stratified Roman
deposits
buried at a shallow
depth.
Insufficient was
exposed
to add
significantly
to the known
plan
of the fort but it
appeared
that the Roman walls
represented
several
separate
phases
of work.301
(6)
East
Farleigh,
Oaklands,
Lower Road
(TQ
7280
5350):
further excavations on the
previously reported
villa site302 have confirmed the size of
Building
3 as 8
m
by
28 m. The
building
is believed to be a
store-building
or
granary.
Some walls remain to a
height
of 1.2 m.
An internal division wall and
possible
ovens were located on the last
day
of excavation in 2008.
A fifth
building,
13 m
wide with a 2.4 m entrance with semi-circular
reveals,
has been located.
Work continues.303
(7) Eastry, Farthingate (TR
3130
5470):
casual
fieldwalking
to the south-east of
Eastry parish
church revealed a scatter of Roman
pottery
and roof-tile
fragments
on a
hill-slope overlooking
a small stream.304 The
pottery ranges
in date from the first to the fourth centuries A.D. and the
finds
suggest
the
presence
of a
previously
unknown
settlement, conceivably
a villa. The site lies
downhill from the medieval manor house of
Eastry Court,
believed to overlie an
Anglo-Saxon
royal palace.
Excavations at the manor house in 2007 failed to locate
any certainly
Roman
features or
Anglo-Saxon
remains.
(8) Gillingham, Grange
Farm: a Roman radiate or nummus
purse
hoard of <10
coins, amongst
a total of 434 Roman coins retrieved
during
excavations.305
X-ray
shows small stacks of coins
that still retain their
integrity
as
individual units and are not melted or fused
together.
(9)
Northfleet:
(a)
Water Treatment Works
(TQ
6189
7356): during investigations
connected
with
improvements
to the Northfleet Water Treatment Works
(2007)
a
large, square
feature was
recorded, approximately
12 m
long
east-west and more than 8 m
long north-south,
extending
beyond
the limit of excavation to the north.
Approximately
0.6 m
deep,
the feature contained
several extensive
fills,
most of which consisted of a
well-rotted, peat-like material,
almost
certainly
formed from
generations
of reeds
growing
in a wet environment. The
relatively high
proportion
of Roman finds retrieved and
preliminary post-excavation
assessment have resulted
in tentative
interpretation
of the feature as a water tank.306
(b)
Land at
Wingfield
Bank
(TQ
6222
7257):
an excavation followed an evaluation carried out in 2007.307 A natural hollow was
revealed in the northern
part
of the site. The hollow was enclosed
by
a ditch
containing
Iron
Age
and
early
Roman
pottery.
These features were overlain
by
alluvial silts from which a Late Iron
Age gold
coin was recovered. A
building
identified
by
two beamslots was observed to the west
of the hollow. Two Roman ditches
lay
either side of the
structure;
the one to the west contained
a
large quantity
of first- to
second-century pottery. Similarly-aligned
ditches were also observed
to the east of the site. A
possible
Roman cellar was recorded. A
beamslot,
two
post-holes
and
several stake-holes were revealed at the base of the feature.308
301
Work
by
.
Parf?tt and
.
Corke, Canterbury Archaeological
Trust. Information sent
by
K. Parf?tt.
302
Britannia 39
(2008),
335.
303
Work for the Maidstone Area
Archaeological Group
directed
by
A.J.
Daniels,
304
Work conducted
by
the Dover
Archaeological Group,
directed
by
K.
Parf?tt,
305
Found
during
excavation
by
Pre-Construct
Archaeology
in 2006. BM Ref.: 2006 T605. R.
Abdy
sent
information.
306
Work
by
M.
Diack, Canterbury Archaeological
Trust,
for
4Delivery
Ltd. J. Elder sent information.
307
For
previous
(2008),
336.
308
Work
by
A. Norton of Oxford
Archaeology
for
Chinacorp pic.
E.
Biddulph
sent information.
PAUL BOOTH 279
(10)
Snodland: a hoard of
4,653
Constantinian nummi to c. A.D. 350.309
(11)
Wickhambreaux
(TR
2170
5850): field-walking
and
metal-detecting
in a field to the
south-west of the
village, over-looking
the Little Stour
river,
revealed a scatter of Roman
pottery, roof-tile,
coins and brooches.310 The coins and
pottery range
in date from the first to
the fourth centuries A.D. and indicate the
presence
of a
previously
unrecorded settlement. Aerial
photographs
show that this settlement lies
along
a branch Roman road
leading
off the main
Canterbury
to
Richborough
road.
309
Found in 2006
by
Mr M. Bulmer while
searching
with a metal detector. The total includes 10 coins found in
subsequent archaeological investigation by Archaeology
South East. BM Ref.: 2006 T467 and 2008 T286. R.
Abdy
sent information.
3,0
Work conducted
by
Messrs A. Clarke and B. Fisher who
provided
details.
280
II. Finds
Reported
under the Portable
Antiquities
Scheme
By
SALLY WORRELL
INTRODUCTION
The Portable
Antiquities
Scheme was established in 1997 as an initiative to record
archaeological
objects
found
by
the
public
and was extended to the whole of
England
and Wales in 2003.1
Surveys
of Roman
period
finds recorded
by
the PAS have been
published
in Britannia
annually
since 2004. This sixth
report gives
a brief overview of find
types
and their
distribution,
followed
by descriptions
of
significant
individual artefacts and
assemblages
recorded
by
the Finds Liaison
Officers.
OVERVIEW
48,212
artefacts were recorded on the PAS database in
2008, 23,973 (49.7 per cent)
of which
are Roman in date. As
before,
this
figure
includes those finds to which a date has been attributed
that
spans
the late Iron
Age
and
early
Roman
period.
The 2008 data include
3,495 pot sherds,
25
glass
vessel
fragments,
6
quernstone fragments,
89 tile and architectural
fragments,
and
14,608
coins and other metallic
objects (as
well as
5,738
coins included in the Treasure
process).
The total number of non-Treasure metallic
objects
recorded is
very
similar to that from 2007
(14,833). Objects
that
qualify
as treasure under the terms of the Treasure Act 1996 are
published
in the Treasure Annual
Report by
the British Museum and are excluded from this
survey (with
the
exception
of a
hoard of Late Iron
Age copper-alloy
vessels and the
gold crescent-shaped
pendant
amulet
(Nos
1-3 and
28, below)).
Table 1 shows the number of Roman non-ceramic artefacts recorded on the PAS database
by
county
and
grouped by
PAS
region.
For convenience of
presentation
and to enable
comparison
with other
dataseis,
the Roman non-ceramic artefacts have been subdivided
according
to
function,
based on the scheme
proposed by Crummy,
with some modifications.2 As in
previous
years,
the 2008 data include
only
a small
quantity
of the
many
artefacts recorded from
Norfolk,
although
all records from that
county
have been entered onto the Norfolk Historic Environment
Record.
As in all
previous years,
coins are the most common artefact
reported;
the
11,478 single
coin finds recorded this
year
account for 78.57
per
cent of all metallic finds.3
Again
there is
some
variability
between counties in the
percentage
of all finds accounted for
by
coins. In 23
counties more than 100 coins were recorded. Coins
comprise
on
average
80.4
per
cent of finds
in these
counties,
but the
proportion
varies from 60.3
per
cent in Wiltshire to 90.5
per
cent in
Cambridgeshire. Leaving
aside the
atypical
data
reported
for
2006,
the increase since 2003 in
the
percentage
of coins recorded
by
the Scheme noted in last
year's report
has continued. The
percentage reported
this
year (11,478 coins;
78.57
per
cent of
finds)
is
slightly higher
than in
2007
(11,343;
76.7
per cent),
with
significant
increases in the number of coins recorded in East
1
S.
Worrell,
'Roman Britain in 2006 II. Finds
reported
under the Portable
Antiquities Scheme',
Britannia 38
(2007),
303.
2
N.
Crummy,
The Roman Small Finds
from
Excavations in Colchester
1971-9,
Colchester
Archaeological
Report
2
(1983).
3
A selection of the most
important
coins is
published annually
in the British Numismatic Journal
by
S.
Moorhead.
? World
copyright
Society
TABLE 1. NUMBERS OF NON-CERAMIC ARTEFACTS RECORDED BY THE PAS IN 2008 BY COUNTY
AND TYPE
ABCDEFGH IJKLM Total
Wales
Anglesey
1
_
]
Denbigh
2-----------
-
2 4
Wrexham 8-----------
-
4 12
Carmarthen 1
-
1 2
Monmouth 6 1
-
1 31 39
Newport
3 1
------
1
- - -
1
_
6
Powys
221 1-1
-
-2---
-
8 17
Glamorgan
9-1
-
--1
- -- -- -
6 17
Swansea 1
- -
1
_
2
Gwynedd
11 1
_______ _
3
Flintshire 1
-------
2
- - - -
7 10
Conwy
1
_
19 20
England
Tyne
& Wear 7 7
Northumbd 3416--11---1- 4 21
Durham 10 10
Cleveland 1
_
]
NYorks. 66 33 11 15 3 1 5 9 5 3 3 4 2 281 441
E Yorks. 87 18 6 6 3 5 3 8 5 1 1
- -
763 906
S. Yorks. 16 3
-
1 2
- -
1 1
- - - -
34 58
WYorks. 10 5 3
- - - -
5
- -
2
- -
98 123
.Lines. 37
- -
6 1 1 1 2
-
1 1
-
1 258 309
Cumbria 104-2-2614-1 13 34 68
Cheshire 21 5
-
3
-
6
-
1
- - - -
1 168 205
Lanes. 4 1
-
1
-
1
- - - -
1
-
8
Gt. Manchester 1 19 20
Merseyside
21----------
-
3 6
Lines. 162 45 19 28 1 8 9 4 5 6 2 3 10 1445 1747
Notts. 70 9 3 12 2 6 3
-
1 1
-
1
-
230 338
Derbys.
16 3
- - - -
2
- -
1
-
1 1 38 62
Herefs. 5 3 5
- - -
1
-----
30 44
Shrops.
38 3 1 5
-
1 3
-
1
-
2
- -
50 104
Staffs. 35 2
-
6
- -
1 2 1 3 38 88
W.Mids. 1
-
1
---------
9
Leics. 66 20 1 2 1 3 3 1
-
3 1 3 1 784 889
Rutland 2
-----
1
- - - -
1
-
7 11
Worcs. 12 2 1 6
------
1
- -
39 61
Warwicks. 40 10 1 3
-
1
- -
3 2 3 3
-
305 371
Northants. 35 12
-
11 1 4
-
1 4
-
4 1 1 523 597
SALLY WORRELL 283
ABCDEFGH IJKLM Total
Norfolk 110 37 20 46 3 7 14
-
12 18 2 11 33 313
Suffolk 143 29 16 28 1 4 5 1 8 6 7 4 12 956 1220
Cambs. 55 15 2 6 4 6 1
-
6 1
- - -
910 1006
Essex 52 13 9 15
-
5 4 1 10 2 4 5 1 577 698
Beds. 31 23 3 9 1
-
1
-
5 2 3
-
2 571 651
Herts. 36 12 6 12 2 4
- -
7
-
2 1 1 492 575
Bucks.
Oxon.
Gt.London
Hants.
Berks.
IOW
Surrey
W.Sussex
E.Sussex
Kent
26
27
3
89
2
30
23
22
6
10
16
11
2
24
1
5
2
8
5
3
7
5
1
24
4
4
7
9
7
4
1 1
2 3
256
266
19
567
33
195
132
281
152
32
320
324
28
742
40
244
169
339
181
58
Wilts.
Glos.
Avon
Somerset
Dorset
Devon
Cornwall
Isles of
Scilly
Total
63
37
11
59
17
2
6
24
7
3
3
2
2
4
4
4
10
1
1636 435 128 332 40 94 78 48 104 67 55 43
KEY
A. Brooches
B. Other
objects
of dress and
personal
adornment
C. Toilet and medical
equipment
D. Household
utensils,
furniture
fittings, copper-alloy vessels, keys, weights,
textile
equipment
E.
Objects
associated with written communication
F.
Objects
associated with
religious
beliefs and
practices
G. Harness
equipment
H.
Button-and-loop fasteners, toggles
I. First- to
third-century military equipment
J.
Fourth-century
belt
fittings
K. Studs/mounts
L. Miscellaneous
objects
M.
Objects
of unknown/uncertain function
N. Coins
175
84
43
294
68
64
22
1
290
139
64
374
89
69
31
1
70 11478 14608
Yorkshire,
North
Lincolnshire, Cheshire, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire,
and Bedfordshire. This
reflects the
continuing
success of the initiative to record
large assemblages
of Roman coins
known as
'grots'
found
by detectorists,
as referred to in last
year's report. Overall,
the number of
coins documented on the PAS
database,
almost all of which will have been found on rural
sites,
is
considerably
more than double the number recorded from rural and
temple
sites in Reece's
study
in 1991.4 A doctorate
currently
in
progress
has identified 458
groups
where more than 20
coins have been recorded
by
PAS within the same
parish.5
The
quantities
of artefacts recorded in other
categories
remain
broadly comparable
to those
previously reported,
but with a decrease in the
proportion
accounted for
by religious (F)
and
miscellaneous
objects (L).
Brooches account for 11.2
per
cent of all finds recorded and other
items of
personal
adornment 3
per
cent. In both these
categories,
there are
again high
numbers
from Lincolnshire and Suffolk. In the thirteen counties with
large samples
of brooches
(>40),
the
proportion
of total finds accounted for
by
them varies from 5.5
per
cent in Hertfordshire
to 35.1
per
cent in Norfolk.
Many
of the sixteen counties where more than ten other items of
personal
adornment have been recorded also have
high
numbers of brooches. The
proportion
of
other items of
personal
adornment varies between 1.5
per
cent in
Cambridgeshire
and 11.8
per
cent in Norfolk.
As
ever,
there is substantial variation between counties and
regions
in the
quantity
of artefacts
recorded and the variation documented this
year closely
follows that observed in
previous reports.
Only
small numbers of metal
objects
have been recorded in much of Wales and in several northern
and western
English
counties and much
higher quantities
in eastern
English counties, especially
in
Lincolnshire, Suffolk,
Cambridgeshire,
East Yorkshire and Leicestershire. The number of
artefacts,
both coins and
others,
recorded from East and North Yorkshire and
Cheshire,
and to a
lesser extent from West
Yorkshire,
has
substantially
increased in 2008.
Nevertheless,
while the
number of Roman
period
finds recorded for individual counties
may fluctuate,
depending
on
particular circumstances,
such as the
reporting
of
significant groups
of material or
collections,
the
regional
dimension in the
quantities
and
types
of artefact
reported
to the PAS is now
firmly
established. This is true in
general
terms as well as in
points
of detail. For
example,
the
distribution of
button-and-loop
fasteners
reported
in 2008 occurs
predominantly
in
North,
East
and West Yorkshire and
Lincolnshire,
a
pattern
noted in last
year's report,
which examined all
such finds
reported
to the PAS since 1997.6 The ancient and
contemporary
factors
responsible
for these distribution
patterns
?
including
the
production,
circulation and
deposition
of metal
objects
in the
past,
and
subsequent land-use, contemporary agricultural regimes
and
detecting
patterns
?
now
require
further
exploration.7
ARTEFACT DESCRIPTIONS
The entries below set out some
highlights
of the
past year's
discoveries recorded
by
the Finds
Liaison Officers.8 Fuller details of the
objects
recorded
by
the PAS can be obtained from the
Scheme's central
office,9
and there are full
descriptions
of finds on the PAS website: www.finds.
org.uk.
The reference number in brackets associated with each record is the PAS
identifying
find
4
R.
Reece,
Roman Coins
from
140 Sites in Britain
(1991).
5
By
P.
Walton,
holder of an AHRC collaborative doctoral award under the
supervision
of the British Museum
and the Institute of
Archaeology,
UCL.
6
S.
Worrell,
reported
under the Portable
Britannia 39
(2008),
341-7.
7
'How
representative
is the data collected
by
the Portable
Antiquities
Scheme? A
geo-statistical investigation',
AHRC collaborative doctorate between the British Museum and the
University
of
Southampton
held
by
K. Robbins.
8
Throughout
the
year,
staff at the British
Museum,
in
particular Ralph
Jackson and Richard
Hobbs, together
with
Martin
Henig (Institute
of
Archaeology, University
of
Oxford)
have
provided
invaluable
support
in the identification
of individual
objects.
9
Department
of Portable
Antiquities
and
Treasure,
British
Museum, London,
WC1B 3DG. Contact Dan
Pett,
Portable
Antiquities Scheme, dpett@british-museum.ac.uk.
SALLY WORRELL 285
record.10 A selection of the most
significant
Roman coins recorded
by
the PAS is included in
the annual 'Coin
Register'
in the British Numismatic Journal. As
previously
commented
upon,
research use of these data must take account of the
processes by
which
they
have accumulated.11
wales
newport
(1-4) Langstone (NMGW-9C0216;
Treasure: Wales
07.24) (colour
figs
1-2).12
A hoard
of
copper-alloy
vessels
(two
bowls and a
strainer)
of late Iron
Age
to
early
Roman date and a
Roman
period,
wooden
tankard;
the latter was
located 12.8 m
away
from the hoard.
Follow-up
archaeological investigation
of the
findspot
established that all four artefacts were
deposited
into the same
bog
or lake
edge context,
probably
with votive intent. The tankard was
deposited
possibly, though
not
demonstrably,
at a similar time to the vessels. Since it was not a
directly
associated
object,
it was deemed not to be Treasure. Further research into the
landscape
and
environmental context of the hoard and tankard is
planned.
(1)
A
virtually complete copper-alloy,
lathe-finished bowl of
shallow, squat
form with a
rounded base. It has a low
girth, upright
neck and everted
rim,
which is decorated with incised
circular
grooves
and
wavy lines,
set in low relief. A
copper-alloy
cast
escutcheon,
with a
ring
for
hanging
and
storage,
is attached
by
a shank which
perforates
the vertical rim. The decorative
escutcheon is lobed and
winged
with insets
containing
a red
'sealing
wax'
glass.
Some
damage
is
evident,
caused
by
differential erosion in the
ground
and minor
denting during
retrieval. The
vessel is 99.5 mm
high,
the internal rim diameter is 174
mm,
and the maximum diameter of the
body
is 220 mm.
The
object weighs
356.5
g.
(2)
A
virtually complete lathe-finished,
copper-alloy
bowl of identical form to No. 1. It is decorated
with incised circular
grooves
and
infilling
'ladder' work. The
escutcheon,
secured at the rim with
an
internal
washer,
is similar in form to that on No. 1 and has a central bi-concave
'toggle'
motif
defined
by
lateral incised
margins.
The bowl is
damaged through
differential erosion and recent
denting:
there is a
long gash
around the
girth.
The vessel is 86.5 mm
high,
the internal rim diameter
is 164
mm,
and the maximum diameter of the
body
is 205 mm. The
object weighs
243.1
g.
(3)
A
complete copper-alloy
wine-strainer with a
round-bottomed
body
with a rounded
lip
and a
wide
flange.
The
flange
has a
raised outer rim. The base of the bowl is decorated with a
perforated pattern
in a circle of
approximately
100 mm diameter. A triskele
design
with circular
flourishes at the end of each limb is defined
by
the absence of
perforations,
while the
surrounding
perforated spaces
are made
up
of three arched
trumpet motifs,
each
occupying
120
degrees
of the
circular
design.
The strainer has
a
simple looped
escutcheon with a
suspension-ring,
attached to
the underside of the
flange.
The
flange
is
slightly nicked,
dented and scratched. The
object
is 113
mm
high,
mm,
the width of the
flange
is 23.5-25
mm,
and the
external diameter of the
flange
is 179 mm. The
object weighs
223.3
g.
(4)
A
virtually complete, wooden,
stave-built tankard with sheet
copper-alloy fittings
and a
cast
copper-alloy
handle. The vessel has a
near-vertical
profile
with a
simple
rim and a flat raised
base,
which has been slotted into
grooves
in the six staves. Two wide and continuous circular
bands of sheet
copper-alloy
surround the outer circumference of the tankard and an
overturned
narrow
strip
of
copper-alloy
forms the rim. The cast handle is
plain
with a
continuous
C-shaped
back and
T-shaped
lateral
plates
attached to the
body by
two
pairs
of bronze rivets with
slightly
10
The
geographical sequence
here follows that set out in the 'Roman Britain in 20xx. I. Sites
Explored'
section
of Britannia. Finds Liaison Officers have submitted
reports
which have been edited
by
the author.
11
I would like to record
my
thanks to R. Brewer and J. Pearce for
reading
and
commenting
on a draft of this
paper.
12
Found
by
c. Mills. Identified
by
A. Gwilt and M. Lewis.
colour fig. 1.
Langstone,
hoard of two strainers and a sieve
(Nos 1-3).
(Photo:
J.
Wild;
? National Museum and
Gallery of Wales)
domed heads. The tankard has suffered some
cracking, damage
and
shrinkage during
the
drying
out
process.
The vessel is 150 mm
high,
mm,
the base diameter
is 166
mm,
the staves are about 11.5 mm
thick,
and the handle is 78 mm
long.
The two bowls
may
be identified as of the Southern British 'Rose Ash'
type,
a Late Iron
Age/native
form which has been dated to between c. 50 B.c. and A.D. 50. The escutcheons are
of Late La T?ne
style
with
lip
and
wing mouldings
which echo a
wider
mid-first-century
A.D.
development
also seen on horse and chariot
equipment.
The red
'sealing
wax'
glass
is of Iron
Age
tradition.
However,
the lathe
finishing
and circular
grooves
on these vessels
suggest
manufacture
in the mid-first
century
A.D. The wine-strainer is one of a small known
group
with broad
flanges
and without handles.13
By
virtue of their association elsewhere with
trullei,
dippers,
oar-handled
13
D.
Tomalin,
Roman
symmetrical flanged
bronze strainer found in
Surrey
and its
counterparts
in
highland
Britain', Surrey Archaeological
Collections 79
(1989),
53-65.
SALLY WORRELL 287
colour fig. 2.
Langstone,
tankard
(No. 4).
Scale 1:2.
(Photo:
J.
Wild;
? National Museum and
Gallery of Wales)
strainers and shallow bowls of Roman
form, they
have
previously
been dated to the late first and
early
second centuries A.D.
However,
this
example
is decorated with a native or 'Celtic' triskele
design
and is fitted with a
suspension-ring indicating
it forms
part
of a set with the Iron
Age
bowls. A date of manufacture between c. A.D. 40 and A.D. 60 is
proposed
for the
strainer,
while
the hoard of bowls and strainer is
thought
to have been
deposited
c. A.D. 50-75. The tankard is
a
native form of vessel used for communal
drinking
of beer or cider and is
especially prevalent
across western Britain. It is one of
only
six known
complete surviving
tankards from Britain and
Ireland. Its
plain
handle and form
ally
it with
examples
of Class V tankards.14 The
existing parallels
are
thought
to
span
the mid-first to fourth centuries A.D. However a
close
parallel
for the tankard
handle comes from a well at the Roman fort of
Loughor, Swansea,
for which the
depositional
context is
thought
to date to the
early
to mid-second
century
A.D.,
suggesting
that this form of
tankard was made and in circulation c. A.D. 50-150. The tankard
(not Treasure)
has been
acquired
by
the National Museum of Wales which also
hopes
to
acquire
the bowls and strainer.
14
J.X.W.P.
Corcoran,
'Tankards and tankard handles of the British
Early
Iron
Age',
PPS 18
(1952),
93.
powys
(5)
Yscir
(NMGW-8487B1) (fig. l).15
An
incomplete, military, copper-alloy phalera
with
hinged pendant
from horse
harness,
dating
from the mid-second to third
century
a.d. The central
cruciform
component
has a domed boss and traces of white-metal
coating
between three sub
rectangular strap
attachments with scrolled
terminals,
each
containing
a
copper-alloy pin.
One
damaged copper-alloy junction loop
survives. A
rectangular, ridged panel
is located above a
hinge
which holds an
incomplete
harness
pendant
of
tear-drop
form. While numerous
pieces
of
military
harness are known from the first and
early
second
centuries,
few later
examples
have
been recorded. Prior to the Antonine
period,
the
loops
of
phalerae
were concealed. The
change
to
placing loops
around the
edge
of the
phalera,
as in this
example,
is also seen on a
phalera
with
junction loops
from
Newstead,
Scottish Borders.16
More
recently many
artefacts of Late Iron
Age
to Roman
date,
including
numerous Roman
military fittings (harness-strap fittings, pendants
and decorative
mounts)
have been recovered
from outside the Roman fort of Brecon Gaer at
Yscir, Powys.
The
assemblage
is
currently being
recorded and researched
by
the Portable
Antiquities
Scheme and it is
hoped
that
subsequent
fieldwork will
provide
further contextual information on the finds.
north yorkshire
(6)
Pickhill with
Roxby (LVPL-CB8B04) (fig. 2).17A
cast
copper-alloy tripod
mount in
the form of a female bust above a hollow base. Two
parallel
lines of
stamped
dots run across
the shoulders and
chest,
down both sides and across the waist. These
may
indicate a
garment,
FIG. 1.
Yscir, military
harness
phalera (No. 5).
Scale 1:1.
(Photo:
J. Wild. ? National Museum and
Gallery of Wales)
england
15
Found
by
D.
Hingley.
Recorded
by
M. Lodwick. This item has since been donated to Brecknock Museum.
16
M.C.
Bishop
and J.C.N.
Coulston,
Roman
Military Equipment from
the Punic Wars to the Fall
of
Rome
(2nd
edn, 2006), 145, fig.
90.
17
Found
by
M.
Simpson.
Recorded
by
F. Mclntosh and S. Worrell.
SALLY WORRELL 289
perhaps
a tunic. On the chest there are two rosette motifs formed
by
seven concentric
stamped
circles
surrounding
a central circular
stamp, possibly representing nipples.
The
body
is flat with
no musculature defined. The head is
disproportionately large
and the
physiognomy typically
'Celtic'
?
moulded
eyebrows, almond-shaped eyes
with a circular inset
representing
the
pupil,
a
long, wedge-shaped
nose in low
relief,
a slit for the
mouth,
and
triangular
recesses
representing
the ears. The
hairstyle
is also
distinctively
'Celtic' with the
cap
of hair brushed onto the forehead
in
straight oblique
lines and a middle
parting
indicated
by
a
groove.
A small circular hole on
the
top
of the head is of uncertain function. The
rectangular
base has four incised transverse
lines across the front and on both sides. On the back of the
mount,
there is an
integral, square
sectioned shank which extends
horizontally
from the centre of the
figure
and turns
upwards
at
right angles
to end in a
square
terminal. The
object
is 70 mm
high
and 38.5 mm wide.
This is the
eighth tripod
mount
depicting
an
anthropomorphic figure
to have been found in
FIG. 2. Pickhill with
Roxby, tripod
mount
(No. 6).
Scale 1:1.
(Drawn by
D.
Williams;
? D.
Williams)
colour fig. 3.
Brompton-on-Swale,
human ear from statue
(No. 7).
Scale 1:1
(Photo:
L.
Andrews-Wilson;
? L. Andrews-Wilson and York Museums
Trust)
SALLY WORRELL 291
Britain. Mounts
representing
Bacchus are known from
Birrens,
Dumfries and
Galloway, Lincoln,
Harlow
(Essex),
and
London;18
a further two
examples
recorded
by
the PAS were found at
Greetwell
(Lines.)19
and
Pocklington (E Yorks.) (YORYM-ECD06D2).
(7) Brompton
on Swale
(YORYM-08CBC4) (colour
fig.
3).20
A cast
copper-alloy,
full-size,
anatomically-correct
human
right
ear. The outer frame or helix is well-defined and the lobe is
joined
to the side of the face without a cleft. The hollow
portion
of the
upper
ear is
strongly
recessed and the back of the ear is well rounded. The inner surface is uneven. Strands of hair are
visible as moulded
wavy
lines in front of the ear. There is a small hole in the hair close to the ear.
The hair
style
is
very likely
to date the
object
to the second or third
century
a.d. The ear measures
80.6 mm
long,
54.3 mm
wide,
31.8 mm
thick,
and
weighs
256
g.
The
patina
is
mid-green-grey.
This
object
is a
significant
addition to the handful of
large-scale
bronze
statuary fragments
from Britain.
Apart
from three
fragments
from a
large
statue with neat
overlapping
curls
indicative of
a
Julio-Claudian
hairstyle
known from
Billingford, Norfolk,
other
examples
include
pieces
of
equestrian
statues from Asthill
(Norfolk),
Gloucester and Lincoln.21 Bronze
heads with naturalistic
physiognomy
known from Britain include the
mid-first-century
a.d. head
of Claudius from the River
Aide, Rendham,
Suffolk and the head of Hadrian from the Thames at
London.22 Other Roman finds found in the
vicinity
and recorded
by
the PAS include six denarii
of
Hadrian,
Marcus
Aurelius, Commodus, Septimius
Severus,
Caracalla and Geta.
east yorkshire
(8)
Kirk
Deighton (SWYOR-D1
BF
15) (colour
fig.
4;
fig.
3).23
An
oval, orange
carnelian
intaglio
with
slightly
convex
upper
surface and convex sides. The device is of a
parakeet
or
parrot
with an
upturned
tail and
holding
a
pair
of cherries in its mouth. The
intaglio
would
originally
have been set in the bezel of a
finger-ring.
It is 14.1 mm
long,
10.8 mm
wide,
5.5 mm
thick,
and
weighs
0.96
g.
It dates no later than the
early
second
century
a.d.
colour fig. 4
(above).
Kirk
Deighton, intaglio
with
parrot holding
cherries device
(No. 8).
Scale 2:1.
(Photo
S.
Laidlaw;
? S.
Laidlaw)
fig. 3
(right).
Kirk
Deighton, intaglio
with
parrot
holding
cherries device
(No. 8).
Scale 4:1.
(Drawn by
D.
Williams;
? D.
Williams)
18
A.S.
Robertson,
Birrens
(Blatobulgium) (1975), 117,
no.
2,
fig. 35;
RH.
Thompson,
'Some lost Roman bronzes from
Lincoln', Antiq.
Journ. 51
(1971), 100-3, pl.
25;
R.
Bartlett,
Roman
tripod
mount from Old
Harlow, Essex',
Essex Journal
20
(1985), 55-6;
M.
Henig,
Roman
tripod-mount
from the G.P.O.
site, London', Antiq.
Journ. 56
(1976),
248-9.
19
Worrell, op.
cit.
(note 1), 309,
no.
3, fig.
4.
20
Found
by
G. Walton. Identified
by
M.
Henig
and R. Jackson and recorded
by
L. Andrews-Wilson and S. Worrell.
21
M.
Henig,
Britannia 16
(1985), 293-4, pi.
24
b;
A.K.
Lawson, fragment
of life-size bronze
equine statuary
from
Asthill, Norfolk',
Britannia 17
(1986), 333-9;
M.
Henig, Corpus Signorum Imperil
Romani Great Britain I. 7
The Cotswold
Region
with Devon and Cornwall
(1993),
no. 178.
22
J.M.C.
Toynbee,
Art in Roman Britain
(1964),
46-8 and
50-1,
pis
iv and vi.
23
Found
by
B. Swainston. Identified
by
M.
Henig
and recorded
by
A.
Cooper.
Parrots as Bacchic
symbols
are
frequently depicted
on
gems,
but
examples holding
cherries
are rare. A
gold finger-ring
from
London,
now
lost,
was incised with a
parrot holding
cherries in
its beak24 and a
very
similar
intaglio,
but on red
jasper
and without the
cherries,
has been found
at
Castleford,
W Yorks.25 Birds are shown with cherries in their beaks
on stucco from Fishbourne
Roman
palace,
W Sussex.26
(9) Wetwang (YORYM-41CD72) (fig. 4).27
An
incomplete copper-alloy
dodecahedron. The
object
has
large spherical projections
at each corner and
large, irregularly
cut,
circular holes of
variable
sizes,
surrounded
by
incised
pentagonal
lines on some faces. One face is
completely
missing,
six faces are
complete,
and the
remaining
five faces are
incomplete.
The
object
is 50
mm
long,
82.4 mm
wide,
the maximum width of each face is 42
mm,
the maximum
length
of
each face is 38
mm,
and it
weighs
270
g.
Dodecahedra are known from sites across Rome's northern
provinces. Suggestions
as to their
purpose range
from use as
surveying instruments, candlesticks, polygonal
dice or a
game.28
Another dodecahedron has
recently
been recorded
by
the PAS from
Compton, Surrey (SUR
729950).
FIG. 4.
Wetwang,
dodecahedron
(No. 9).
Scale 1:2.
(Drawn by
D.
Andrews;
? D. Andrews and York Museums
Trust)
24
R.E.M.
Wheeler,
London in Roman Times
(1930), 98,
no.
3, fig. 30;
M.
Henig,
A
Corpus of
Roman
Engraved
Gemstones
from
British
Sites,
BAR 8
(3rd edn, 2007),
no. 779.
25
M.
Henig,
'The
intaglios
and
gold jewellery',
in H.E.M. Cool and C.
Philo,
Roman
Castleford
Volume I. The
Small Finds
(1998), 26,
no.
6, pi.
6.
26
B.
Cunliffe,
'Stucco and
painted plaster',
Excavations at Fishbourne 1961-69 Vol. II: The Finds
(1971), 50,
no.
1, fig.
26.
27
Found
by
T. Laverack. Recorded
by
L. Andrews-Wilson.
28
L. Allason-Jones and R.F.
Miket, Catalogue of
Small Finds
from
South Shields Roman Fort
(1984), 218-19,
no. 3.741.
SALLY WORRELL 293
cheshire
(10)
Dodcott cum
Wilkesley (LVPL-2092E5) (fig. 5).29
A
zoomorphic plate
brooch in the
form of a horse
walking
left. The
ground
is
represented by
a
strip
of horizontal metal cast with
the horse. The
right foreleg
is
mostly missing,
but a trace of it close to the head indicates that the
leg
was bent. The head is lowered as if
feeding,
with the neck arched and the short mane
depicted
by
incised lines. The intact
catchplate
is extended and the
hinged pin
which was
secured between
two
lugs by
an iron axis bar is now
missing.
Traces of
a
white-metal
coating
survive. The brooch
is 21 mm
high,
33 mm
wide,
3 mm
thick,
and
weighs
10
g. Although
no close
parallel
is known
from
Britain,
similar brooches are known from sites in
Hungary.30
Two other Roman brooches found in North-West
England
and recorded
by
PAS in 2008 are
a
kraftig-profilierte
brooch from
Atherton,
Greater Manchester
(LVPL-1B0623)
and a swastika
brooch from
Northwich,
Cheshire
(LVPL-F52FB5).
The three brooches are all
examples
of
types
which
originated
in Pann?nia and it is
very likely
that
they
were associated with
troops
raised or
previously
stationed in that
province.
fig. 5. Dodcott cum
Wilkesley,
horse brooch
(No. 10).
Scale 1:1.
(Drawn by
D.
Williams;
? D.
Williams)
LANCASHIRE
(11)
Lancaster
(LANCUM-7780D3) (fig. 6).31
A
second-century, copper-alloy
furniture
fitting
or mount in the form of a bust of Diana in her
capacity
as the
goddess
of
hunting.
The
elaborate
hairstyle
and facial features are similar to those
depicted
on the
figurine
of Diana from
Bassingbourn, Cambs.,
with drilled
eyes,
thick
lips,
a
splayed
lower nose and the hair drawn
up
29
Found
by
T. McCormick. Recorded
by
F. Mclntosh.
30
E.V.
Patek,
'Verbreitung
und Herkunft der r?mischen
Fibeltypen
von
Pannoni?n',
in Dissertationes Pannonicae
ser.
2, 19(1942), 219, pl. xix,
nos 11-13.
31
Found
by
.
Fieldhouse. Identified
by
M.
Henig
and recorded
by
D.
Boughton
and S. Worrell.
into two
top knots;
unlike the
Bassingbourn Diana,
the latter do not
appear
to be
pulled
into a
bun.32 The
garment, perhaps
a
chiton,
has
multiple
folds and the neck is bare. There is a
quiver
behind the
right
shoulder. The back of the mount is flat
except
for a
slight
hollow at its base with
possible
traces of
solder, indicating
that it was
probably
attached to a box or
piece
of furniture.
The
fitting
is 49.5 mm
long,
35 mm
wide,
15 mm
thick,
and
weighs
57.9
g.
Very
few metal votive
representations
of Diana are known from Britain.
Copper-alloy figurines
of the
goddess
are known from
Bassingbourn, Cirencester,
Wroxeter and
Exeter,
and a lead
figurine
from excavations at The
Lanes, Carlisle;33
in addition an
incomplete figurine, possibly
representing
Diana,
was found at North
Crawley,
Bucks.,
and recorded
by
PAS
(BUC-D17112).
FIG. 6.
Lancaster,
furniture
fitting depicting
Diana
(No. 11).
Scale 1:1.
(Drawn by
A.
Parsons;
? Lancashire
County Council)
NORTH LINCOLNSHIRE
(12)
Winterton
(NLM-F50443) (colour
fig.
5).34
An
incomplete copper-alloy pan
in
polychrome champlev?
enamel. The
body
of the
pan
is convex and one side has sustained some
damage;
the rim has been
pushed in,
no trace of a handle now
survives,
and the base is
missing.
The
body
is decorated with an enamelled
chequerboard pattern
of four rows and
thirty-three
columns of
square
cells.
Although
the enamel does not survive in all the
cells,
it is clear that
each row and column had
alternating red,
dark
blue, turquoise/pale blue,
and
yellow squares.
Diagonal
lines of the same-coloured cells
recur,
but there are insufficient columns for this
pattern
to be
fully repeated.
Much of the
light green patina
has worn off the inside of the bowl and on
the exterior of the rim. The bowl is 38 mm
high,
has a distorted external rim diameter
varying
between 51.5 mm and 92.5
mm,
the thickness of the rim is 1.8-2.6
mm,
and the base diameter is
58 mm. The vessel
weighs
112.6
g.
The form and colour used on the Winterton
pan
are
very
similar to the Staffordshire Moorlands
32
J.P.
Alcock,
'The
Bassingbourn
Diana: a
comparison
with other bronze
figurines
of Diana found in
Britain',
Proc. Camb.
Antiq.
Soc. 79
(1992), 40-1, fig.
1.
33
Alcock, op.
cit.
(note 32), 39-44;
M.R.
McCarthy,
T.G.
Padley
and M.
Henig,
'Excavations and finds from The
Lanes, Carlisle',
Britannia 13
(1982), 84-5, pi.
Ilia.
34
Found
by
Mr Hancock. Recorded
by
L. Staves and S. Worrell.
Acquired by
North Lincolnshire Museum.
SALLY WORRELL 295
Pan.35 Based
largely
on the
style
of
ornament,
enamelled
pans
have been classified into three
main
groups, plus
a
group
which does not fit within the classification. The Winterton
pan
fits
into this unclassified
group
and is
very
similar in form and decorative
style
to a
pan
with a bi
chrome
of blue on white enamel from
Bingen,
near
Mainz,
Germany.36
A
of
square
cells with
red,
blue and
green enamel, representing
Hadrian's
Wall,
is also found on the
Rudge cup,
and in
blue, red, green
and
yellow
enamel on a
container
in the form of a cockerel from
Cologne.37
colour fig. 5.
Winterton,
enamelled
pan (No. 12).
Scale 1:1.
(Photo:
L.
Staves;
? North Lincolnshire
Museum)
lincolnshire
(13)
Thonock
(LIN-D6E2B1) (colour
fig.
6;
fig.
7).38
An
incomplete, three-dimensional,
copper-alloy
enamelled
fish, perhaps
a vessel attachment or lock
bolt, dating
to the
early
second
colour fig. 6.
Thonock,
enamelled fish
(No. 13).
Scale 1:1.
(Photo:
A.
Daubney;
?A.
Daubney)
35
S.
Worrell,
reported
under the Portable
Britannia 35
(2004), 326,
no.
8,
frontispiece.
36
L.
Lindenschmit,
Alterthiimer Hi, i, 4,
no. 4. Pr?histoire ii
(1933), 116, fig. 28, 2;
C.N.
Moore,
'An enamelled
skillet-handle from
Brough-on-Fosse
and the distribution of similar
vessels',
Britannia 9
(1978), 326,
no. D.I.
37
Moore, op.
cit.
(note 36), 325,
no.
1, fig. 2.1;
H.
Menzel,
Die r?mischen Bronzen aus Deutschland III
(1966),
59,
no.
122,
Taf. 78.
38
Found
by
J. and L. Bennett. Identified
by
M.
Henig
and E.
Kiinzl,
recorded
by
S. Worrell and A.
Daubney.
century
A.D.39 The hollow fish is made
up
of two
joining halves,
one of which is
heavily damaged.
Each half contains traces of what
appears
to be solder on the internal surfaces at the head and
tail. The fish has a
triangular
lateral fin on each side and a
small, triangular
dorsal fin decorated
with
finely
incised lines. The base is flat and the
incomplete
tail is
mostly missing
on one side.
The
surviving
side of the tail curves
strongly upwards, terminating
in a
rounded
end,
but the tail
fin is
missing.
Situated below the fish's
gill,
the base has a
rectangular fitting (12
mm
long,
9
mm
wide,
1.5 mm
thick)
which
projects
from the
right
side. Close to the centre of the
fitting
are
three raised
square mouldings
set within a
slight
recess beneath the fish. There are
contiguous
mouldings
on the other half of the fish but there is no
sign
of a similar
projection
on the left side.
The
eyes
are
represented by
a central dot of blue enamel surrounded
by
a
ring
of black enamel.
The
gills
and mouth are also
depicted
in black enamel and the
body
and tail are decorated with
three or four rows of wide crescent
(half-moon)
cells filled with
green
enamel. The fish is 67 mm
long,
a maximum of 12 mm
wide,
and
weighs
10.06
g
and 9.5
g.
It has not been
possible
to find a direct
parallel
for this
object,
but its decoration is similar to
that on Romano-British enamelled vessels of K?nzl's neo-Celtic
style group,40
as seen on the
flask with crescent and
elongated triangle
cells in red and blue enamel from Catterick. Other
objects,
such as the cockerel with crescent and
triangular
cells
representing
feathers in
pale green
and
yellow
enamel found in
London,
also
carry
similar decoration.41
Although
the use of marine
animals as a decorative motif is common
?
dolphins being
the most distinctive and
frequently
fig. 7.
Thonock,
enamelled fish
(No. 13).
Scale 1:1.
(Drawn by
D.
Williams;
? D. Williams and Lincolnshire
County Council)
39
E.
K?nzl, pers.
comm.
40
E.
K?nzl, 'Gro?formatige Emailobjekte
der r?mischen
Kaiserzeit',
in S.T.A.M. Mols et al.
(eds),
Acta
of
the 12th
International
Congress
on Ancient
Bromes,
Nijmegen 1992,
Nederlandse Archeol.
Rapporten
18
(1995),
39-50.
41
L.
Allason-Jones,
5.2.4 Enamelled flask from Catterick
Bypass (Site 433)',
in RR.
Wilson,
Cataractonium:
Roman Catterick and its Hinterland. Excavations and
Research,
1958-1997 Part II
(2002), 78-80, fig. 268, pi. 96;
British
Museum,
A Guide to the
Antiquities of
Roman Britain in the
Department of
British and Medieval
Antiquities
(1922), 94, fig. 116;
E.
K?nzl,
'Enamelled bronzes from Roman Britain: Celtic art and tourist
knick-knacks',
Current
Archaeology
222
(September 2008),
22-7.
SALLY WORRELL 297
encountered
species
within Roman art
?
no direct
parallel
has been found. Enamelled brooches
sometimes take the form of a
fish,
but none has close similarities to this
example.
This fish
may
be a
gudgeon
or other
bottom-feeder,
but other identifications cannot be excluded: the flex in the
tail
might,
for
example,
be intended to
represent
a
leaping
movement.
The function of the
fitting
is uncertain. Three-dimensional handles
depicting dolphins,
attached
to vessels at the mouth and tail and also decorated with enamel
motifs,
are known from Verulamium
and from
Ambleteuse,
Pas-de-Calais
(a
two-handled
vessel),
but this
object
could not have served
this function.42
Although
not
contemporary,
a
similar
fish,
rendered in three dimensions and
identified as a rainbow trout or
salmonoid,
was associated with the
hanging
bowl from the Sutton
Hoo
ship
burial and connected to an escutcheon at the base of the bowl
by
a
pedestal.43
(14) Wellingore (LLN-2BE126) (fig. 8).44
An
incomplete copper-alloy, phallic type
amulet in
the form of a hand with the
fingers
clenched and the thumb thrust between the index and middle
finger making
the mano
fica gesture.
The sides of the hand are decorated with
longitudinal
grooves.
The hand
projects
from one end of a
straight-sided fitting
with a semi-circular
perforation
which curves down at the broken end. When
complete
the
perforation
would have been circular
and a
phallus
would have adorned the other terminal. The
object
is 42 mm
long,
20 mm
wide,
and 6 mm thick. An amulet similar to this
example
was found at 9 Blake
Street,
York.45 Other
examples
of this form of
phallic
amulet are
known from
military
contexts in Britain and on the
Continent, including
two
complete copper-alloy
amulets from Vienne and
Lyon.46
Both the
representation
of the mano
fica gesture
and the
phallus
are
apotropaic
in function.
Hand and
phallus
amulets are
usually
associated with the
early
Roman
army
but a
group
of five
was found with a bone needle in an infant burial
(no. 1)
at
Catterick,
Yorks.47
Wellingore,
hand and
phallus
amulet
fragment (No. 14).
I.
by
D.
Watt;
? D. Watt and Lincolnshire
County Council)
42
S.S.
Fr?re,
Verulamium Excavations
7(1972), 130-2,
no.
135, fig. 41; Moore, op.
cit.
(note 36), 326-7,
no.
8;
A.
Kaufmann-Heinimann,
G?tter und Lararien aus
Augusta
Raurica
Herstellung, Fundzusammenh?nge
und sakrale
Function
fig?rlicher
Bronzen in einer r?mischen
Stadt, Forschungen
in
?ugst
26
(1998), 235, GF13,
Abb. 186.
43
M.
Henig,
The Art
of
Roman Britain
(1995), 104-5;
R.
Bruce-Mitford,
The
Corpus of
Late Celtic
Hanging
Bowls
(2005), 263-4, figs 332-3, 341,
347.
44
Found
by
R. Teather. Recorded
by
A.
Daubney
and S. Worrell.
45
H.E.M.
Cool,
G.
Lloyd-Morgan
and A.D.
Hooley,
'The finds from 9 Blake
Street',
in Finds
from
the Fortress
(1995), pi. 538,
fig.
717.
46
S.
Boucher,
Inventaire des Collections
Publiques Fran?aises
no. 17:
Vienne,
Bronzes
Antiques (1971), 101,
no.
63 with
pl.;
S.
Boucher,
Bronzes romains
figur?s
du Mus?e des Beaux-Arts de
Lyon (1973), 178,
no. 312 with
pl.
47
I.J.
Lentowicz,
5.2.3
Copper-alloy objects
from Catterick
Bypass
and Catterick 1972
(Sites
433 and
434)',
in
Wilson, op.
cit.
(note 41), 68,
no. 244.
nottinghamshire
(15)
Orston
(DENO-CD8FB3) (colour
fig.
7).48
A
copper-alloy fitting depicting
the head
and neck of an
eagle griffin, perhaps
a vessel mount. The creature has a
sharply curving
'hooked'
beak,
with no
sign
of
nostrils,
and
pointed
ear-tufts. A
moulding
extends from the beak and
passes
below the
eye
to the ear. A raised oval
panel
on the
griffin's
head runs from between
the ear-tufts down the back of the neck to a
point
and is decorated with four
longitudinal
cells
depicting
feathers. Near the base of the
panel,
the feathers are inlaid with
pale
enamel,
either
white or
yellow.
Below the
griffin's
neck the mount
tapers
and two moulded
ridges
form a
triangular
cell on each side of a
sub-rectangular
cell. No traces of enamel or other
possible
settings
survive. The reverse of the mount is concave. It measures 42 mm
high,
28.9
mm
wide,
24.5 mm
deep,
and
weighs
24.8
g.
No close
parallel
for this
object
is
known,
but a
copper-alloy fitting probably
from a metal
vessel,
decorated with a
griffin's head,
occurs in the
high-status
burial at
Lexden,
Colchester.49
Griffin
iconography
is rare on Roman artefacts from
Britain,
but
examples
include a vehicle
mount
representing
the
foreparts
of a
griffin
from
Trawscoed, Merionethshire,50
and later Roman
razor handles.51
colour fig. 7.
Orston,
mount
depicting
the head and neck of a
griffin (No. 15).
Scale 1:1.
{Photo:
A.
Rohde;
?
Derby City Council)
48
Found
by
M. Wilson. Recorded
by
A. Rohde and S. Worrell.
49
E.M.
Jope, Early
Celtic Art in the British Isles
(2000), 270, pl. 180,
d-e.
50
J.L.
Davies,
bronze vehicle mount from
Trawscoed, Dyfed',
Britannia 18
(1987),
277-8.
51
G.
Boon,
"Tonsor hum?nus": razor and toilet-knife in
Antiquity',
Britannia 22
(1991),
25 and
28, fig. 3,
e.
SALLY WORRELL 299
shropshire
(16) Pontesbury (HESH-43BE84) (colour
fig.
8;
fig.
9).52
An
incomplete,
cast,
heavily
leaded,
copper-alloy
male bust
(61.5
mm
high,
a
maximum of 62.6 mm
wide,
26.3
mm
thick
and
weighing
239.5
g).
The solid head is
disproportionate
in size to the
body.
The
large eyes
are
almond-shaped
with small raised
pupils
and
clearly
defined
eyelids.
Beneath the broad
nose,
the
simple
mouth is
represented by
a
short,
horizontal line. The full hair is
swept
over the ears
to the
nape
of the neck and is defined
by
incised
curving
lines which extend back from the
high
forehead. The beard is
full,
close-cropped,
and in
places
defined
by stippling.
The moustache
is
long
and
drooping.
The small flat ears have little definition other than the
prominent
outer
frame. Both
incomplete
arms are
raised,
with the
right
arm crooked. There are incised chevrons
on the lower arm. The torso is
rectangular
and the front has cast decoration which
may represent
armour or
clothing, although
abrasion has removed much detail. The base is
relatively
flat with
a
sub-rectangular socket,
which is 22.8 mm
long,
4.6-6 mm
wide,
and 8.5-10 mm
deep.
This
socket
provides
the means for
fixing
the
figure
as a mount.
Its
style suggests
that the
object
dates from the Tetrarchie
period (A.D. 293-313),
when
very
short hair and beard were more
common,
as seen on the
porphyry
bust of Galerius in Cairo.53
It has not been
possible
to find
a
close
parallel
for this
object, although
the
portrait
has some
similarities with the bronze
figurine depicting
a late second- or
third-century
cuirassed
emperor,
also with
almond-shaped eyes, allegedly
from
England,
and a bust which
might portray
a
usurper
emperor
of the late third
century.54 Figurai
vehicle
fittings
with a
rectangular-socketed
base are
known from
Cologne
and this
object perhaps
served a similar function.55
colour fig. 8.
Pontesbury,
male bust
(No. 16).
Scale 1:1.
(Photo:
P.
Reavill;
? P. Reavill and
Birmingham City Council)
52
Found
by
.
Robinson. Identified
by
M.
Henig,
R. Jackson and S. Worrell and recorded
by
R Reavill.
53
K.
Weitzmann, Age of Spirituality.
Late
Antique
and
Early
Christian
Art,
Third to Seventh
Century (1979), 12,
no. 5.
54
D.G. Mitten and S.F.
Doeringer,
Master Bronzes
from
the Classical World
{1967-1968), 285,
no.
279; Toynbee,
op. cit, (note 22), 125,
no.
5, pi.
5.
55
Menzel, op.
cit.
(note 37), 170-1,
nos
473-4,
Taf. 144.
FIG. 9. Pontesbury, male bust (No. 16). Scale 1:1. (Drawn by L. Chapman; ? L. Chapman and Birmingham City Council)
SALLY WORRELL 301
warwickshire
(17)
Tanworth in Arden
(WAW-C54295) (fig. IO).56
A
copper-alloy figurine representing
a
female
wearing
a crested
helmet, probably Minerva,
but in a
very
unusual stance. The
figurine
is 53.2 mm
long,
25.6 mm
wide,
and
weighs
21.4
g.
The
upper body
and head are bent back
at the
shoulders;
the
legs
are truncated but
widely splayed
as if
straddling
a horse. The lower
body
is naked and the
hips very
wide. The
V-shaped
line across them indicates the crotch and
the buttocks and
prominent
labia are also
emphasised.
The waist is narrow and there are
slight
indications of breasts. The reverse surface of the
upper body
is covered with a
grid
of incised
horizontal and vertical lines
suggesting
scale
armour,
while the vertical lines on the lower
body
may represent
the
pleats
of a
military
tunic. A curved line
represents
a collar and the sleeves are
wide and
appear
to end at the elbow. The
right
arm extends outwards and is bent at the
elbow;
it ends in a
large
fist that is
likely
to have held a
weapon.
The left arm is truncated. The head
is
disproportionately
small and the
face, though
worn, appears
feminine. No direct
parallel
for
this
presumably
insular
figurine, perhaps representing
an
equestrian
Minerva identified with the
Celtic
goddess Epona,
is known. The
figure
has a
possible counterpart
in the
equestrian figurines
fig. 10. Tanworth in
Arden, equestrian
Minerva
figurine (No. 17).
Scale 1:1.
(Drawn by
K.
Leahy;
? K.
Leahy)
BUCKINGHAMSHIRE
(18) Cholesbury (BUC-F16307) (colour
fig.
9;
fig.
II).58
An
unusual,
first- to second
century
A.D.,
copper-alloy
harness
fitting,
which in
general
form
closely
resembles
a
pole
mounted terret. The
hoop
is formed
by
a
graceful
curve which ends in two
opposing
horse
heads,
joined
at the back of the neck. This is attached to a broad transverse
moulding
above the base
or 'skirt'. The lower
jaw
of each animal is cast
integrally
with the neck and chest and there is a
circular
perforation
behind each lower
jaw.
The
almond-shaped eyes protrude slightly
and are
56
Found
by
T. Smith. Recorded
by
K.
Leahy.
57
Worrell, op.
cit.
(note 1), 328-9,
no.
25, figs
26a-c.
58
Found
by
R Elborn. Recorded
by
S. Worrell and R.
Tyrell.
outlined
by
a narrow linear border. Between the ears on each head is
a circular
perforation,
the
function of which is unknown. The mouths are
represented by
a short horizontal
line,
and there
is
slight
wear on the rounded muzzles. The skirt is
scalloped
in
shape
and is decorated with
four
pairs
of incised lines
extending
from the
moulding.
Its
edges
are notched to
give
a
regular
patterned edge,
which is
considerably
worn in
places.
It is
likely
that each corner would have
terminated in a
rounded
knop:
traces of two survive. Beneath the skirt a mass of iron corrosion
obscures the detail of the
missing
mount for attachment. The
object
is 46.5 mm
high,
35.1 mm
wide,
4 mm
thick,
and
weighs
54
g.
The form of the
Cholesbury fitting
is difficult to
parallel.
The
hoop's
small internal diameter
(11 mm) suggests
that this
object
is
unlikely
to have been used as a
rein-guide.
However it is
very likely
that it functioned as a
harness-fitting
to secure a leather
strap.
Other
similarly-sized
objects,
with
loops
with internal diameters
ranging
from 12 to 19.8
mm,
and
presumably
of a
comparable
function,
have been recorded
by
PAS from North
Thoresby,
Lines.
(LIN-FFF1B4),
and Wickham
Skeith,
Suffolk
(SF-6C4522).
Excluding figurai pieces,
the horse as a decorative form or motif is not common in
early
Roman
Britain.
Apart
from the
possible
furniture mount with a
single
horse's head from
Wroxeter,59
the
majority
of
examples
occur on harness
equipment
and include a
vehicle
fitting
from
Vindolanda,
martingale fittings
with three circular
loops
and a central horse's head from
Richborough,
Soham, Cambs.,
and
Cirencester,
and
an
openwork
disc with a
standing
horse within it from
colour fig. 9.
Cholesbury,
harness
fitting (No. 18).
Scale 1:1.
{Photo:
R.
Tyrell;
? R.
Tyrell
and
Buckinghamshire County Council)
59
J.P.
Bushe-Foxe,
Third
Report
on the Excavations on the Site
of
the Roman Town at Wroxeter
Shropshire
1914
(1916), 31,
no.
1, pi.
20.
SALLY WORRELL 303
Cottenham,
Cambs.60 Other items of
first-century
harness
equipment
with
zoomorphic
ornament,
often
representing
a
pair
of
animals,
include the terret with two confronted
dolphin
heads and
a
linchpin
with two
heavily-collared dog's
heads and a boar's head between from Colchester.61
Although
on the Continent items of harness
equipment depicting
horses are not
common,
a
number of vehicle mounts are known.
Examples
include
a
pair
of
polygonal
mounts,
each with
the head and neck of a
horse,
in the National
Museum, Sofia,
a mount
supporting
two adorsed
horse's heads and necks in the
Hermitage
Museum,
Leningrad,
and other instances from
Rome,
France and
Spain.62
fig. 11.
Cholesbury,
harness
fitting (No. 18).
Scale 1:1.
(Drawn by
D.
Williams;
? D. Williams and
(19)
Ravenstone
(BUC-FE7F61) (fig. 12).63
A
continental,
composite
disc brooch with a
complex
enamel
design.
The main
plate
is
circular,
19.9 mm in
diameter,
with a hollow back. A
raised
flat,
circular
plate
at the centre has a diameter of 11.3 mm. This inner
plate
is decorated
with alternate
wedges
of
turquoise
and dark red enamel which radiate from a
central,
recessed
circular cell.
Originally
this
probably
contained
enamel,
but no trace of this now survives.
Around the raised
plate
is a concentric border of
closely-spaced, stamped, ring-and-dot
motifs,
of which eleven survive enclosed
by
a
circle formed
by
short
oblique
incised lines. This
plate
is
60
J.M.C.
Toynbee
and A.
Wilkins,
'The Vindolanda
horse',
Britannia 13
(1982),
245-5 1 ;
.
Cunliffe,
Fifth Report
on the Excavations
of
the Roman Fort at
Richborough, Kent,
Rep.
Res. Comm. Soc.
Antiq.
23
(1968), 104,
no.
208,
pi. xlvii;
A.
Taylor, 'Prehistoric, Roman,
Saxon and Medieval artifacts from the southern Fen
edge, Cambridgeshire',
Proc. Camb.
Antiq.
Soc. 74
(1987), 6-7,
nos
15, 17, fig.
2;
G.
Webster,
'Gazeteer of
military objects
from
Cirencester',
in J. Wacher and A.
McWhirr, Early
Roman
Occupation
at Cirencester
(1982),
109,
no.
99, fig.
35.
61
C.F.C. Hawkes and M.R.
Hull,
Camulodunum First
Report
on the Excavations at Colchester 1930-1939,
(1947), 331,
nos
6-7, pl.
xcix.
62
Toynbee
and
Wilkins, op.
cit
(note 60), 250-1, pis
XXIV-XXV.
63
Found
by
E. Baker. Recorded
by
R.
Tyrell
and S. Worrell.
surrounded
by
four smaller
discs,
each 11.4 mm in
diameter,
which in turn have three
projecting
rounded
lugs.
Each disc is
similarly
decorated with a cross
design
in blue and white millefiori
enamel,
with
degraded, possibly
red enamel in each
quadrant.
One of the twelve
surrounding
lugs
is
missing,
but traces of red enamel survive in
many
of the others. The
missing hinged pin
was secured between two
lugs
and the intact
catch-plate
has a circular
perforation.
The brooch
is 50.4 mm
long,
46.3 mm wide and 2.1 mm thick. It is difficult to
provide
a close
parallel
for
this
brooch,
but disc brooches with a stud and millefiori or mosaic enamel are known from
Richborough,
Colchester and
Puckeridge-Braughing.64
In
addition, examples
closer in
style
to
the Ravenstone brooch are known on the
Continent,
for
example
brooches of Riha's
Type
7 from
Augst
and
Ettlinger's Type
45 from sites in Switzerland.65
fig. 12.
Ravenstone,
Continental
composite
disc brooch
(No. 19).
Scale 1:1.
(Drawn by
D.
Williams;
? D. Williams and
NORFOLK
(20) Beighton (NMS-1CFD67) (fig. 13).66
A
large copper-alloy figurine
of
Mars,
142 mm
high
and 68 mm
wide. The
god
is beardless and has thick hair which flows in waves down the
back of his neck and is covered
by
a
large,
Corinthian helmet. He wears a cuirass with a curved
dipping
rim across the
abdomen,
which terminates in two rows of scale
pteryges,
either of metal
or
leather,
over a
knee-length
tunic. The
deity
stands with an outstretched
right
arm,
the left
being
broken a little above the elbow. The
right
hand is
likely originally
to have held a
spear.
The
straight right leg
is broken
just
above the
ankle;
the left
leg
is
complete
with the knee bent
forwards. While the
legs
are somewhat
crudely rendered,
the torso and the details of cuirass and
drapery
are better modelled. There is
heavy
accretion on the
upper part
of the
figurine
which
64
J.
Bayley
and S.
Butcher,
Roman Brooches in Britain: A
Technological
and
Typological Study
based on the
Richborough Collection, Rep.
Res. Comm. Soc.
Antiq.
68
(2004), 129,
no.
369, fig. 98; Crummy, op.
cit.
(note 2), 17,
no.
83, fig. 14;
A.
Olivier,
'The
brooches',
in T. Potter and S.
Trow,
Puckeridge-Braughing, Hertfordshire
the Ermine
Street Excavations
1971-1977,
Hertfordshire
Archaeology
10
(1988), 50,
no.
72, fig.
21.
65
E.
Riha,
Die r?mischen Fibeln aus
?ugst
und
Kaiseraugst (1979),
taf.
65,
nos
1695-9;
E.
Ettlinger,
Die
r?mischen Fibeln in der Schweiz
(1973),
taf.
14,
no. 15.
66
Found
by
D. Clarke. Recorded
by
A. Marsden and S. Worrell.
SALLY WORRELL 305
obscures the
appearance
of the face and
right
arm and hand. Its
weight suggests
a
highly-leaded
copper-alloy,
as indeed does the colour of the metal on a scuffed area on the
figurine's
back. The
quality
of the
piece,
of
competent though
not excellent
workmanship, may suggest
that it is a
product
of a Romano-British
workshop.
Other
large figurines
of Mars include
examples
from the Foss
Dyke,
Lines.,
Barkway,
Herts.,
and
Bury
St
Edmunds,
Suffolk.67 A
fragment measuring
62 mm in
length
and
consisting
of
only
the helmet crest from
a
large figurine
of Mars
(or Minerva)
was found in
Kirtling,
Cambs.
(PAS:
SF-1BF426).
The
standing
Mars is a common
figurine type
in Britain. For
example,
fourteen
figurines, generally
less than 100 mm
high,
have been recorded
by
the PAS between October
1997 and June 2009. Of
these,
six are naked while
eight
are
wearing military dress,
twelve are
depicted wearing
helmets and two have
caps.
fig. 13.
Beighton,
Mars
figurine (No. 20).
Scale 1:2.
(Drawn by
J.
Gibbons;
?
Norfolk Landscape Archaeology)
(21)
Caistor St Edmund
(NMS-47EB06) (fig. 14).68
Two circular-sectioned
fragments
of
possible copper-alloy
furniture
legs.
Both are lathe-turned and broken at either
end,
and
although
not
identical,
are of similar form and
proportions.
The shaft of the
larger piece has,
at its broken
upper end,
a diameter of 10 mm and two
engraved
lines before
swelling
to form
a
baluster
like
moulding
with a diameter of 19 mm and a
single engraved
line. Below
this,
the shaft has
a diameter of 10 mm and a collar above an
engraved
line. The conical
expansion
at the lower
67
Toynbee, op.
cit.
(note 22), 131,
no.
17, pl. 19;
M.
Henig, Religion
in Roman Britain
(1984), 54,
pl. 15; 50,
pl.
12;
M.J.
Green,
A
Corpus of Religious
Material
from
the Civilian Areas
of
Roman
Britain,
BAR 24
(1976), 214, pi. 2,
a.
68
Found
by
M. Turner. Recorded
by
S.
Ashley.
terminal has a
diameter of 18 mm
and the broken
stump
of a
narrowed
projection
on the base
with a
diameter of 9 mm. The
object
is >52 mm
long.
The smaller
fragment
is >39 mm
long
and is
very
similar in form to the
larger.
The
top
of the
shaft is 10 mm in diameter and is decorated with two
engraved
lines. The baluster-like
moulding
has a diameter of 19 mm and a
single engraved line,
and below the shaft continues with a
diameter of 10 mm.
It is
possible
that both
objects
are
parts
of couch
legs,
familiar from Roman reliefs
depicting
funeral
banquet
scenes,
such as the couch on which Aelia Aeliana reclines on a York tombstone
or
examples
from Chester.69 The wooden furniture
fragments
from
Scole, Norfolk,
include a
fragment
of a
lathe-turned
leg
with a baluster
moulding
in a similar
style
to these
copper-alloy
fragments
from Caistor St Edmund.70
(22) Sculthorpe (NMS-65D691) (fig. 15).71
The
counter-plate
from an elaborate
military
belt set of late fourth- to
early fifth-century
date. It
comprises
a
five-sided front
plate
with a
triangular
terminal at its
apex.
There is a
perforation
in the outer foil of the
terminal,
and one
smaller
perforation
and one
incomplete
blind hole in the two
remaining
foils. Both sides of
the
plate
have been cut down in
antiquity.
The
elaborate,
chip-carved, geometric
decoration
comprises,
on the
(originally) rectangular
half of the
plate,
two
rectangular panels containing
running
scrolls between what remains of four
square panels,
each of which contains a swastika.
The
triangular
section of the
plate
has a central
panel containing
a
rosette,
within
small,
sub
triangular geometric panels
and
bordering
lines of
punched
dots. There are twin rivet-holes at
the
worn,
straight
outer
edge
with transverse notches. One rivet-hole contains
a
copper-alloy
rivet that retains a
fragment
of the
triangular back-plate
on the reverse. Part of the terminal of
the
back-plate,
now
separated
from the other
fragment,
remains attached
by
solder to the reverse
of the
front-plate.
FIG. 14. Caistor St
Edmund,
furniture
legs
(No. 21).
Scale 1:1.
(Drawn by
J.
Gibbons;
?
Norfolk Landscape
Archaeology)
69
J.
Liversidge,
Furniture in Roman Britain
(1955), fig. 9,
nos
1,11.
70
J.
Liversidge,
'Wooden furniture
fragments',
in A.
Rogerson,
Excavations at Scole
1973,
East
Anglian
Archaeology
5
(1977), 204-6,
no.
1, fig.
87.
71
Found
by
V. Butler. Identified
by
S.
Ashley
and B.
Ager.
Recorded
by
S.
Ashley.
SALLY WORRELL 307
The mount
may
have been cut down for use as a different form of
fitting,
like those with a
pentagonal plan
from Bad Kreuznach and
Tamuda,72
or less
plausibly
as a
strap-end
similar to
the
example
from Rhenen and
Samson,
but the
buckle-loop
would have been
quite large.73
fig. 15.
Sculthorpe,
Late Roman to
early Anglo-Saxon
strap fitting (No. 22).
Scale 1:1.
(Drawn by
J.
Gibbons;
?
Norfolk Landscape
Archaeology)
suffolk
(23-24) Barking (SF-3820E3
and
SF-A53C93) (figs 16-17).74
Two
copper-alloy figurines
of cult animals associated with
Mercury,
a
near-complete standing goat (No. 23)
and a
tortoise/
turtle
(No. 24),
found
approximately
3 km
apart.
(23)
The
goat figurine,
rendered in a
simplified style,
is 33.5 mm
long,
32.8 mm
high,
11.3
mm
wide,
and
weighs
23.2
g.
The head is
large
in
comparison
with the
body
and tilts forward
72
H.
Bullinger, Sp?tantike G?rtelbeschl?ge: Typen, Herstellung, Trageweise
und
Datierung (1969),
Taf.
9,
nos
4-5.
73
H.W.
B?hme,
Germanische
Grabfunde
des 4. bis 5. Jahrhunderts zwischen unterer Elbe und Loire
(1974),
Taf.
68.6 and 98. 17.
74
Found
by
T. Ransome and C. Noble. Recorded
by
A. Brown and S. Worrell.
slightly, giving
the
impression
that the
goat
is
butting.
The front of the head is
flattened,
the
eyes
are
pointed ovals,
the small oval ears
project horizontally,
and the
incomplete
horns
curve
backwards. The neck is thick and the
body
narrow,
with each
pair
of
legs represented by
a
single,
solid
rectangular projection
with a flat base and small circular
depression
to front and back. The
tail is
represented by
a
short,
semi-circular
projection.
The coat is
depicted by short,
incised
vertical
grooves.
(24)
The tortoise or turtle
figurine
has
a
sub-oval convex
body
with a flat underside. It
appears
to have been
free-standing.
On each side of the shell are two
small,
semi-circular
knops
that
represent
the front and back
legs.
The head is turned to one side and a short
projection opposite
represents
the tail. The shell is decorated with an incised lattice. The
object
is 21.6 mm
long,
15.8 mm
wide,
5.4 mm
thick,
and
weighs
5.8
g.
Figurines
of tortoises and turtles are rare in Britain. Other
examples
include the tortoise/turtle
with more detailed
rendering
of the head and shell from a mid-second- to
third-century
context
at Colchester and the
tortoise, goat
and cockerel
figures accompanying
the bronze
figurine
of
Mercury
from
King Harry Lane,
Verulamium.75 A small silver
figurine
of
Harpocrates
found
in the Thames at London is shown with the attributes of other
gods
and is
accompanied by
a
tortoise, dog
and hawk.76 Tortoise
figurines
are also known from continental
Europe, including
examples
from Hainault and
Bavai, Belgium,
and
Vallon,
Switzerland.77
Figurines representing Mercury's zoomorphic
attributes
are common finds.
Thirty-two
have
been recorded
by
PAS to June
2009, consisting
of sixteen
cockerels,
ten
goats,
five
rams,
and one
tortoise. Of
these, twenty-two
were found in East
Anglia
and the East Midlands.
fig. 16.
Barking, goat figurine (No. 23).
Scale 1:1.
(Drawn by
D.
Wreathall;
?
Suffolk County Council)
fig. 17.
Barking,
tortoise
figurine (No. 24).
Scale 1:1.
(Drawn by
D.
Wreathall;
?
Suffolk County Council)
75
Crummy, op.
cit.
(note 2), 143,
no.
4237, fig. 173;
L.
Pitts,
Roman Bronze
Figurines from
the Civitates
of
the
Catuvellauni and
Trinovantes,
BAR 60
(1979), 57,
no.
39, pl.
12.
76
T.W.
Potter,
Roman Britain
(2nd edn, 1997), 82, fig.
77.
77
G.M.
Faider-Feytmans,
Recueil des bronzes de Bavai
(1957), 96-7,
nos
116-17; Kaufmann-Heinimann, op.
cit.
(note 42), 237, 285, GF16, GF83,
Abb.
189, 285,
248.
SALLY WORRELL 309
ESSEX
(25)
Colchester
(ESS-A60B25) (fig. 18).78
A
small, copper-alloy figurine
of a
realistically
rendered wild
boar, standing
on a
sub-rectangular
base. The
figurine
is 32 mm
long,
6.8 mm
wide,
21.5 mm
tall;
the base measures 16.3 mm
long
and 8.6 mm
wide;
the
object weighs
13.5
g.
The snout is flat-ended and
upturned
?
a feature more reminiscent of a domesticated
pig
than
a wild boar
?
as also seen on
figurines
from
Hounslow,
the Gower
peninsula,
Muntham
Court,
W
Sussex, Chesters,
Aldborough, Colchester,
and Camerton
?
the last
being stylistically
the
closest to this
figurine.79
The short tusks are
prominent
and incised lines
represent
the
eyes
and
hair. The
sub-rectangular
ears are
upright
with a small
depression
at the front. On the
stylised
dorsal
crest,
the bristles are indicated
by slightly curved,
incised lines which
slope
forwards. The
poorly
modelled tail is similar in
style
to that on the Iron
Age
boar
figurine
from
Woodingdean,
E Sussex.80 The fore
legs
are
angled slightly
backwards and the hind
legs
are bent with a
slight
casting
flaw between them. The hooves are cast
directly
onto the
base,
which is worn and
damaged
around the
edges. Unusually,
the udder is
clearly
shown beneath the
belly
and this is
the first
example depicting
a female wild boar.
Twenty-two
wild boar
figurines
were
published
by
Foster in 1977 and an additional
eight figurines
have been recorded
by
PAS.
FIG. 18.
Colchester,
wild boar
figurine (No. 25).
Scale 1:1.
(Photo:
L.
McLean;
? L. McLean and Essex
County Council)
greater LONDON
(26)
Wandsworth
(LON-A96FC4) (fig. 19).81
A
copper-alloy, early post-Conquest, pelta
shaped plate
brooch of Hull's
Type
235.82 The
tips
of the
crescent-shaped plate
curve inwards
and abut and each terminal bears
a
stamped ring-and-dot
motif.
Projecting
from each side is a
rounded
knop,
also decorated with a
ring-and-dot
motif. On the
upper edge
and
opposite
the
crescent
tips
are two
close-set,
perforated lugs.
The front surface is decorated with a circular
motif,
with a beaded
ring
in the circular
depression
and a
copper
rivet in the centre. The intact
hinged pin
is secured between two
lugs
but the iron axis bar is now corroded. The brooch is 36.5
mm
long,
32.8 mm
wide,
1.6 mm
thick,
and
weighs
6.1
g.
78
Found
by
J. Brown. Recorded
by
L. McLean and S. Worrell.
79
J.
Foster,
Bronze Boar
Figurines
in Iron
Age
and Roman
Britain,
BAR 39
(1977), figs 5, 6, 8-12;
R.
Jackson,
Camerton: The Late Iron
Age
and
Early
Roman Metalwork
(1990), 26-7, pl.
1.
80
Foster, op.
cit.
(note 79), 30,
no.
6, pi.
5.
81
Found
by
B. Wells. Recorded
by
K. Sumnall and S. Worrell.
82
M.R.
Hull,
Brooches in Pre-Roman and Roman
Britain,
G.M.
Simpson,
N.
Crummy
and B. Blance
(eds)
(forthcoming).
Brooches of this
type
?
in common with other
Conquest-period plate
brooches
?
have
thin,
flat
plates
and are
usually
tinned.83
Only
a
very
small number are known from
Britain, including
two,
each with a
pair
of lunate
openings,
from Colchester.84 This brooch
type
is more common
on the
Continent,
with
examples
known from
France, Switzerland, Germany
and
Hungary.
A
very
similar brooch of
Feug?re's Type
24dl from
L?zignan (Corbi?res, France)
also has a
copper
alloy
bar with knobbed terminals threaded
through
the
lugs
on its
upper
edge.85
wiltshire
(27) Longbridge
Deverill
(HAMP-34EBF6) (fig. 20).86
A substantial Late Roman buckle
frame of a variant of a Hawkes and
Dunning Type
IIA buckle.87 The
incomplete
frame
depicts
a
well-rendered human head between a
pair
of confronted
dolphins'jaws
whose tails make involuted
terminals. The 'Celtic'
cap
of hair is moulded and incised lines show the hair
converging
at the
back,
before
splaying
out below. The
eyes
are
pointed
ovals and the mouth a
simple
horizontal
line;
most of the nose has been lost to corrosion. On both surfaces a
deep V-shape
incision
below the head defines the bust. The
dolphin
heads are
equally well-moulded,
with the
upper
'lips' curling up
and
adjoining
the human head. There are drilled holes in the lower
parts
of both
jaws
and
punched ring-and-dot
motifs for the
eyes.
As with the human
head,
the
dolphins
are
decorated on both
sides,
which is an
atypical
feature since the reverse of most
Type
II buckles
is flat and undecorated.
The
dolphins'
bodies are decorated
by
incised lines and
punched
crescent-and-dot
stamps
?
the latter on the front surface
only.
It has been
suggested
that the crescent-and-dot
stamps might
represent
scale armour on the shoulders of a
soldier,
rather than
forming part
of the
dolphins'
bodies.88
Protruding
at
right angles
from the side of the frame are two
perforated
circular
lugs
retaining
traces of the corroded iron axis bar which would have held the
pin,
now
missing.
None
of the known
examples
matches the
moulding
or decoration of this artefact.89
83
Bayley
and
Butcher, op.
cit.
(note 64),
155.
84
Hawkes and
Hull, op.
cit.
(note 61), pi. 98,
nos 170-3.
85
M.
Feug?re,
Les Fibules en Gaule M?ridionale de la
conqu?te
? la
fin
du V si?cle
ap.
J.-C.
(1985), 340,
pl.
147,
no. 1854.
86
Found
by
S. Cole. Recorded
by
R.
Webley.
87
S.C. Hawkes and G.C.
Dunning,
'Soldiers and settlers in
Britain,
fourth to fifth
century:
with a
catalogue
of
animal-ornamented buckles and related
belt-fittings',
Medieval
Archaeology
5
(1961), 50-7, figs
17-18.
88
S.
Laycock, pers.
comm.
89
A.
Appels
and S.
Laycock,
Roman Buckles and
Military Fittings (2007),
191ff.
SALLY WORRELL 311
FIG. 20.
Longbridge Deverill,
Hawkes and
Dunning Type
IIA buckle frame
(No. 27).
Scale 1:1.
(Drawn by
A. Cracknel
I;
? Winchester Museums
Service)
CORNWALL
(28)
Maker with Rame
(CORN-955DE8;
2008
T782) (fig. 21).90
A
gold crescent-shaped
pendant amulet,
which
closely
resembles the
pestle component
of Late Iron
Age
and Romano
British
centre-looped
cosmetic sets.91 The
object
has a
central,
bi-conical
suspension-loop
and
a keeled
bar,
with seven linear facets
running along
the
length
of the
boat-shaped body
and a
ridge
at the base. The bead or
loop
is hollow and made in two
parts
which have been soldered
together
and then attached to the
body
of the
amulet,
again
with solder. The solder
might
have
been an
alloy
of
gold
and silver which would have lowered the
melting point
to allow the two
parts toj?in together.
The
suspension-loop
is
perpendicular
to the
body
of the
amulet,
which is
unusual for most
examples
run
parallel.
This would have allowed the amulet to be
suspended
as
a
pendant
around the neck so that it could lie flat
against
the chest.
fig. 21. Maker with
Rame, crescent-shaped pendant
amulet
(No. 28).
Scale 1:1.
(Drawn by
D.
Williams;
? D.
Williams)
90
Found
by
C.
Budding.
Identified
by
R. Jackson. Recorded
by
R. Jackson and A.
Tyacke.
91
R.
Jackson,
'Cosmetic sets from Late Iron
Age
and Roman
Britain',
Britannia 16
(1985), 165-92; Worrell, op.
cit.
(note 6).
The
primary
function of cosmetic sets is
thought
to be for the
preparation
of
powdered
cosmetics,
but their form and decoration would
appear
to have imbued them with additional roles
relating
to
status,
identity, protection
and
fertility.
This
pendant,
an item of
jewellery seemingly
made as a conscious imitation of a cosmetic
set,
is
likely
to have shared the ornamental and
amuletic
roles,
but not the function. It
may
have been used to
represent
such an
implement,
as
a
symbol, especially
since it is made of
gold.
The
object
is 34.6 mm
long,
7 mm
wide,
10.9 mm
thick,
and
weighs
5.7
g.
Portable
Antiquities
Scheme,
Institute
of Archaeology,
31-34 Gordon
Square,
London WC1HOPY
s.worrell@ucl.ac.uk
This
paper
is
published
with the aid
of
a
grant from
the Portable
Antiquities
Scheme
III.
Inscriptions1
By
R.S.O. TOMLIN
A. MONUMENTAL
1. Coombe
Keynes (SY
843
841),
Dorset
(fig. 1).
Part of a slab of local Purbeck
limestone,
0.35
by
0.48/0.53
m,
0.04 m
thick,
found2 in 2007 while
clearing
the
boundary hedge
of the
cottage
'Mini Nod'. Inscribed in
irregular
letters:
[...]VIA | [...]MARCI |
vacai,
perhaps [D(is)
M(anibus) Fla]via \ [uxor] Marci,
or similar. 'To the Shades of the Dead. Flavia the wife of
Marcus.
'3
^
fig. 1. Coombe
Keynes,
tombstone
(No. 1).
Width 0.35 m.
(Drawn by
R.S.O.
Tomiin) [
1
Inscriptions
on STONE have been
arranged
as in the order followed
by
R.G.
Collingwood
and R.P.
Wright
in
The Roman
Inscriptions of
Britain Vol. i
(Oxford, 1965),
henceforth cited as RIB. Citation is
by
item and not
page
number.
Inscriptions
on PERSONAL BELONGINGS and the like
(instrumentum domesticum)
have been
arranged
alphabetically by
site under their counties. For each site
they
have been ordered as in
RIB, pp.
xiii-xiv. The items
of instrumentum domesticum
published
in the
eight
fascicules of RIB II
(1990-95),
edited
by
S.S. Frere and R.S.O.
Tomiin,
are cited
by fascicule, by
the number of their
category (RIB 2401-2505)
and
by
their sub-number within it
(e.g.
RIB
11.2,
2415.53).
When measurements are
quoted,
the width
precedes
the
height.
2
By
Adam
Surrey,
who informed Dorset
County Museum,
Dorchester
(entry 6339).
He took RSOT to the find
spot
where the landowner has now cemented it into a
patch
of
crazy paving, incidentally breaking
it into three
pieces.
The
village
has no Roman
associations,
but is
only
c. 1.5 km SSE of the
find-spot
of the Wool tombstone
(Britannia
31
(2000), 433,
No. 2
=
RIB
III, 3046).
3
The
diagonal
break in the first line
suggests
that the
previous
letter was
A,
which is
inherently probable,
but
there is no
sign
of the incision. Flavia is much the most
likely
name,
but Octavia is also
possible.
If not the wife of
Marcus,
she was his
daughter (filia, perhaps abbreviated),
but the
spacing
would be less neat.
? World
copyright
Society
2. Caerleon
(Isca,
ST 3392
9046), Priory Field,
within the
legionary
fortress
(fig. 2). Building
stone of red
sandstone,
0.45
by
0.305
m,
tapering
in thickness from 0.14 m
(left)
to 0.17 m
(right),
found4 in 2008 unstratified in stone debris
just
below the turf. Inscribed within a
recessed
panel
in well-drawn letters now rather worn: 7 FLAVI
|
RVFI
|
,
(centuria)
Flavi
\ Rufi \
p(rimi) p(ili).
'The
century
of Flavius
Rufus, primus pilus, (built this).'5
fig. 2.
Caerleon, building-stone (No. 2).
Width 0.45 m.
(Drawn by
R.S.O.
Tomiin)
4
During
excavation
by
Cardiff
University
and
University College, London,
directed
by
Dr Peter Guest and Dr
Andrew Gardner for Cadw and the Roman
Legionary Museum,
Caerleon. See Current
Archaeology
226
(Jan. 2009),
37 with
fig.
The stone is now
displayed
in Caerleon
Museum,
where Julie
Reynolds
made it available. The surface is
somewhat
pitted
and
worn, and the
triangular
mark to the left of is
probably
casual
damage.
5
The
lettering
cannot be dated
closely
but is c. A.D. 100/150. The centurion has not
previously
been attested at
Caerleon,
but he is
possibly
the
T(itus)
Flavius
Rufusp(rimus) p(ilaris)
who
gave permission
for a tombstone at Rome
to his freedwoman Flavia
Daphne (CIL
vi
18321, Flavio-Trajanic,
to
judge by
the use of Dis Manibus
unabbreviated).
A centurion called
T(itus)
Flavius
T(iti) f(ilius) Pup(iena tribu)
Rufus is
already
attested for
Legion
II
Augusta (CIL
xi 20
(Ravenna)
=
ILS
2082),
but can
hardly
be the
primus pilus
since there is no mention of the
primipilate,
and this
centurionate is
only
the third of four. But since the first was in
Legion
XIIII
Gemina,
he is
presumably
the centurion
Flavius Rufus attested at Carnuntum
(AE 1995, 1266).
R.S.O. TOMLIN 315
3. Manchester
(Mamucium,
SJ 8327
9736),
Chester Road / Great Jackson
Street,
on the site
of the Roman fort vicus
(fig. 3).
Red sandstone
altar,
0.375
by
0.97
m,
0.255 m
deep,
found6 in
2008. The
capital
has a
focus
on
top
and bolsters either
side,
decorated in front but
plain
at the
rear. The recessed die is inscribed: DEABVS
|
MATRIBVS
|
HANANEFTIS
|
ET OLLOTOTIS
IAELIVS I
VICTOR
|
V S L L
M,
deabus
\
Matribus
\ Hananeftis \
et Ollototis
\
Aelius
\
Victor
\
v(otum) s(olvit) l(aetus) l(ibens) m(erito).
'To the Mother Goddesses Hananeftae and Ollototae.
Aelius Victor
gladly, willingly,
and
deservedly
fulfilled his vow.'7
fig. 3.
Manchester,
altar as found
(No. 3). Height
0.375 m.
(Photo:
Pre-Construct
Archaeology)
6
In a Roman
pit during
excavation
by
Pre-Construct
Archaeology.
James Gerrard sent
photographs
and full
details. The altar is now in Manchester Museum.
7
This is the first British instance of the Matres
Hananeftae,
who are attested in Lower
Germany
at
Cologne (CIL
xiii
8219,
Matribus Paternis
Hiannanef(...))
and Wissen
(CIL
xiii
8629,
Matribus
Annaneptis),
both dedicated
by
officers of the Thirtieth
Legion Ulpia
Victrix. The Matres
Oliototae, although
<jf
similar 'overseas'
origin (compare
RIB
1030,
Matribus Ollototis sive
Transmarinis),
are attested
only
in
Britain,
at
Heronbridge
near Chester
(RIB 574)
and at Binchester
(RIB 1030,
1031 and
1032).
4.
Brougham
Castle
(Brocavum,
NY 53
28),
Cumbria
(fig. 4).
Inscribed
stone,
dimensions not
recorded,
found8 with RIB IIA and 777 in the castle
garden just
north of the Roman
fort,
shortly
before March 1664. It was then read as
AQVAM |
COH III BR
|
CARAF
|
VM IN
|
LVCO ET
ACA,
but is now lost. It
evidently
recorded the
provision
of a
water-supply
for the Third Cohort of
Bracaraugustani,
in the first third of the third
century probably,
but further restoration is difficult.9
fig. 4.
Brougham
Castle,
inscribed stone
(No. 4).
Dimensions unknown.
(Drawn by
William
Dugdale: College of
Arms MS
C39, p. 8)
A
Q.VA
fA
con
m
?r.
vrA
\
?v
L V
C?
O
8
According
to William
Dugdale's
'Visitations of Cumberland and Westmorland'
(College
of Arms MS
C39,
Westmorland Church
Notes, p. 8).
It was noticed
by
David
Sherlock,
who sent full details.
9
This is the cohort's first
inscription,
which otherwise is attested in Britain
only by diplomas
and
stamped
tiles
from Manchester and Melandra Castle
(RIB II.4, 2469,
with
note).
It is unlike the Chesters
aqueduct inscription (RIB
1463,
c.
180),
but has affinities with RIB 1049
(Chester-Ie-Street, 216)
and 1060
(South Shields, 222),
which
suggest
a text
beginning
with the name and titles of the
emperor
who
'provided
water'
(aquam induxit)
'for the use'
(usibus)
of the cohort 'under the
charge' (curante)
of a
legate,
and
ending perhaps
with a consular date. The
emperor's
name
and titles have been lost in the
space
above line
1,
so the
surviving
text comes from the bottom half of the
slab(?).
It
is unclear whether its whole width was
preserved: despite
the virtual
continuity
between lines 2 and
3,
it looks too
narrow,
especially
as VSIBVS has
probably
been lost before
2,
and DVXIT before 5. The
ligatured
et in 5
suggests
a consular
date,
but the
only possibility
seems to be
Lupo
et Maximo
(232),
which is not
very
close to
Dugdale's
transcript.
There is no
sign
of the
legate's
name,
but
perhaps
it has been lost in the
space
below 5.
R.S.O. TOMLIN 317
5. Vindolanda
(NY
768
663),
Northumberland
(fig. 5).
Small altar made from a block of
greyish/pale-buff sandstone,
0.15
by
0.19
m,
0.15 m
deep,
found10 in 2008. There is a circular
focus
in the
top,
and the die is indicated
by
a horizontal
groove
incised above and below the text.
Crudely
incised: DEHMA
| EHNIS,
perhaps
an illiterate
mis-cutting
of deis
ma\ternis.
'To the
maternal
goddesses.'11
FIG. 5.
Vindolanda,
altar
(No. 5).
Width 0.15 m.
(Drawn by
R.S.O.
Tomiin)
10
With the next five items
during
excavations
by
the Vindolanda Trust. Robin
Birley
made them available.
11
In line
1,
DEH is
certain, apparently
followed
by ligatured
MA or NA. In line
2,
EH is also
certain,
followed
by
or
ligatured AV;
and then either
by
II
(for E)
or
IS,
but
probably IS,
since the form E
(not II)
is used elsewhere.
A dedication
de(ae) H...,
to a
goddess
with an
aspirated,
un-Roman
name,
is
just possible
but
unlikely;
the
lettering
is
too remote from
'Veteres',
despite
this
deity's frequency
at
Vindolanda,
and the
many ways
of
spelling
its name which
include initial and the feminine
gender. Perhaps
therefore deis
maternis,
despite
there
being
no
explicit
instance
of this dedication. The
adjective
is twice
applied
to the
Matres,
in Matribus
paternis
et maternis
(CIL
vi 31161
=
ILS
4778)
and Matribus
...
paternis
sive maternis
(CIL
xiii 8630
=
ILS
4782).
6. Ibid.
(fig. 6).
Bottom left corner of a
pale
buff sandstone slab 0.15 m
thick,
now 0.19
by
0.19 m. Inscribed on a recessed
panel: [...] fR?A, perhaps [...] \ pra[ef(ectus) coh(ortis) ...].n
fig. 6.
Vindolanda, fragment
of slab
(No. 6).
Width 0.19 m.
(Drawn by
R.S.O.
Tomiin)
7.
Ibid.,
the stone fort
(fig. 7).
Sandstone
slab,
1.42
by
0.37
m,
depth
unknown but more than
0.15
m,
set into the north
margin
of the main east-west
roadway (via praetoria),
3.56
m east
of the east wall of the northern
guardroom
of the west
gate.
Incised with a mason's
pick
on the
upper surface,
within a
rectangular
outline:
RIACVS,
Riacus.u
fig. 7.
Vindolanda,
detail of inscribed slab
(No. 7).
Scale: 5 cm.
(Drawn by
R.S.O.
Tomiin)
12
R is
reversed,
which
implies
it was
ligatured
to another
letter,
now lost. In view of the serif in the broken
edge appropriate
to
A,
the lost
(previous)
letter can
only
be
F,
or T. The most
likely sequence
is
PRA, suggesting
a
building-stone
which identified an
auxiliary
unit and its
prefect.
One
might
have
expected (not R)
to be
reversed,
as
in RIB
894,
1586 and
1731,
but
apparently
the stone-cutter wanted to use the
triangular space
before A without
cutting
it with the tail of R
(as
in fact
happened
in RIB
1334).
13
A broad vertical score runs across the incised
panel
to the
edge
of the stone. The text is
complete
since enclosed
by
the
panel,
but
although
it is
presumably
a
personal
name,
it is not attested. It
may
have
incorporated
the element
rigo-s ('kingly'),
with loss of intervocalic
g
as in Riocalatis
(RIB 1017)
and Riomandus
(No.
21
below).
R.S.O. TOMLIN 319
8. Ibid.
Irregular
slab of
grey sandstone,
0.89
by
0.50
m,
0.20 m
thick, forming part
of the
latest
(fourth-century)
floor of the west
granary.
Incised on the
upper
surface: II14
9. Ibid.
Irregular
slab of
grey sandstone,
1.21
by
0.51
m,
c. 0.34 m
thick,
built into the lowest
and
only surviving
course of the south wall of the most western barrack-block within the west
gate,
north of the main east-west
roadway (via praetoria)
and the western
granary.
'Pecked' on
the
upper
surface with a mason's
pick:
X15
10.
Ibid.,
east
granary.
Seven
building-stones
of buff
sandstone,
the face of each incised with
two lines
intersecting
at
right-angles:
+
Six are still built into the outer face of the west
wall,
at distances measured from the north
wall:
(a)
at 17.90
m,
0.28
by
0.16
m,
depth
unknown; (b)
at 18.10
m,
0.18
by
0.13
m,
0.20 m
deep; (c)
at 18.50
m,
0.28
by
0.19
m,
depth
unknown; (d)
at 19.55
m,
0.22
by
0.16
m,
0.21 m
deep; (e)
at 19.80
m,
0.30
by
0.13
m,
0.31 m
deep; (f)
at 20.4
m,
0.31
by
0.15
m,
0.28 m
deep.
The seventh
(g)
was found detached inside the
building,
0.21
by
0.12
m,
0.18 m
deep.16
B. INSTRUMENTUM DOMESTICUM
BUCKINGHAMSHIRE
11. Hambleden
(SU
78
86) (fig. 8). Copper-alloy weight
in the form of a disc 18.07 mm in
diameter,
3.45 mm
thick,
and 5.84
gm
in
weight,
found17 in 2008. Incised both sides: a
quincunx
of four dots around a
'star',
probably
'five
(scriptula)'.18
FIG. 8.
Hambleden,
lead
weight (No.
11
).
Scale 2:1.
(Photo:
Portable
Antiquities Scheme)
14
There is a
space
between X and
II,
and a
suprascript
bar over the second I
only.
It is therefore not clear whether
this was meant to be a
numeral,
'12'.
15
Perhaps
a
numeral, '20',
but
quite likely only
a mark of identification.
16
Similar stones have been found in the
facing
of Hadrian's Wall and other
military
structures,
and are
thought
to
identify
batches from the
stone-yard
or
quarry.
17
By
a
metal-detectorist,
in whose
possession
it remains. Kate
Sumnall,
Finds Liaison Officer at the Museum of
London,
sent a
photograph
and other details.
18
The Roman ounce
(uncia)
of 27.288
gm
was divided into 24
scriptula
of 1.137
gm each,
so that five would
actually weigh
5.685
gm.
CAMBRIDGESHIRE
12. Linton
(TL
5565
4696), Cambridge
Road
(fig. 9).
Two
conjoining
wall sherds of a
sandy
greyware
dish found19 in 2008. Scratched after
firing
in cursive letters:
[...]MACROBIVS,
Macrobius.20
fig. 9.
Linton,
coarseware
graffito (No. 12).
5 cm scale.
(Drawn from
a
photograph by Oxford Archaeology East)
19
During
excavation
by
Oxford
Archaeology
East
supervised by
Nick
Gilmour,
who sent a
photograph
and other
details.
20
The cursive is Old Roman
Cursive,
not later than the third
century.
The Greek
personal
name Macrobius
('long
life'), although
well attested in the late Roman
period, notably
in the fifth
century by
the author of the
Saturnalia,
is
uncommon in the western
provinces during
the
Principate.
This is the first instance from Britain.
R.S.O. TOMLIN 321
CHESHIRE
13. Chester
(Deva,
SJ 403
657),
Nuns
Field,
outside the south-west corner of the
legionary
fortress
(fig. 10).
Sherd
preserving
the
profile
of a samian dish
(Drag. 18/31),
found21 in 2007.
Scratched on the wall above the
foot-ring:
KVNARIS,
for Cunaris?1
fig. 10.
Chester,
samian
graffito (No. 13).
(Photo:
Grosvenor
Museum)
14. Ibid.
(SJ
4050
6678),
Delamere
Street,
immediately
north of the
legionary
fortress
(fig.
11). Crescent-shaped
sherd 114 mm in
diameter, amounting
to almost half the base of
ajar
in a
reddish tile-like
fabric,
found23 in 2006 in a late first /
early second-century
context. Inscribed
before
firing,
lines 1 and 2 in neat and
stylish capitals;
line 3 in
larger
less well-formed
capitals:
21
During
excavation
by
Earthworks in advance of
redevelopment
of the
police headquarters.
Peter
Carrington
sent a
photograph
and other details from the Grosvenor Museum.
22
The letter is rare in
Latin,
but sometimes
replaces C, especially
as the initial letter. The Celtic
personal
name Cunaris is once
attested,
on a
building-stone
from Housesteads
(Britannia
8
(1977), 432,
No. 21
=
RIB
III,
3328).
23
During
excavation
by Birmingham Archaeology.
Erica
Macey-Bracken
made it available.
G
?
y [...]| PVD[...] I MACEIA,
probably G(aius) V[al(erius) G(ai) f(ilius)] \ Pud[ens] \
Maceia
(tribu).
'Gaius Valerius
Pudens,
son of
Gaius,
of the Maecia
voting-tribe.'24
fig. 11.
Chester,
coarseware
graffito (No. 14).
5 cm scale.
(Drawn by
R.S.O.
Tomiin)
24
The
jar
was made in a
legionary tile-works,
as Jane
Timby
has
suggested,
so this is the name of the
legionary
who made it.
G,
not
C,
for the
praenomen G(aius)
is
unusual,
but for another
example
from Chester see RIB 539. The
nomen is not
necessarily Valerius,
but it must have been
short,
since line 2
begins
with the
cognomen,
and would have
been
preceded by
the
patronymic
in the formal nomenclature of a
legionary. Valerius,
often abbreviated to
VAL,
is
frequent
in northern
Italy
and Gallia
Narbonensis,
and is
typical
of
legionaries
in the
early Principate:
there are
many
British
examples, including
RIB
478, 479, 480, 539, 540,
541 and 542 from Chester. The
cognomen
Pudens is also
frequent, examples including
the
legionary L(ucius)
Valerius
Pud[ens]
at Chester
(RIB 542).
Line 3 is
incomplete,
but
entirely
consistent with
MACEIA,
which is
apparently
a
slip
for
MAECIA,
Maecia
(tribu).
The
voting-tribe
should
properly
follow the
patronymic,
but is sometimes found in
delayed position:
British
examples
include RIB 539 from
Chester. In this
graffito,
however,
it seems to have been added as an
afterthought
or
correction,
no doubt to
emphasise
that the writer was a full Roman citizen with
voting-rights
at Rome.
R.S.O. TOMLIN 323
ESSEX
15. Great Dunmow
(TL
6244
2183),
on the
edge
of
playing
fields at St
Mary's School, High
Stile
(fig. 12).
Two
conjoining
sherds of a
fourth-century,
Nene
Valley
ware colour-coated
beaker,
found25 unstratified in 2008. Scratched above the shoulder after
firing: TITIANV[...],
Titianufs].26
HAMPSHIRE
16. Silchester
(Calleva Atrebatum,
SU 62
61) (fig. 13).
Inscribed lead tablet
consisting
of a
rectangular strip
with the lower end
rounded,
60
by
103
mm,
cut from sheet lead c. 1 mm
thick,
found before 1901.27 One side
was first inscribed with a fine
point,
then the text was hidden
by
attaching
the tablet to
something
with two
pins
of which
only
the
pierced
holes remain.
Subsequently
these
pins
were
withdrawn,
and the tablet was
folded
upon
itself
twice,
leaving
the text visible.
This consists of seven lines of
clumsy
New Roman Cursive letters
fourth-century
in
date,
inscribed
line
by
line in reverse
sequence
from
right
to left.28 The
height
of these letters is
irregular,
and
increases line
by line;
in 3 and 4
they
have been
damaged by
the
fold,
and their forms are most
clearly
defined in 6 and 7.29
fig. 12. Great
Dunmow,
coarseware
graffito (No. 15).
3 cm scale.
(Drawn by
R.S.O.
Tomiin)
25
During
a summer
training
school
sponsored by
Essex
County
Council
Learning Services,
directed
by
Trevor
Ennis of the Essex
County
Council Field
Archaeology
Unit.
Joyce Compton
sent a
photograph
and other details.
26
The
cognomen, developed
from
Titus,
is
quite common;
for another
fourth-century example
from
Britain,
see
RIB
IL5, 2491.78;
and in the second
century,
a tribune
(RIB 1072, 1083),
a
prefect (RIB 838, 843),
and a centurion
(RIB 11.1, 2410.7).
27
When it was
presented (acc.
no.
20.14)
with other Silchester material to Winchester
City
Museum
by
the Duke
of
Wellington.
The circumstances of
discovery
are not recorded. Dr G.T. Denford made it
available,
and the loan was
renewed
by
Robin lies.
28
M in line 6
may just clip T,
but otherwise the scribe succeeded in
keeping
letters
apart. However,
the
regularity
of the
right margin,
and the
indenting
of lines 2 and
7,
confirm that he wrote from
right
to left. He seems also to have
lapsed occasionally
into
rightward sequence,
NVS in 1 and TI in
2,
unless he was
actually attempting anagrams.
29
, and V are difficult to
distinguish,
since
they
consist of downstrokes
(minims)
linked
by
weak
diagonals.
Confusion is also
possible
with A.
324 ROMAN BRITAIN
Reading
from left to
right: TNVSIQNIV
SVLLICN
IMIN
I
EANILLICD SVNTIC.VI
|
SHIMINACSV
SVNIONOL
I
VE.CI.SIN.
|
IREVALAVNIIV
Q |
AM TED SVED
|
MAGALP AL30
Reconstructed31 text: Nimincillus
(Quint?nus) \
Iu[n]ctinusD(o)cillinae \ Lon(g)inus
VSCANIMIHS
I
.NIS.IC.
eu(m) \ qui invalaveri\t
deus det
ma\la(m) plagam.32 'Nimincillus, Quintinus,
Iunctinus
(son)
of
Docillina, Longinus, [name],
[name].
Him who has
stolen,
let the
god give
a
nasty
blow.'
FIG. 13.
Silchester,
lead tablet
(No. 16).
3 cm scale.
(Drawn by
R.S.O.
Tomiin)
30
In
capital
letters and
dividing
words for the sake of
clarity;
dotted letters are
damaged, incomplete
or of
uncertain form.
31
Reading
from
right
to left and
resolving
the
anagram
in line
1; capitalising
the first five
personal
names,
and
leaving
the others unresolved in
capitals.
Letters restored or
supplied
are in brackets. See
further,
next note.
32
Commentary
line
by
line
(reading
from
right
to
left):
1. The first letter has a
long
descender but is
apparently
N. The name Nimincillus is not attested. The second name,
Quintinus (compare
RIB
349, etc.),
was reversed
ineptly
or
deliberately
written as an
anagram.
2. The third letter has been
damaged by
the
pin-hole,
but what survives resembles V rather than
N; perhaps
V was
repeated
in error. The name Iunctinus is not
attested,
but is
likely
to be luncinus
(compare
RIB
II.6,
2494.136 with
note)
with
hyper-correction
of the
process
seen in RIB
369, defuntus
for
defunctus.
It is followed
by
DCILLINAE,
apparently
a
matronymic
with O omitted in error: identification
by
mother's name is
preferred
in some
magical texts;
see Tab. Sulis
30,
1
(with note). However,
it is
possible
that a nominative Docillina was
intended,
E
being
a mistake
for O. Docillina
(for Docilina)
is one of a
group
of names derived from Docilis which hides the Celtic name-element
found in
Docca;
it occurs at
Uley (Britannia
20
(1989), 329,
No.
3)
and in RIB
II.2,
2417.34.
3. The fourth letter is O
repeated
in
error,
not the
expected
G. The name is
probably
followed
by
another in
anagram
form,
but surface-stresses due to
folding
make the
reading
uncertain.
4. This line is also
badly damaged by surface-stresses,
and the
reading
is uncertain. The
concluding
VE
may
be
taken with the next line as
eu(m),
the antecedent of
qui,
since eum
qui
involaverit is formulaic
(see
Tab. Sulis
10,
44
and
61;
Britannia 22
(1991), 293,
No.
1).
The omission of the unsounded ?m is trivial
(compare mala(m)),
and the
author
may
not have known or
anticipated
that the verb det would
require
the dative.
5. The second letter was written as
N,
but V is
required by Q
and has
apparently
been
supplied
below, invalaverit is
a variant of the formulaic verb involare which is also found at
Uley (Britannia
21
(1998), 439,
No. 1 with
441,
note
to line
4)
and
Pagans
Hill
(Britannia
15
(1984), 339,
No.
7).
R.S.O. TOMLIN 325
17.
Upton Grey (SU
69
48) (fig. 14). Oblong
lead
sealing,
37
by
14
mm,
6 mm
thick,
found33
in 2008. An
impressed rectangular stamp
reads:
MRVII,
probably M(arci) R(...) Ve(...). '(Seal)
of Marcus
R(...) Ve(...).'34
fig. 14.
Upton Grey,
lead
sealing (No. 17).
(Photo:
Portable
Antiquities Scheme)
KENT
18.
Canterbury (Durovernum Cantiacorum,
TR 150
575),
Whitefriars
(fig. 15).
Lower two
thirds of the handle of a
South-Spanish
oil
amphora (Dressel 20),
found35 in 2006. Scratched
after
firing:
M VHS
IUI, m(odii)
VII
(semis) (sextarii)
IUI. 'Seven and a half
modii, (and)
four
sextarii.'36
A
vj||V
/(//
FIG. 15.
Canterbury, amphora graffito (No. 18).
3 cm scale.
(Drawn by
R.S.O.
Tomiin)
6. Initial has cut the
long
downstroke of
Q
in the line
above, forming
the
apparent
\ The
god
is not
specified,
nor is the stolen
object;
but
although
lines 3 and 4 are
quite badly damaged, they
do not seem to have
supplied
such
details.
Instead, they probably
continued the list of
personal
names
(of suspected thieves)
found in
1,
2 and the first
half of 3.
7. has been
oddly
inscribed with a second downstroke. The omission of the unsounded consonant in
ma\la(m),
which is
correctly supplied
for
piagarti,
is a
frequent Vulgarism. Compare eu(m)
in 4. For
plaga
in the sense of a
'blow' inflicted
by
a
god,
see TLL s.v.
plaga 2293-4,
but this is
apparently
the first instance from a 'curse tablet'.
33
By
a metal-detectorist.
Sally
Worrell sent a
photograph
and other details.
34
There is no
very
close
parallel
in RIB II.
1,
2411
(lead sealings),
but this is
probably
a
sealing
with the initials
of tria nomina
(see
for
example 290-91, 293, 294, 301-3)
which
unusually
extended to the first two letters of the
cognomen (for example Verecundus).
35
With the next item
during
excavation
by
the
Canterbury Archaeological
Trust. Mark Houliston sent the Dressel
20
sherd,
and a
photograph
of the samian sherd with a note
by
David Holman.
36
Notes of
capacity
of Dressel 20
usually range
from 6 to 8
modii,
with a second numeral for the sextarii: see
RIB
II.6, p. 33,
with 2494
(b),
and
compare
Nos
27, 28, 44,
46-48
(below). S, although unbarred, might
be taken for
s(extarii)
here as in RIB
II.6, 2494.46,
but the
spacing suggests
otherwise: it was inscribed
immediately
after
VII,
and
separated
from IUI.
19. Ibid.
(fig. 16).
Wall sherd of a samian
vessel,
incised after
firing
above the
foot-ring: [...].
I VLATAVS,
Ulata(v)us.31
fig. 16.
Canterbury,
samian
graffito (No. 19).
(Drawn from
a
photograph by Canterbury Archaeological Trust)
LANCASHIRE
20.
Wigan (ICoccium,
SD 5836
0571),
Grand Arcade
(fig. 17).
Two
conjoining
sherds from
the shoulder of a creamware
flagon, probably second-century,
found38 in 2008 in a
deposit
associated with a bath-house. Scratched with a fine
point
after
firing:
SA
| [...JOLIMARI,
probably
S<a>
\olimari. '(Property)
of Solimarus.'39
fig. 17.
Wigan,
coarseware
graffito (No. 20).
5 cm scale.
(Drawn by
R.S.O.
Tomiin)
37
This Celtic
personal
name is not attested in
quite
this
form,
but it
belongs
to a
group
of names in
ulat(t)- (D.
Ellis
Evans,
Gaulish Personal Names
(1967), 270,
n.
1),
and was
evidently
formed
by adding
the derivative suffix
-avo-s to the element ulato-s
('lord').
38
During
excavation
by
Oxford
Archaeology
North. Ian Miller made it available.
39
The
upper part
of the
elongated
S encloses a small
'open' (unbarred) A;
the
graffito
continues
below, perhaps
r.s.o. tomlin 327
LEICESTERSHIRE
21. Leicester
(Ratae
Corieltauvorum,
SK 583
048),
Vine Street
(fig. 18). Rectangle,
78/75
by
201
mm,
thick,
in
good condition,
found40 in 2005 in a
large
Roman
courtyard-house. Neatly
inscribed
by
a
practised
hand in Old Roman Cursive
(c.
A.D.
150/250 in
date):
d<a>eo
Magio (do)
e<u>um
qui frudum \ fecit
de
padoio (do)
el<a>eum
qui I furtum (fecit)
de
padaoium <sa(g)um> \ qui sa(g)um
Servandi
invola\vit. \ Sfiljvester
Ri(g)omandus | Sfejnilis
Venustinus
\
Vorvena
|
Calaminus
\
Felicianus
\ Ruf<a>edo \
Vendicina
I Ingenuinus \
Iuventius
\
Alocus
\
Cennosus
\
Germanus
\
Senedo
\
Cunovendus
\ Regalis \
Ni(g)ella \ S[enic]ianus (deleted). | (do)
ant<a>e nonum diem
\
ilium tollat
\ qui sa(g)um
involauit
\
Servandi.41
41
give
to the
god Maglus
him who did
wrong
from the
slave-quarters;
I
give
him who
(did)
theft <the cloak> from the
slave-quarters;
who stole the cloak of Servandus.
Silvester,
Ri(g)omandus, Senilis, Venustinus, Vorvena, Calaminus, Felicianus, Ruf<a>edo, Vendicina,
Ingenuinus, Iuventius, Alocus, Cennosus, Germanus, Senedo, Cunovendus, Regalis, Ni(g)ella,
Senicianus
(deleted).
I
give (that
the
god Maglus)
before the ninth
day
take
away
him who stole
the cloak of Servandus.'42
(for figure
see
following page)
with a
space
after the lost lower
part
of
S, depending
on how this letter was
formed;
and it concludes with an
enlarged
RI as if to balance the S. The small A is
apparently unrelated,
or written in error.
The Celtic
personal
name Solimarus is
quite
common in Gaul
(M.E. Raybould
and R
Sims-Williams,
The
Geography
of
Celtic Personal Names in the Latin
Inscriptions of
the Roman
Empire (2007), 75,
collect twelve
examples),
but
this is the first in
Britain; however,
note
L(ucius)
Solimarius Secundinus of Trier
(CIL
xiii
4128), neg(otiator)
Britan(nicianus),
a merchant
trading
with Britain.
40
With the next item
during
excavation
by University
of Leicester
Archaeological Services,
for which see
Britannia 37
(2006),
407-10. Richard
Buckley
made them
available,
and
they
have been
published
as R.S.O.
Tomiin,
'Paedagogium
and
Septizonium:
two Roman lead tablets from
Leicester',
ZPE 167
(2008),
207-18.
41
Transcribed with
separation
of words and
capitalization
of
proper
names,
(abc):
letters omitted or reversed
by
the scribe.
<
abc>: letters inserted
erroneously by
the scribe,
[abc]:
letters lost
by damage.
42
For
commentary,
see the
paper
cited above
(in
n.
40). 'Maglus'
is not attested as a
god,
but since Celtic
*maglo
s
('prince')
is a
frequent name-element,
it
may
be a divine title
here; compare Apollo Cunomaglus (JRS
52
(1962),
191,
No. 4
=
RIB
III, 3053).
The form
saum<sagum
shows that the writer did not
pronounce
intervocalic
g,
which
has also
disappeared
from the word's Romance reflexes. The same trait
appears
in
hispadoium<paedagogium
and the
names
Ri(g)omandus (6)
and
Ni(g)ella (21),
but not
Regalis (20). Thepaedagogium
was
apparently
the
slave-quarters
of the house
(compare Pliny, ep. 7.27.13),
and those listed here the household slaves.
328
18. Leicester.
VN
lead tablet
(No. 21).
3 cm scale.
(Draw/7 ?ytf.S.O.
R.S.O. TOMLIN 329
22. Ibid.
(fig. 19). Irregular oblong,
123
by
69
mm,
of sheet lead c. 1 mm
thick,
almost
complete
and in
fairly good
condition.
Shallowly
inscribed in Old Roman Cursive like that of
the
previous
item,
but much less
neatly
and in letters more
elongated
and rather
cramped: qu[i
ajrgentios
Sabiniani
fura\verunt,
id est Similis
Cupitus
Lochita,
\
hos deus siderabit in hoc
septiso\nio,
et
peto
ut vitam suam
per\dant
ante dies
Septem.43
'Those who have stolen the silver
coins of
Sabinianus,
that is
Similis, Cupitus, Lochita,
a
god
will strike down in this
septisonium,
and I ask that
they
lose their life before seven
days.'44
fig. 19.
Leicester,
lead tablet
(No. 22).
3 cm scale.
(Drawn by
R.S.O.
Tomiin)
23. Ibid.
(SK
585
048), Causeway
Lane
(fig. 20). Fragment
of
pale
buff
wallplaster,
60
by
55
mm,
20 mm
thick,
found45 in 1991. Casual
scratches,
and
apparently
a
graffito
in
capital
letters:
...RO
I
traces
43
Transcribed
(lines 2-6)
with
separation
of words and
capitalization
of
proper
names,
[abc]:
letters lost
by
damage.
Line 2 has been written over another line
(1), apparently
to erase
it,
since the
meaningful
text
begins
in 2
with
qui,
the antecedent of which
(hos)
follows in 4.
44
For
commentary,
see the
paper
cited above
(in
n.
40).
siderabit
(4)
is the first instance of the active voice of
the verb
siderare,
defined
by
the Oxford Latin
Dictionary
as 'to afflict with sudden
paralysis';
hitherto it has occurred
only
in the
past participle passive,
sideratus
(literally 'star-struck'),
from which derives the noun
sideratio
(the
medical condition
resulting
from a
stroke).
A
septisonium (properly septizonium
or
septizodium)
was
apparently
a
monumental
fa?ade incorporating
statues of the seven
planetary
deities who
gave
their names to the
days
of the week.
Septimius
Severus'
septizodium
in Rome is the best known
example,
but others are attested in Lambaesis
(CIL
viii
2657
-
ILS
5626),
Africa Proconsularis
{CIL
viii 14372
=
ILS
5076)
and
Sicily {AE 1964, 182).
The
unspecified
dens
in line 4 is one of these
'stars',
seven deities
appropriate
to sideratio and a time-limit of one week.
45
With the next item
during
excavation
by
Leicestershire
Archaeological Unit,
for which see Britannia 24
(
1993
),
290,
now
published
as A. Connor and R.
Buckley,
Roman and Medieval
Occupation
in
Causeway
Lane, Leicester
( 1999). They
are described
by
Mark Hassall at
p.
299. For other
fragments
of inscribed
wallplaster
from
Leicester,
see
RIB
II.4,
2447.28 and 29.
fig. 20.
Leicester, graffito
on
wallplaster (No. 23).
3 cm scale.
(Drawn by
R.S.O.
Tomiin)
46
There is
apparently
a
space
before
L,
which makes
[mijlitaris
difficult as a
reading.
r.s.o. tomlin 331
LINCOLNSHIRE
25. Lincoln
(Lindum,
SK 973
719)
Prison
Yard,
Lincoln Castle
(fig. 22).
Wall sherd of a
white
flagon
dated to the
legionary occupation
or
shortly
afterwards
[Claudio-Neronian
or
early
Flavian],
found47 in 2008. Scratched after
firing: [...].GONI[...], perhaps [Antijgoni. '(Property)
of
Antigonus'.48
FIG. 22.
Lincoln,
coarseware
graffito (No. 25).
5 cm scale.
(Drawn by
R.S.O.
Tomiin)
LONDON
26.
City
of London
(Londinium, TQ
32330
81140),
Bread Street
EC4,
Bow Bells House
(figs
23 and
24).
Almost an entire
amphora
in
pale
buff fabric with an outer
coating
of white
slip (Lon
don 555 /
Augst 21),
now
fragmented
into 81
conjoining
sherds,
found49 in 2006. On the neck
there is
a
black
dipinto,
now rather worn and
faded,
in two
parts,
both
by
the same hand.
(for inscription
and
figures
see
following pages)
47
During
excavation
by
Field
Archaeology Specialists,
York. Ian Rowlandson made it available.
48
To the left of G there is
probably
the
tip
of a downstroke in the broken
edge,
and between G and
O,
a
long
casual
score. There are other casual abrasions
(also
drawn in
outline).
The downstroke of was
apparently
scored twice.
The
sequence
of letters is
unusual,
and
suggests
a
personal
name of Greek derivation.
Chrysogonus
and
Epigonus
are
possibilities,
but
only Antigonus
is
actually
attested in Britain: see RIB 160
(Bath,
a
legionary
of the Twentieth
Legion
from
Actium, first-century
or
early second),
and RIB 955
(Carlisle,
but
explicitly
a
Greek,
and
likely
to be
fourth-century).
49
With the next seven items
during
excavation
by MoLAS,
(2007),
286-7.
(i) Mid-way
between the
handles,
at
right
angles
to the axis of the
amphora,
in
capital
letters c. 17 mm
high: Q |
M
|
L
| Q
?
L-,
Q(uintus) M(...) L(...) Q(uinti) l(ibertus).
'Quintus M(...) L(...),
freedman of
Quintus.'50
(ii)
To the
right
of
(i)
and at
right-angles
to
it,
in similar letters c. 13 mm
high:
OLIVAE ....CLI
I
DVL
?
L
?
...L
?
VI,
olivae
[alb(ae) 1MJCLI \
dui
(eia)
L
[...]
p(ondo)
VI. 'Green olives
...
syrup
...
weight,
six
(pounds).'51
FIG. 23.
London, amphora dipinto (No.
26
(i)).
3 cm scale.
(Drawn by
R.S.O.
Tomiin)
50
The initials of the
shipper presumably,
to
distinguish
his
consignment
in a
larger cargo.
51
The
lettering
is neat and
stylish,
but in such
poor
condition and with so few texts for
comparison
that its limited
repertoire
of strokes with
large blobby
'serifs' makes it difficult to
distinguish
one letter from another. The difficulties
are discussed in detail
by
RSOT in his contribution to the final
report.
The
readings
of OLIVAE and DVL are
supported by
the
dipinti
on other London 555
amphorae
which
identify
the
contents as
(green)
olives in
syrup: examples
from
Augst, Nyon
and Soissons are collected
by
RR.
Sealey
and RA.
Tyers,
'Olives from Roman
Spain:
a
unique amphora
find in British
waters', Antiq.
J. 69
(1989), 53-72, esp. 63;
and
by
S.
Martin-Kilcher,
Die r?mischen
Amphoren
aus
Augst
und
Kaiseraugst,
II
(1994),
391-2. Others are
likely
from
Pompeii (CIL
iv
2610, 5762, 5598, 9437, 10,292)
and London
(Addenda
et
Corrigenda (k), below).
DVL is for
duicia, literally
'sweet
(things)',
and must be
equivalent
to the
defrutum
of the Soissons
dipinto,
also
found as DEF in
dipinti
on
South-Spanish amphorae (Haltern 70)
which contained olives in
syrup. Defrutum,
and thus
probably dulcia,
seems to have been a
syrup
made
by boiling
down unfermented wine-must.
[?M]CLI
resembles the
R.S.O. TOMLIN 333
fig. 24.
London, amphora dipinto (No.
26
(ii)).
5 cm scale.
(Drawn by
R.S.O.
Tomiin)
27. Ibid. Rim sherd of an
early South-Spanish
oil
amphora (Dressel 20), crudely
incised after
firing:
[...]VI X[...], probably (m?dii)
VI
(sextarii) X[...].
'Six
{modii) (and)
ten
[or more] (sextarii).'52
28. Ibid. Rim sherd of another
early
Dressel 20
amphora, crudely
incised after
firing: VI[...],
probably (modii)
VI
[(sextarii) ...].
'Six modii ...'53
29. Ibid.
(fig. 25). Eight conjoining
wall
sherds,
four of them
inscribed,
of an indeterminate
Gaulish
amphora.
Scratched after
firing
in crude
capitals: [...]MARCIILLINII,
Marc el I in
(a)
e.
'(Property)
of Marcellina.'
sequence
MCIL in the
Nyon dipinto,
and is
possibly
a note of
quantity.
The
concluding
VI is
quite
well
preserved,
but 'six
pounds' (equivalent
to 1.965
kg
with the libra of 327.45
g)
cannot be the total
weight:
the
amphora published
by Sealey
and
Tyers
contained
6,206 olive-stones,
which
implies
a
weight
more like 30
kg.
52
The numeral VI
may
have been
preceded by
M for
m(odii).
For notes of
capacity
on Dressel
20, compare
No.
18
above,
with note.
53
The
only surviving
numeral
might
be VI
[I],
but the rim circumference is the same as that of the
previous
item.
334
30. Ibid.
(fig. 26).
Base sherd of a samian dish
(CG, Drag. 18),
scratched after
firing
on the
wall above the foot
ring: ANTE,
Ante(...).
An abbreviated
personal
name,
probably
Greek,
for
example
Anterior or Anteros.54
fig. 26.
London,
base sherd of a samian dish
(No. 30).
5 cm scale.
(Drawn by
R.S.O.
Tomiin)
31. Ibid.
(fig. 27).
(CG),
scratched underneath after
firing
within
the foot
ring:
TITI,
Titi.
'(Property)
of Titus.'55
54
The first letter is now
incomplete,
but the
sequence
of
succeeding
letters
only
admits of
A,
inscribed in rather a
compressed
form. The same abbreviation is found on a samian sherd from Mumrills (RIB
II.7, 2501.60). Underneath,
within the foot
ring,
a
previous graffito
has
apparently
been erased.
55
The
praenomen
Titus is
quite
often used on its own as a
cognomen.
For other British instances on
samian,
see
RIB
II.7, 2501.542, 543, 544,
546.
R.S.O. TOMLIN 335
fig. 27.
London,
base sherd of a samian dish
(No. 31).
5 cm scale.
(Drawn by
R.S.O.
Tomiin)
32. Ibid.
(fig. 28).
Base sherd
comprising
the entire base of a
sand-tempered
ware
jar
or
beaker,
with a hole bored in the
centre,
probably
for use as a
spindle-whorl.
Underneath,
cursive letters
have been scratched after
firing:
IIRMATIS
?
CALLI
A,
perhaps (H)ermatis
Calila. 'Callia
(the
wife)
of Hermatis.'56
fig. 28.
London,
base sherd of a
sand-tempered
ware
jar
or beaker
(No. 32).
3 cm scale.
(Drawn by
R.S.O.
Tomiin)
56
The
graffito
is rather
shallow,
and since the letters run in a
circle,
the
reading
of some
depends
on the
angle
at
which
they
are read. The cross-bar of is
particularly
faint. The second A has a
third,
vertical
stroke,
but the others do
not;
and the third could even be read from a different
angle
as
T,
especially
since it is followed
by
faint marks which
might
be two
letters, although they
are
probably
casual. LL resembles the initial
II,
but the strokes extend
slightly
at
the foot. C cannot be read as
G,
unless the second stroke was omitted in error. Greek halli- often occurs in
compounds
('beautiful'),
but Calliusla as a
personal
name is
very rare,
and
apparently
used
only
as a nomen.
Hermatis,
one of
several names derived from
Hermes,
is also rare.
33. Ibid.
(fig. 29).
Base sherd of an Alice Holt /
Surrey
ware
jar, neatly
scratched after
firing
underneath:
IIVT[...], probably Eut[yches]
or a derived
personal
name.
fig. 29.
London,
base sherd of an Alice
Holt/Surrey
ware
jar (No. 33).
5 cm scale.
(Drawn by
R.S.O.
Tomiin)
34.
City
of London
(Londinium, TQ
3283
8140), Drapers'
Gardens,
12
Throgmorton
Avenue
EC2
(figs
30 and
31). Oblong
with rounded
corners,
44
by
55
mm,
thick,
found57 in 2006. It has been
pierced
with two holes near the
straightest edge, perhaps
for
use as a
tag,
but more
likely by
nails to
symbolize
'defixion'. Inscribed to the left of the holes on
both
faces,
in
irregular capitals: (a) |
;
(b) |
ES,
perhaps n\oxi\e(n)s.5S
fig. 30.
London,
lead
tag (No. 34(a)).
3 cm scale.
(Drawn by
R.S.O.
Tomiin)
57
With the next 29 items
during
excavation
by
Pre-Construct
Archaeology.
James Gerrard made them available
to
RSOT,
who describes them more
fully
in the final
report.
Some
drawings
are omitted
here,
as well as three Dressel
20
graffiti
made before
firing,
since
they comprise
two letters or
less;
seven samian
graffiti
as
being
non-literate marks
of identification
(intersecting lines, including
two
stylised 'palm branches');
and a coarseware
graffito
of less than
two certain letters. Thirteen stilus-tablet
fragments
were also
found,
but
only
five were
inscribed; apart
from isolated
letters, only
one word could be
recognized (see
No.
35).
58
is twice the
height
of , as S is of
E,
but a continuous text was
apparently
intended. There is no Latin form
noxies,
but
perhaps
the writer conflated the
adjective
noxius with the
participle
noce(n)s,
both
meaning
'harmful'. The
object
is
certainly
not a label inscribed with
name(s)
or
quantity,
and the use of
lead,
the
piercing,
and the
enigmatic
text,
all
suggest
malevolent intent.
R.S.O. TOMLIN 337
fig. 31.
London,
lead
tag (No. 34(b)).
3 cm scale.
{Drawn by
R.S.O.
Tomiin)
35. Ibid.
(fig. 32). Fragment
of a stilus
writing-tablet,
150
by
37
mm,
preserving
the
original
width. The wax is
lost,
but traces remain of incised cursive
writing
from the last three lines of a
'page':
traces
\
traces
\
traces
ACTVM, [...]
actum. '...
(this deed)
executed.'59
\
/
1
J
u
^
^7^
fig. 32.
London, writing-tablet (No. 35).
Width 150 mm.
{Drawn by
R.S.O.
Tomiin)
36. Ibid.
(fig. 33).
Five
conjoining planks (only
four
drawn) amounting
to a
complete
barrel
head 0.76 m in
diameter,
c. 35 mm thick. There are two sets of
inscriptions, (a)
At
right-angles,
a branded
stamp
struck
twice,
the second time as usual to coincide with the
bung: (i)
SEX
SERVANDI; (ii)
SEX
SE[...], Sex(ti)
Servarteli and
Sex(ti) SefrvandiJ. '(Product)
of Sextius
Servandus.'60
59
The lower
position
of actum
suggests
that it was added
separately, perhaps
to mark the execution of a
legal
document
(a contract,
loan
note, etc.).
Actum is
usually
followed
by
a note of
place
and
date,
but not here. Three
intersecting
lines have been scored to the left. If
they
covered the whole
document,
such
crossings-out
would indicate
its
subsequent
cancellation.
60
In
(i),
V and
A, although
now
damaged,
were
evidently ligatured.
In
(ii)
the second S is
preceded by
an
indistinct
mark, perhaps
casual
damage
caused
by
the hot iron. The
cognomen
Servandus is
frequent
in Gaul and
Germany,
but occurs
widely
elsewhere.
ROMAN BRITAIN IN 2008
fig. 33.
London,
barrel-head
(No. 36).
Width 0.76 m.
(Drawn by
R.S.O.
Tomiin)
(b)
Four
graffiti,
not
necessarily by
the same hand or even
related,
but
(ii)
and
(iv)
at least
should be taken
together, (i)
Three
letters,
lightly
scored and now
incomplete: perhaps
CIP.61
(ii)
In
elongated
cursive letters:
CAPRIACVM,
Capriacum.62 (iii)
7 Villi.63
(iv) CVXIS, (modios)
CV
(sextarios) XIs(emis).
05
modii,
11 lA sextariV
[925.46 litres].64
61
The first letter
might
also be L. The third
letter,
if indeed
P,
is
differently
formed from in
(ii).
The two
graffiti
are thus
by
different hands.
62
The full
loop
of is not certain and the letter
might
be
E,
but
visually
this is less
likely.
R is also
incomplete,
but the
only
other
possibility
is the rare letter K. The termination -ACVM indicates a
place-name,
and if
preceded by CAPRI-,
one derived from the nomen
Caprins,
the name of the estate-owner
presumably.
This is
Latin,
but well attested in
Gaul,
where it 'concealed' the Celtic element
*gabro-s ('goat').
The
place-name Capriacum
is not
anciently attested,
but
many
place-names
in France are
thought
to be derived from
it,
the most attractive identification
being Gevrey-Chambertin
(d?p.
C?te
d'Or)
in
Burgundy,
Gibriacus in 630 and Gebriacus in
858,
when its
vineyards
were
already
well known: see
A. Dauzat and Ch.
Rostaing,
Dictionnaire
?tymologique
des noms de lieu en France
(2nd edn., 1978),
s.v. Gabriac.
63
Apparently
the numeral '9' scored over
(as
if to delete
it), preceded by
a reversed
C;
the other barrel-head
(No.
37)
includes
something
similar.
Perhaps
a
batch-number,
or to
identify
the barrel within the
shipload.
64
The
sequence
CVXIS is not
possible
as a
single
numeral of
capacity,
but
visually
CV and XIS are on
slightly
different
alignments,
so
they
can be taken as two numerals. The contents were
evidently thought
to be
valuable,
for such a
large
total to be noted so
precisely.
The introduction to RIB
II.4, 2442,
notes two barrels from Silchester
approximately
889 and 930 litres in
capacity,
and another from London of c. 1050 litres.
R.S.O. TOMLIN 339
37. Ibid.
(fig. 34).
Two
conjoining planks forming
almost half a barrel-head 0.74 m in
diameter,
c. 36 mm thick. There are two
inscriptions, (a)
At
right-angles,
the last three letters of a branded
stamp: [...]RAS, f...]ras.65
(b)
In
elongated
cursive letters scored with a
sharp point:
DOL VET SERTIENSES
7V,
probably dol(ium)
vet
(us)
Sertienses
..
Old Vat Sertienses ...'66
fig. 34.
London,
barrel-head
(No. 37).
Width 0.74 m.
(Drawn by
R.S.O.
Tomiin)
38. Ibid.
Complete
barrel
stave,
0.115
by
1.815
m,
33 mm thick. Branded twice towards one
end: ,
M(arcus) P(...) (...).61
39. Ibid. One end of a barrel
stave,
0.16
by
0.51
m,
37 mm thick. Two
pairs
of
intersecting
diagonal
cuts
('X'
and
'
'),
and the
incomplete
branded
stamp:
C
.
,
G(aius) N(...) .f.../68
40. Ibid. One end of a barrel
stave,
0.165
by
0.39
m,
37 mm thick. Shallow traces of a branded
stamp:
DD DD
65
Not an abbreviated
name,
like
many
branded
stamps (see below,
n.
67),
but
likely
to be a Greek name
ending
in
-RAS, probably
one of the small
group
in
-agoras
such as
Hermagoras.
66
The
long
sinuous line which cuts the I of Sertienses must
belong
to another
graffito,
now
lost;
it is
perhaps
the
top
of
S, s(emis),
in a note of
quantity
like
(iv)
on the other barrel-head
(No. 36).
To the
right
of Sertienses is
apparently
a reversed
C,
followed
by
V.
Perhaps
a numerical
notation, '5',
like
(iii)
in No. 36.
The dolium was a
very large
earthenware
storage jar
used for the fermentation and
maturing
of
wine,
so the
reference here is not to the barrel
itself,
but to the
origin
of the
wine;
in modern
terms,
to the 'vat' or
'vintage',
vetus
('old'), variously abbreviated,
is often used in
dipinti
to
qualify
wine and other
products,
and means that
they
had
been allowed to mature before
being exported.
A
likely parallel
is the
graffito
on a small barrel-head from Vindolanda
read as DOLVLI in E.
Birley,
R.
Birley
and A.
Birley,
Vindolanda Research
Reports,
New Series II: The
Early
Wooden
Forts.
Reports
on the
Auxiliaries,
the
writing tablets,
inscriptions,
brands and
graffiti (1993),
85
(but
not
illustrated).
The addition of a
single diagonal
stroke to each of the last two
letters,
whether it has been lost or
only overlooked,
would make the
reading
into DOL VET. It was
accompanied by
'further
graffiti
elsewhere'.
Sertienses would be the inhabitants of a
place-name
in Sert-
.
There is no sure
identification,
but a
possibility
is
Sers
(d?p. Charente)
in
Aquitaine,
derived from serta
('garlands') by
Dauzat and
Rostaing (see
n. 62
above)
who
cite Sertorovilla
(852)
and in sertis
(923).
Sers is c. 15 km south-east of
Angoul?me,
and thus within the modern
appellation
of
'Cognac'
for the
spirit
distilled from the local Vin de Charente.
67
For other
examples
from London of barrel staves branded with the initials of tria
nomina,
see RIB
II.4,
2442.12-14.
68
See
previous
note. C was
apparently double-struck;
the third letter
may
have been L or N.
41. Ibid.
(fig. 35).
Leather off-cut with
impressed stamp
or brand. In neat
capitals
c. 10 mm
high:
F ,
probably T(itus) F(lavius) B(...).69
FIG. 35.
London,
branded leather
(No. 41).
3 cm scale.
(Drawn by
R.S.O.
Tomiin)
42. Ibid.
(fig. 36).
Most of the neck and
upper shoulder,
now
fragmented,
of a South-Gaulish
amphora (Gauloise 1), probably
intended for wine. The neck carries a
dipinto neatly
written in
black ink: V
|
V LXXX
| [...JIB EVTYCI,
perhaps v(?num) \ v(etus) LXXX\ [us]ib(us) Eutyc(h)i.
Old
wine,
80
(Isextari?),
for the
(personal)
use of
Eutychus [or Eutychius].'70
69
Probably
a tanner's mark to
identify
a hide or bundle of hides before
tanning:
see M.
Rhodes, 'Inscriptions
on leather waste from Roman
London',
Britannia 18
(1987),
173-81.
They
consist of abbreviated
personal
names,
especially
the initials of tria
nomina;
for other
examples
from
London,
see RIB
II.4, 2445.13,
29 and 33.
70
This
reading,
or rather its restoration and
expansion,
is not certain since
dipinti
from Gauloise 1 for
comparison
are
unknown, according
to F.
Laubenheimer,
La
production
des
amphores
en Gaule Narbonnaise
(1985),
399. But
compare
the
dipinti
found on a related
amphora-type,
Gauloise 4
(ibid., 399-403),
better
published
as A.
Desbat,
R.
Lequ?ment,
.
Liou,
'Inscriptions peintes
sur
amphores: Lyon
et
Saint-Romain-en-Gal',
Archaeonautica 7
(1987),
141-66. One
(LI)
in
particular
reads: AMIN
|
VET VSIB
|
IVLI
ADIVTORIS, Amin(eum)
vet
(us) usib(us)
Itili
Adiutoris. The initial V of VET is of
exaggerated
form unlike that of
VSIB,
but resembles V here in lines 1 and
2,
which is
evidently
a notation either for
v(etus),
Old
(wine)',
or
v(inum),
'wine',
if not both. The
type
of
wine,
often
sp?cifie
on Gauloise 4
(Amin(eum), Mas(sicum), etc.),
is not stated.
There is then a
space,
between lines 2 and 3. The
beginning
of 3 is
lost,
but the uninscribed
space
further to
the left shows that there was no room for the name of a freedman
incorporating [L]IB,
so read
[VS]IB, usib(us),
a
term
explained by
Liou
(above),
who
compares
CIL xv
4807,
usibus cellari
Severi,
and CIL i 2583
(etc.), v(initm)
r(ubriim)
in usus Coeliae
Proculae,
for which Mommsen cites
Digest 33, 9, 4,
2 to show that a
producer
of oil or wine
might
retain for his own use
(usus)
a 'reserve'
(penus)
distinct from his commercial stock. In
dipinti,
this reference to
personal
'use' should be taken to refer to the
producer
like the
termpenuarium (frompenus,
see for
example
RIB
II.6,
2492.11),
in the sense of his
guarantee
of
quality
to the consumer. If the numeral '80' refers to sextarii
[43.76 litres],
it seems rather
large
for Gauloise
1,
but '60' is found in Gauloise 4
dipinti.
R.S.O. TOMLIN 341
fig. 36.
London, amphora dipinto (No. 42).
5 cm scale.
(Drawn by
R.S.O.
Tomiin)
43. Ibid.
(fig. 37).
Wall sherd of a Dressel 20
amphora, neatly
inscribed before
firing: [...]XIIK
M[...], [...]
XII
K(alendas) M[...ias ...].
on the twelfth
day
before the Kalends of March or
May' [18 February
or 20
April].71
fig. 37.
London, amphora graffito (No. 43).
3 cm scale.
(Drawn by
R.S.O.
Tomiin)
The date
may
have included a consular
year,
now lost.
72
Ianuarius is
quite
a common
name,
so KV was
presumably
added to
identify
this
particular individual; perhaps
he was
Ku(pitifilius),
'son of
Kupitus' [Cupitus].
73
The most
likely
nomen is
V(alerius),
and the most
likely cognomen M(artialis
or
M(aximus).
For another
instance of MVM from London
(but
on
samian),
see RIB
II.7,
2501.398.
R.S.O. TOMLIN 343
46. Ibid. Rim sherd of a Dressel 20
amphora,
somewhat abraded. Incised after
firing: [...]IIS,
probably [m(odii) VJII s(emis)
or
[m(odi?) VI]II s(emis). '(Capacity)
seven or
eight (and)
a half
modiiS
47. Ibid.
Complete
handle of a Dressel 20
amphora,
incised after
firing:
M VIII
[...] probably
m(odii)
VIII.
'(Capacity) eight
m?dii."74
amphora,
incised after
firing: XIIII, probably [...] (sextarii)
XIIII.
'(Capacity)
...
and 14 sextarii.''
49. Ibid. One end of the handle of a Dressel 20
amphora,
incised at
right-angles
after
firing:
[...]INXVI75
50. Ibid.
(fig. 40).
Wall sherd of a samian
cup (Drag. 27),
scratched above the
foot-ring
after
firing: [...] FAL,
F al
(...).16
fig. 40.
London,
samian
graffito (No. 50).
3 cm scale.
(Drawn by
R.S.O.
Tomiin)
\
51. Ibid.
(fig. 41).
Base sherd of a samian bowl
(Drag. 37)
which includes the entire
foot-ring,
with another
fragment conjoining.
Incised after
firing
in a series of
diagonal
cuts across the
width of the
foot-ring: NANILA, apparently
Nanila.11
\
fig. 41.
London,
samian
graffito (No. 51).
3 cm scale.
(Drawn by
R.S.O.
Tomiin)
74
There are two
diagonal
cuts somewhat to the left of the
numeral,
which are
presumably
an abraded M. A
large
chip
has removed all but the bottom
tip
of the final
digit,
and
any
evidence of whether it was followed
by
S for
s(emis),
'(and)
a
half,
or
by
another
digit
for
Villi,
'9'.
75
A
diagonal
scratch descends from the first
letter,
which if deliberate would make it
L;
but it seems to be casual.
The last three letters are
apparently
the numeral
'16',
but this would be difficult as a note of
capacity
since the
capacity
of Dressel 20
amphoras
is noted in modii
(usually six,
seven or
eight)
and sextarii
(of
which there were sixteen to the
modius).
But
compare
RIB
II.6,
2494.88
(Richborough)
for another instance of XVI cut on an
amphora
handle.
76
An abbreviated
personal name,
probably
in isolation. It
might
be a nomen such as
Fal(erius)
or
Fal(tonws),
but
is more
likely
to be a derived
cognomen,
or a
cognomen
such as
Fal(ernus).
77
Graffiti incised like this across the width of the
foot-ring
are often
only
numerals or marks of
identification,
but here there is sufficient variation to
suggest
that a
personal
name was intended. But the
(feminine?)
name Nanila
seems otherwise unattested.
52. Ibid.
(fig. 42).
Base sherd of a samian bowl
(Drag. 37)
which includes the entire
foot-ring.
Scratched after
firing underneath,
within the
foot-ring: ONU,
probably One(simus).78
FIG. 42.
London,
samian
graffito (No. 52).
3 cm scale.
(Drawn by
R.S.O.
Tomiin)
53. Ibid.
(fig. 43).
(Drag. 18),
incised after
firing
on the wall
just
above the
foot-ring: VET.[...], perhaps VetferisJ. '(Property)
of Vetus'.
FIG. 43.
London,
samian
graffito (No. 53).
3 cm scale.
(Drawn by
R.S.O.
Tomiin)
78
The name is
quite
common,
but with the
possible exception
of RIB
II.4,
2442.14
(an imported barrel-stave),
it
has not
previously
been found in Britain.
R.S.O. TOMLIN 345
54. Ibid. Rim sherd of a samian bowl or dish
(Drag. 18/31),
scratched on the wall below the
rim:
[...]XIIII, probably
'14'
(or more).
55. Ibid. Base sherd of a black
jar, neatly
incised underneath before
firing:
56. Ibid. Rim sherd of a black-burnished
jar,
incised on the inside wall before
firing:
VE,
Ve(...).19
57. Ibid. Base sherd of a black-burnished
jar,
firing:
,
Ap(...).so
58. Ibid.
(fig. 44).
Wall sherd of a thin-walled black
jar,
inscribed in neat
capitals
after
firing:
[...]ART.[...], perhaps Artfemidorus].^1
MKT
V
fig. 44.
London,
coarseware
graffito (No. 58).
3 cm scale.
{Drawn by
R.S.O.
Tomiin)
59. Ibid.
(fig. 45).
Base sherd of a
grey jar,
firing: IVL, Iul(ius):
fig. 45.
London,
coarseware
graffito (No. 59).
3 cm scale.
(Drawn by
R.S.O.
Tomiin)
60. Ibid. Wall sherd in
pink
fabric with cream
slip,
scratched after
firing
above the moulded
banding: SO[...]83
61. Ibid. Two
conjoining
wall sherds of a
grey jar,
scratched in rather tall
capitals
after
firing:
TIV.[...]84
79
Like the
previous
item
(No. 55),
the
potter's
abbreviated
name,
for
example Ve(recundus).
80
The owner's abbreviated name, for
example Ap(ollinaris)
or
Ap(rilis).
81
The
sequence
-ART-
suggests
the
very
common name
Martialis,
but the next
letter, although incomplete,
is
characterised
by
a medial
second, upward, stroke;
so it cannot be 1. Since F is excluded
by
the
sequence
of
letters,
it
must be E or H.
Visually,
E is more
likely
than H. Since the
sequence
-ARTE- is
hardly
ever found within a name, A is
probably
the initial
letter,
of a name derived from that of the Greek
goddess
Artemis. But H cannot be
quite excluded,
which would allow Parthenius
(etc.).
82
Although strictly
a
nomen,
Iulius is
quite
often found on its own as a
cognomen.
83
A
personal
name such as
Soflimts]
or
SofllemnisJ.
S was scratched twice.
84
At the
beginning
of a
name,
this
letter-sequence
is
very
unusual.
Probably
a Celtic
personal
name,
for
example
Tiiicius, uniquely
attested in CIL 5890.
62. Ibid.
(fig. 46).
Base sherd of a
grey jar, neatly
incised underneath after
firing: VARIL[...],
probably Varil[lus].
FIG. 46.
London,
coarseware
graffito (No. 62).
3 cm scale.
(Drawn by
R.S.O.
Tomiin)
63. Ibid.
(fig. 47).
Rim sherd of
a
black-burnished
jar.
Incised below the rim after
firing: [...]NI
V.
[...], probably [.. .Jni Au.f...].85
FIG. 47.
London,
coarseware
graffito (No. 63).
3 cm scale.
(Drawn by
R.S.O.
Tomiin)
85
The
letter-sequence
would be difficult in a
single word,
so this is
probably
two
names,
especially
since the third
and fourth letters are on a lower
alignment. They
are followed
by
the
tip
of a
downstroke, probably
I or L. The two
names
might
be those of successive
owners,
the first at least in the
genitive
case. But
quite likely, they
are the end of
the owner's
nomen,
and the
beginning
of his
cognomen,
both in the
genitive
case:
'(property)
of
[...]nius Avi[tus]',
for
example.
R.S.O. TOMLIN 347
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE
64. Dodford
(SP
61
60),
near
Daventry (fig. 48). Irregular
sheet of
lead,
89
by
72
mm,
c. 2
mm
thick,
found86 in c. 2005 and unfolded
by
the finder. One face is inscribed with ten lines of
Old Roman Cursive letters87
(c.
A.D. 150/250 in
date), preserved
in the corrosion
layer
where it
has not cracked and flaked
away:
]mneui
traces cL.nicm
.pluminono.telo[..]at
]su[.]s..silomo..
cui..rliomi.q
5
oploulnsllm....na
pocciapuoiico[..]tcs
marinan traces rt.
masus .msaso
si
s[...]jsnsus
10
[...]ns
Not translated.88
fig. 48.
Dodford,
lead tablet
(No. 64).
5 cm scale.
(Drawn by
R.S.O.
Tomiin)
86
By
a metal detectorist who contacted Fraser
Hunter,
who made it available. It has been drawn from the
original
with the
help
of
multiple photographs
taken
by
Charles Crowther at the Centre for the
Study
of Ancient
Documents,
Oxford.
87
The
handwriting
is consistent
enough
for
many
letters to be
identified,
even
though they
do not form
recognizable
words. Other letters whose
reading
is
likely
but uncertain are marked
by
a
subscript
dot.
Fragmentary
letters which
admit several
readings
or none at all are
represented by
a
stop
or
collectively
as traces.
88
There is
apparently
the
personal
name Marina in
7,
and others
may
be indicated in 8 and 9
by
the
sequence
-sus,
but the text as a whole is not
Latin,
and some
sequences
are
positively
un-Latin.
However,
it is not a reversed
text,
and there are no evident
anagrams
or
encipherment.
Since the letter-forms are
literate,
it cannot be a
pseudo
inscription
either. So
perhaps
it is
spoken
Celtic
transliterated,
but it
hardly
resembles such texts from Gaul
(for
which see P.-Y. Lambert
(ed.),
Recueil des
Inscriptions Gauloises,
II.2
(2002),
Ch.
IV, 'Inscriptions
sur lamelles de
plomb').
NORTHUMBERLAND
65. Vindolanda
(NY
768
663).
Part of the base of a
rectangular glass
bottle
(11526),
found89
in 2007. Moulded underneath within a
circle,
in relief:
[...]NIS90
66. Ibid. Part of the base of a
rectangular glass
bottle
(9778).
Moulded underneath within a
circle,
in relief: X
67. Ibid. Most of a silver
ring (11085)
in two
conjoining pieces,
outer diameter 18
mm,
the
hoop widening
to form a
rectangular bezel,
12
by
6
mm,
to which was
applied
a
rectangular gold
panel,
9
by
5 mm. Incised on this in
poor capitals: AVE,
ave.
'Greetings.'91
68. Ibid.
(fig. 49).
Half a
plain
silver
ring (10964),
outer diameter 19
mm,
the
hoop widening
to a
flattened surface 9
by
12
mm,
on which is inscribed in
capitals:
MATRI
| PATRI,
mairi
\
patri.
'To
mother,
to father.'92
69. Ibid. Five
fragments
of brick or flat tile
(11480, 11700, 11509, 11474, 11295),
all of
different
thickness, bearing fragmentary stamps
of the Sixth
Legion.
70. Ibid.
(fig. 50).
Wall sherd of a Dressel 20
amphora ( 11599),
inscribed before
firing
in cursive
letters,
now rather worn:
[...]S[...] | [...]RTIA[...] | [...]LS..[...], [...JS[...J | [... Ma]rtia[s ...]
I [...]LS..[...].
A date in
February
or
March.93
FIG. 49.
Vindolanda,
silver
finger-ring (No. 68).
Width 19 mm.
(Drawn by
R.S.O.
Tomiin)
FIG. 50.
Vindolanda, amphora graffito (No. 70).
(Drawn by
R.S.O.
Tomiin)
89
With the next 32 items in various excavations
by
the Vindolanda
Trust,
and identified
by
small-find number in
brackets. Robin
Birley
made them
available,
with notes
by Anthony Birley.
A few
graffiti comprising
less than three
certain letters
(unless initial)
have been
omitted, including
three on samian:
FI[...], MII[...],
and
[...]TII.
90
Only
the
upper part
of the second vertical stroke remains of
N,
so that I is also
possible; inverted, SII[...],
SIN[...], SIP[...]
or
SIR[...] might
all be read. There is no close
parallel
for this or the next item
among
the moulded
glass
bases in RIB
II.2, 2419,
74-177.
91
The word is used in formulas on
glass,
bone and
pottery
in RIB
II,
but note
especially II.3,
2423.7
(a ring
stone),
ave mea vita.
92
This is
possibly
a
ring
dedicated to the
Maires,
like RIB
II.3,
2422.9
(Backworth)
and 28
(Carrawburgh),
since
Matres
paternae (ILS
4781
)
or Matres
paternae
et maternae
(ILS 4778)
are
known,
but the abbreviation
matri(bus) patri(is)
would be most
ambiguous;
it is easier to
regard
it as
being
dedicated to the wearer's
parents, perhaps
in their
memory.
93
Like the next
item,
this is
part
of the
potter's signature
at the
foot,
which
might
be
expected
to include his
name,
a
place-name(?),
and the date. A downstroke survives from a line
above, probably
S. In the bottom
line, only
the
upper
half of the letters survives: after LS there is a downstroke
appropriate
to I or
perhaps V,
and a horizontal
stroke
appropriate
to R or T.
Although
the
sequence
LS
suggests
one of the
second-century
consuls called
Ceisus,
it
is not
really possible
to read
[CE]LSO
here.
r.s.o. tomlin 349
71. Ibid.
(fig. 51).
Wall sherd
probably
of a Dressel 20
amphora (11292), neatly
inscribed
before
firing: [...]I
KAL
IV[...], part
of a date in
May
or
June,
before the Kalends of June or
July.
72. Ibid.
(fig. 52).
Wall sherd of a
South-Spanish
oil
amphora (Dressel 20) (10846),
incised
neatly
before
firing
in cursive letters:
PRIMI[...]94
73. Ibid. Wall sherd of a Dressel 20
amphora (10804),
inscribed before
firing
in cursive letters:
SAR[...]
amphora (9919),
inscribed before
firing: [...]LI | [...]NI
amphora (10134),
inscribed before
firing: [...]ORIIS |
[...]NI
amphora (10873), coarsely
incised after
firing:
CCXVS95
94
The initial letter
might
also be C or
T,
and the fourth letter resembles
AD,
but no other combination results in
a
plausible sequence. Probably
the
personal
name Primus in the
genitive
case,
or a derived name.
95
Perhaps
a numeral: CCXV
s(emis),
'215 Vi\ But
although
it resembles the notes of
capacity
often scratched on
the rims of Dressel
20,
these are reckoned in modii and sextarii. Just
possibly
C was scratched twice in error: '115
]A\
if reckoned in sextarii
(i.e.
7
modii,
3 ]A
sextarii),
would be feasible for a Dressel 20.
FIG. 51.
Vindolanda,
amphora graffito (No.
71
).
(Drawn by
R.S.O.
Tomiin)
J
FIG. 52.
(Drawn by
R.S.O.
Tomiin)
77. Ibid.
(fig. 53).
Wall sherd of a
Dressel 20
amphora (10845), clumsily
inscribed after
firing:
RACCA[...]96
78. Ibid. Half of the rim of a Dressel 20
amphora (11418),
with two
graffiti by
different hands
made after
firing, (i) VICTO[...], VictofrJ
or a
derived name,
(ii) [...]MPTM, probably M(arcus)
(...) (...)9
amphora (11629), clumsily
inscribed after
firing:
[...]NAE[...]
amphora (10331),
inscribed in
capitals
after
firing:
[...]ORNA[...]
amphora (9854), coarsely
inscribed after
firing: [...]VCI,
[..Juci. '(Property)
of
[...]ucus
or
of
[Lujcius.'
82. Ibid. Base sherd of a samian
cup (Drag. 33) (11309),
found in 2007. Scratched underneath
after
firing,
on the inside of the
foot-ring: [...]TTO, probably [A]tto?%
83. Ibid.
(fig. 54).
Wall sherd of a samian bowl
(Drag. 18/31) (11434),
scratched after
firing
above the carination:
CAR[...],
Car
[us]
or a derived name.
FIG. 53.
(Drawn by
R.S.O.
Tomiin)
FIG. 54.
Vindolanda,
samian
graffito (No. 83).
(Drawn by
R.S.O.
Tomiin)
96
A
personal
name
presumably,
but not one attested.
97
Only
the
apex
of the first letter
survives,
so A could be
read,
but
A(ulus)
is much less common than
M(arcus).
The
graffiti
are the names of successive owners.
98
The name is well attested at Vindolanda: RIB
II.7, 2501.79,
Tab. Vindol. 345
(a decuri?n),
No. 93 below.
Identification cannot be
certain,
since it is
quite
a common name which
belongs
to a
group
of
cognate
names
typical
of
Belgica
and
Upper Germany (see
note to RIB
II.7, 2501.75).
R.S.O. TOMLIN 351
84. Ibid.
(fig. 55).
Rim sherd of a samian bowl
(Drag. 18/31) (10773),
scratched after
firing
on
the wall:
[...]CATVS[...], perhaps [Pajcatus.99
fig. 56.
Vindolanda,
samian
graffito (No. 85).
(Drawn by
R.S.O.
Tomiin)
99
This
cognomen
is
popular
in
Gaul,
and is found at Carvoran
(RIB 1786),
Binchester
(RIB 11,8, 2503.367)
and
Carlisle
(Tab. Luguval. 1),
but Catus is a
possibility.
86. Ibid. Rim sherd of a samian
cup (Drag. 33) (11202),
scratched after
firing
on the wall:
87. Ibid. Base sherd of a samian bowl
(Drag. 31) (11158),
scratched after
firing
underneath
within the
foot-ring:
IVNI
[...], probably Iuni[us]
or
Iuni[or].
88. Ibid. Wall sherd of a samian bowl
(Drag. 37) (10892),
scratched after
firing
below the band
of floral
decoration,
in letters inverted as to the vessel:
[...]CIVS, probably [Lujcius.100
89. Ibid.
(fig. 57).
(Drag. 18/31) (11494),
scratched after
firing
below the carination:
[...JMATVGIINVS[...], Matugenus.m
90. Ibid. Wall sherd of a
samian vessel
(Drag. 18/31?) (11580),
scratched after
firing: MII[...],
Me
[...].
91. Ibid. Base sherd of a samian bowl
(Drag. 18/31) (11500),
scratched after
firing
underneath
within the
foot-ring: SEN[...], Sen[..J)02
92. Ibid.
(fig. 58).
Wall sherd of a
pale
buff vessel
(11495),
incised before
firing:
.
| [...]7
FL[...],
...
(centuria) Fl'[...]. '[...], century
of
Fl[...].103
?-...IY FI[...]
fig. 57.
Vindolanda,
samian
graffito (No. 89).
(Drawn by
R.S.O.
Tomiin)
fig. 58.
Vindolanda,
coarseware
graffito (No. 92).
(Drawn by
R.S.O.
Tomiin)
100
Unless this is a 'late'
(i.e. third-century
or
later)
name like
Simplicius,
the termination ?cius
implies
a nomen.
But there is
quite
a
space
after
S,
so unless the
cognomen
was
widely separated,
or the owner was identified
only by
his
praenomen
and
nomen,
this is
likely
to be an instance of the
praenomen
Lucius used as a
cognomen;
for other
examples
on
samian,
see RIB
II.7, 2501,
301-303.
101
The letters are inverted
according
to the vessel. There are minor
differences, notably
in the
angle
of the second
stroke of
G,
but RIB
II.7,
2501.363
(Drag. 33,
also
Vindolanda)
was
evidently
scratched
by
the same
hand,
and thus
belonged
to the same
Matugenus.
102
One of the names
incorporating
the element seno-s
('old'),
for
example Senecio,
whether or not it was
abbreviated.
103
There is the downstroke of a letter in the line
above, perhaps P,
but with
space
to left and
right.
The second
letter of the centurion's name
might
also be
I,
but the
sequence
FL is more common.
r.s.o. tomlin 353
93. Ibid. Rim sherd of a
grey
bowl
(11598),
scratched after
firing
on the wall:
ATT[...], Att[o]
or a
cognate
name.104
94. Ibid. Two
conjoining
wall sherds of a
grey storage
vessel
(11464),
scratched after
firing
in
elongated
letters:
MAR,
probably Mar(tialis)
or a
cognate
name.105
95. Ibid. Wall sherd of
pale grey/buff
fabric
(11716),
scratched after
firing:
Mil, Me(...).106
96. Ibid. Base sherd of a small dark
grey jar (11506);
inscribed in letters inverted
as to the
vessel,
cut into the outside of the
foot-ring: VAR, probably
Varus or a
cognate
name.107
OXFORDSHIRE
97. South of Oxford
(SP
51
06),
and not associated with a Roman site
(fig. 59). Rectangular
strip
of
gold
leaf
(Au 90-93%, Ag 6-8%),
28
by
63
mm,
weight
1.41
gm,
found108 in
ploughsoil
in
2007. The inscribed text
begins
with two and a half lines of
enlarged magical signs (charakteres)
partly
based on Greek
letters,
followed
by
thirteen and a half lines of rather smaller Greek
cursive letters
(c.
a.d. 250-350 in
date):
(for inscription
and
figure
see
following page)
104
Compare
No. 82
above,
with note.
105
The name is
popular
with
soldiers,
and for this abbreviation see RIB
II.7, 2501.322-325; II.8,
2503.324.
106
For another
example
of a name thus
abbreviated,
see RIB
II.7,
2501.374
(York).
M is
carelessly made,
so as to
resemble
XX,
but a numeral '22' seems
unlikely.
107
For another instance of
VAR,
see RIB
II.7,
2501.568
(London).
108
By
a metal detectorist. Until the Treasure
process
is
complete,
it is held
by
the British Museum
(ref. 2007.Tl)
which
hopes
to
acquire
it.
Ralph
Jackson made it available. It is
only
the third substantial
gold
amulet to be found
in
Britain,
the others
being
RIB 436 and Britannia 37
(2006), 481,
No. 51. It has been
published
as R.S.O.
Tomiin,
'Special Delivery:
a Graeco-Roman
gold
amulet for
healthy childbirth',
ZPE 167
(2008),
219-24.
Characters
\
Characters
\
Characters
a
|
e a a
|
a a a
e
I
e a
|
e xo?c
( )
e
I
a aa
|
a
e( ) |
a e
)
a e
(a ) |
ea
a
I (a )
a
a? |a
e e e
e
( )|
a
(a
e
) |
a
|
a e a e .109
'Characters.
Magical
names. Make with
your holy
names that Fabia whom Terentia
her mother
bore, being
in full fitness and
health,
shall master the unborn child and
bring
it to
birth;
the name of the Lord and
Great God
being everlasting.'110
fig. 59. South of
Oxford, gold
tablet
(No. 97).
Width 28 mm.
(Drawn by
R.S.O.
Tomiin)
ff?n&tw
\
^UTi?
?
(zi
QjJ
o
"
y\aio
)
~
\
m ^
109
Transcribed with
breathings
and
accents,
capitalization
of
proper names,
and 'normalized'
spelling
in brackets.
For
commentary
see the
paper
cited above
(n. 108).
110
This charm for
easy
childbirth
(e a)
is
unparalleled
in
Britain,
where it can
only
be
compared
with an
unspecific
uterine amulet made of haematite
(RIB II.3, 2423.1),
and an inscribed lead
phylactery against
a
'wandering
womb'
(Britannia
27
(1996), 443,
No.
10).
In fact it seems to be the
only
such charm known from the Roman
period,
before the sixth
century (R.W.
Daniel and F. Maltomini
(eds), Supplementum Magicum II,
94 and
96,
with Aetius of
Amida ii
32).
R.S.O. TOMLIN
355
98.
Abingdon (SU
49
97) (fig. 60).
Bronze
(copper-alloy) die,
60
by
14
mm,
ranging
in
depth
from 10 mm to 17 mm at the centre where there is trace of an iron
handle,
found111 in 2008.
Poorly
formed raised
retrograde
letters
apparently
read:
NIIMNISTIVS,
Nemnistius.xn
fig. 60.
Abingdon,
bronze die
(No. 98).
3 cm scale.
(Drawn by
R.S.O.
Tomiin)
YORKSHIRE,
EAST RIDING
ei?
99.
Thwing (TA
699
058) (fig. 61). Third-century
keeled
finger-ring
of
copper alloy,
found113
in 2008. The
hoop
widens into
a
circular bezel on
which is incised: SSS114
1
FIG. 61.
Thwing,
bronze
finger-ring (No. 99).
10 mm scale.
(Photo:
Portable
Antiquities Scheme)
WALES
MONMOUTHSHIRE
100. Caerleon
(Isca,
ST 341
909),
Mill
Street,
Riding
School Field
(fig. 62).
Two
conjoining
fragments
of a tinned
copper-alloy spoon,
amounting
to most of the bowl
(25 by
40
mm)
and
the
beginning
of the
stem,
found115 in
1986;
within a
trapezoid panel,
inset moulded letters still
1,1
By
a
metal-detectorist. David
Williams,
Finds Liaison Officer for
Surrey County Council,
made it available.
For other metal
dies,
see RIB II.
1, 2409,
but there is no
good parallel.
112
The letters
except
for S are formed
by
vertical and
diagonal
strokes
indistinctly divided,
making
it difficult to
distinguish
between , and V. The termination ISTIVS seems clear
enough,
but the
preceding
2-3 letters could also
be read as
MIV, NNV,
or NVV. The name is not attested.
1,3
In
field-walking. Sally
Worrell sent a
photograph
and other details.
114
Despite
there
being
no medial
line,
this is
probably
a
'Chnoubis' amulet:
compare
the barred SSSS in the
Woodeaton
gold
amulet
(Britannia
1
(1970), 305,
No. 1 with FIG.
11,
which omits the medial
line),
as
published
with
commentary by
R.
Kotansky,
Greek
Magical Amulets,
I
(1994), 13-15,
No. 3. The
only
other British
example
is barred
SSS on the Eccles 'curse tablet'
(Britannia
17
(1986), 430,
No.
4),
side
(a).
115
During
excavation for the National Museum of Wales and the
Trust directed
by
Dr E.M.
Evans,
(1987),
307 and
305, Fig.
4. For inscribed lead
tags
and
potsherds
from
the same
excavation,
see Britannia 28
(1997), 467-71,
Nos. 40-54. The
spoons
are now in
Newport
Museum
(Inv.
Nos. 79 / 003 / SF879 and 79 / 607 /
SF427),
where Bob Trett and
Joyce Compton
made them available.
filled
by
red enamel: VTE
[...], ute(re).
With the next
item,
it formed a
pair
of
spoons
inscribed
respectively
utere and
felix,
'use
(and be) happy'.116
FIG. 62.
Caerleon,
bronze
spoon (No. 100).
3 cm scale.
(Drawn by
R.S.O.
Tomiin)
101. Ibid. Small
fragment
of a
spoon
similar to the
preceding, amounting
to the
very
end of the
bowl and the
beginning
of the
stem,
also found in
1986;
within a
trapezoid panel,
inset moulded
letters intended for enamel now lost:
FE[...],fe[lixJ.
One of a
pair
with the
previous
item.
102. Ibid.
(ST
3446
9003),
behind the Mission
Chapel,
Bulmore Road
(fig. 63). Fragment
from the die of a ceramic 'box'
altar,
0.075
by
0.195
m,
c. 0.02 m
thick,
found117 in 2007. It
may belong
to the altar of which the
stepped
base and lower die were found in one
piece,
this
die
being
0.225 m wide. At the back of the
fragment
to the
right,
there is
part
of the inner
return,
which
suggests
that 1-2 letters have been lost to the
right
of the
surviving
letter in line
1,
and
3-4 letters to the left. Inscribed before
firing,
between
setting-out
lines 42 mm
(line 1)
and 34
mm
apart (line 2),
in 'monumental'
capitals: [...]N[..] | [...].E[..] | [...]R[..].118
116
For other
examples
of this
type,
see RIB
11.2, 2420.50,
51 and Britannia 19
(1988), 502, No,
69.
117
During archaeological
evaluation
by
Monmouth
Archaeology,
(2008), 268-72,
figs
4-7. See further Mark Lewis
(with
contributions from
Stephen
Clarke and Jane
Bray),
'Roman
clay
altars from
Caerleon',
The Monmouthshire
Antiquary
24
(2008), 31-45,
with colour
photographs
of three
fragmentary
altars.
This
fragment (ibid.,
No.
3)
is
only
the second British
example
of an inscribed altar in fired
clay,
the other
being
Britannia 24
(1993), 316,
No.
5;
but in size and
style
it should be
compared
with the uninscribed
fragments
from
Uley (published by
M.
Henig
in A. Woodward and R
Leach,
The
Uley
Shrines
(1993),
147 with
fig. 122),
and the two
inscribed incense-burners from
Carrawburgh (RIB
1530 and 1531
=
II.4,
2457.3 and
2457.2).
It is now in the Roman
Legionary Museum, Caerleon,
where Mark Lewis made it available.
118
There is the
top-right tip
of a letter before E in line
2, perhaps T;
but
C, F,
G and S cannot be excluded. No
setting-out
line is
apparent
below
R,
and the uninscribed
space suggests
the text ended here. The
enlarged
letters of
line 1
suggest
it contained the
dedication,
but no restoration is
possible.
R.S.O. TOMLIN 357
fig. 63.
Caerleon,
ceramic altar
(No. 102).
3 cm scale.
(Drawn by
R.S.O.
Tomiin)
103. Ibid.
(ST
340
907),
Backhall Street. Two
conjoining fragments
of a
flanged roofing-tile
(tegula),
0.20
by
0.44
m,
found119 in 1964.
They preserve part
of one end and most of one
side,
and bear an
impressed stamp
now
incomplete
and broken:
[...J.VGANT, [le(gio)
II
AJug(usta)
Ant(oniniana)
,120
104. Caerwent
(Venta Silurum,
ST 469
906),
the Roman
'amphitheatre' [an
oval enclosure of
unknown
purpose] (fig. 64).
(Drag. 38),
found121 in
1901-1903;
scratched on the wall after
firing
below the
flange
and inverted in
respect
to the bowl: F
LAV11,
Flav\i, '(property)
of Flavius'.122
119
During
excavation,
for which see JRS 55
(1965),
198. In 1988
(identified
as
C/BS/10.64) they
were cleaned in
the conservation
laboratory
of the Institute of
Archaeology,
London. In 2008 Mark Hassall
passed
them to
RSOT,
who
returned them to the Roman
Legionary Museum,
Caerleon.
120
The
stamp
is Boon ii 1
=
RIB
II.4,
2459.55. As
often,
there is no trace of O after ANT.
121
During
excavation,
for which see
Archaeologia 59(i) (1904),
104-6.
'Ampli'
is
pencilled
on the
sherd,
and an
old adhesive label reads 'Graffito
Amph'.
Like the next four
items,
it is now in
Newport
Museum and Art
Gallery (Inv.
Nos
86.92, 1-5),
where Bob Trett made them available. It is the
only
one with a detailed
provenance,
but as a
group
they
must derive from the excavations of 1899-1913. For two other sherds from
Caerwent,
see Britannia 29
(1998),
443,
Nos 45 and 46.
122
F is scratched over a curved stroke
corresponding
to that of L to its
right, perhaps
an
incomplete
L made in
error. The final I is scratched below
F, although
there was
space
for it to the
right
of V.
Flavins,
like other
imperial
nomina,
is sometimes found as a
cognomen;
RIB
II.7,
2501.189 is
probably
an
example.
fig. 64.
Caerwent,
samian
graffito (No. 104).
3 cm scale.
(Drawn by
R. S. O.
Tomiin)
105. Caerwent
(Venta S?lurum,
ST 46
90) (fig. 65).
Base sherd of
a samian bowl
(Drag. 31R)
now blackened
by
fire,
found123 in
1899-1913;
firing
within the foot
ring: BLA[...], Bla[ndus].
fig 65.
Caerwent,
samian
graffito (No. 105).
3 cm scale.
(Drawn by
R.S.O.
Tomiin)
106. Ibid.
(fig. 66).
Rim sherd of a samian
cup (Drag. 27),
scratched
just
below the rim after
firing: [...]CAN, probably Can(didus).
123
In excavation with the next three items: see note 121 above.
r.s.o. tomlin 359
fig. 66.
Caerwent,
samian
graffito (No. 106).
3 cm scale.
(Drawn by
R.S.O.
Tomiin)
107. Ibid.
(fig. 67).
Base sherd of a samian
platter (Drag. 18),
firing
within the
foot-ring: SVALI[...], SualifusJ
or a
cognate
name.124
fig. 67.
Caerwent,
samian
graffito (No. 107).
3 cm scale.
(Drawn by
R.S.O.
Tomiin)
108. Ibid.
(fig. 68).
Base sherd in a
pink
coarse
fabric,
firing:
AIISV,
presumably Aesu(s).125
124
S is cut
by
the stroke of another
letter(?) below, part
of another
graffito presumably.
L is scratched over another
stroke, presumably
to correct a mistake. The rare nomen Sualius or Suallius derives from a Celtic name
variously
found as Sualinos
(RIB 11.4, 2442.22)
and
Sualiccia,
which
may
contain the same element as Sualia
(the
river Swale
in
Bede, #?ii.l4).
125
Aesus is the name of a
god,
but is found as a
cognomen:
see RIB
II.8, 2503.176,
AES
VC,
and CIL xi
1619,
Cn.
Tullio Cn. I A es o
(a freedman).
fig. 68.
Caerwent,
coarseware
graffito (No. 108).
3 cm scale.
(Drawn by
R.S.O.
Tomiin)
SCOTLAND
BORDERS REGION
[ROXBURGHSHIRE]
109. Newstead
(Trimontium,
NT 57
34).
Iron
cavalry helmet,
found126 in 1906. Incised with a
file,
into the inner curve between bowl and
neck-guard: VII,
'7'.
110. Ibid. Iron knife with riveted wooden handle. One
rivet,
at the bottom
end,
has
a letter
scratched on it: M127
LOTHIAN REGION
[EAST LOTHIAN]
111.
Traprain
Law
(NT
581
746). Large fragment
of a
silver bowl c. 405 mm in
diameter,
found128 in 1919. Scratched
underneath,
between the
foot-ring
and the inner scribed
circle,
is a
faint
graffito: [...]NIONI, perhaps [AJnftJoni. '(Property)
of Antonius.'129
ADDENDA ET CORRIGENDA
(a)
RIB 695
(York),
tombstone
(fig. 69).
The first word of line 6 should read:
S?HEPAN,
Sthepan(us)
for
'Stephanus'.
The
published drawing
omits the horizontal medial line
(for
ligatured H)
which
joins
to E.130
126
With the next item
during
Curie's
excavations; they
are now in the National Museum of
Antiquities, Edinburgh,
FRA 124 and 265
respectively.
Both
graffiti
and Addenda et
Corrigenda (h)
were noticed
by
Prof. W.H.
Manning,
and
examined
by
RSOT. Fraser Hunter made them available.
127
A mark of
identification,
the initial letter of the owner's name
presumably.
It seems to be
deliberate,
unlike the
casual scratches on the other rivets.
128
A.O.
Curie,
The Treasure
of Traprain (1923), 33,
No. 21. Fraser Hunter made this and the other inscribed
objects
in the Treasure available.
They
include No. 147
(p. 86),
a massive
square
buckle with
punched-dot
decoration
incorporating Alpha
and
Omega
which is omitted
by RIB, presumably
for
being fifth-century
and not of British
origin.
129
The first differs from the second in
being longer
and
curving
leftward at the
top,
but the horizontal stroke
for is not visible.
However,
the
graffito
is
very faint,
which is
why
it is not in Curie
(see previous note)
or RIB.
130
As noticed
by
Muriel Moser
during
the York summer school of the British
Epigraphy Society
in June 2008.
The
digraphs
<th> and
<ph>
which transliterate the Greek letters Theta and Phi are not native to
Latin,
and a failure
to
aspirate
is
quite
common,
but sometimes there is confusion about where to
place
the H: for
examples
of such
'transpositions',
see
Dessau,
ILS
III, p.
817.
R.S.O. TOMLIN 361
FIG. 69.
York,
detail of RIB 695
(Addendum (a)).
Width 0.22 m.
{Photo:
R.S.O.
Tomiin)
(b)
RIB 774
(Brougham Castle),
altar. Found
shortly
before March
1664,
in the castle
garden
just
north of the Roman fort.131
(c)
RIB 111
(Brougham Castle) (fig. 70).
This altar or
statue-base,
now
lost,
was found with
RIB 774.132 The
reading
should be: D
|
SANCTO
| BELATV|CATRO | VOTVM, dfeoj \
sancto
I Belatu\catro \
votum. 'To the
holy god Belatucatrus,
a vow
(fulfilled).'133
FIG. 70.
Brougham Castle,
RIB 111
(Addendum (c)).
Dimensions unknown.
(Drawn by
William
Dugdale: College of
Arms MS
C39, p. 8)
131
Noted
by Dugdale (see above,
note
8),
who transcribes it
correctly.
132
Noted
by Dugdale (see above,
note
8).
RIB follows
Machell,
who
copied
from
Dugdale
but made mistakes
in
doing
so.
Although
Machell
implies
that it was a statue and transcribes the
inscription
as SANCTO DEO
BELATVCADRO,
the
corresponsion
is close
enough
to
identify
his stone with
Dugdale's.
133
Dugdale
uses the the
contemporary
convention of a
suprascript
horizontal stroke
indicating
abbreviation
to mark two
ligatures,
AN and VM. There are
many
variations in the
god's
name, but this is the first instance of
Belatucatrus.
Dugdale
is
unlikely
to have made a mistake for Belatucairus
(compare
RIB
IIA,
1784 and
2056),
since
he read it
correctly
in RIB IIA. On the other
hand,
Machell's Belatucadrus is
only
a 'correction' derived from the
predominant
form. The use of votum unabbreviated is also
unusual,
but is found on the two 'Belatucadrus' altars at
Carvoran
(RIB
1775 and
1776).
(d)
RIB 1419
(milecastle 17, Welton).
This lost
inscription
of
Legion
II
Augusta,
seen
by
Hodgson
in
1810,
was
previously
seen
by
the Revd John Skinner in
1801,
who confirms the
reading
and
provenance,
and
gives
the dimensions: 'near the farm
[Welton],
on
top
of the
steps
made for
mounting
a
horse,
there is a stone 2 A ft. wide and 6 inches thick. On the west end is this
inscription
...
LEG: II... AUG
F,
this taken
by
the farmer a little time since from the foundations
of a
square
fort to the south of the wall.
[...]
The stone was
certainly larger,
but was broken off
in
conveying
it to the
present
situation.'134
(e)
RIB 1655
(now
in Chesters
Museum), building-stone
'found before 1873 between
Housesteads and Cawfields'. It was
actually
found in 1845 at
Chesters,
since it features
(out
of
scale)
with other finds in a
watercolour
(1845) by
Thomas Miles Richardson
(the younger)135
of
the commandant's
bath-house,
which
Clayton began
to excavate in 1843. The
implication
is that
it was a recent
discovery,
since RIB 1479 is
omitted,
which
Clayton
found there in 1843.
(f)
RIB
II.2,
2414.22
(Traprain Law), fragment
of silver
plate.
The
graffito
can be read:
INNOCE[...], Innoce[ntius]P6
(g)
RIB
II.2,
2414.21
(Traprain Law),
silver strainer. The
perforated inscription (b),
IESVS
CHRISTVS,
extends round the whole
circumference,
not in a semi-circle as
drawn.137
(h)
RIB
II.3,
2425.4
(Newstead),
iron helmet. There is a third
graffito (c),
incised with a file
into the inner curve between bowl and
neck-guard: IUI,
'4'.138
(i)
RIB
II.3,
2428.3
(Newstead),
mattock
stamp.
The reference to Curie's Newstead should
be to
'pl. LVII.2';
the
stamp
is on the under
surface,
and is more worn and corroded than in
Collingwood's drawing.
But it
certainly
reads ATTICVS.
G)
RIB
II.5, 2491.75(iv) (Chesters),
inscribed brick. Found before
1900,
not 'in 1894'.139
(k)
RIB
II.6,
2492.28
(London), amphora (London
555 /
Augst 21). Dipinto (a)
should read:
[...]OLIVA[...],
oliva
[..7,
'olives
...
'.
140
(1)
RIB
II.6,
2492.30
(Chester), amphora dipinto.
The
type
of
amphora
was not
specified
when
this was
published,
but the characteristic red
dipinto
shows it to be late Roman and
probably
from the
Aegean:
LRA 2
=
Peacock and Williams 43. The two-letter
dipinto
is
complete,
and is
not
Latin,
but a Greek numeral of
capacity:
A,
a. '51
(sextarii)S]4]
(m)
Britannia 34
(2003), 377,
No. 36
(Vindolanda), amphora (London
555 /
Augst 21). Dipinto
(b),
lines
2-3,
should read OL
| AL, ol(iva) al(ba).
'Green olives.'142
134
H. and P. Coombs
(eds),
Hadrian 's Wall in 1801 : Observations on the Roman Wall
by
Rev. John Skinner F.S.A.
(1978),
29-30. The reference was sent
by Georgina Plowright.
135
'The Baths at
Cilurnum,
North
Tyne' signed
'T M R Junior
|
1845': Museum of
Antiquities,
Newcastle
upon
Tyne,
acc. no. 1993.8.
(Information
from
Georgina Plowright
and
Lindsay Allason-Jones.)
136
The
published drawing (identical
with A.O.
Curie,
The Treasure
of Traprain (1923), 84, fig. 67)
under
represents
the
surviving traces,
as RSOT found when he examined the
Traprain
Treasure
by courtesy
of Fraser Hunter.
The
sequence
NNOCE is
certain,
E
being
made with two horizontals
cutting
the vertical stroke which extends from
C,
its bottom curve lost in
damage.
The initial I is rather
higher
than the first
N,
but both seem to have been written over
an earlier O
(not drawn).
The 'V V drawn and transcribed are indeterminate traces from above.
137
Confirmed
by autopsy,
but
already
evident in Curie
(see previous note), pl.
XXVIII.
138
See
above,
note 126.
139
'1894' is written
upon it,
but
Georgina Plowright points
out that this is its number in the
(1900) catalogue
of
Chesters Museum
by
H.R.
Hall,
which is retained in brackets
by
Wallis
Budge
in his
(1903) catalogue,
in which it is
now No. 2058
(p. 384).
140
S.
Martin-Kilcher,
Die r?mischen
Amphoren
aus
?ugst undKaiseraugst,
II
(1994), 392, fig.
168.
141
Peter
Carrington
sent a
photograph.
This
annotation,
and a second
digit (a, ?,
, ,
etc.),
'5 ,
'52', '53',
'54'
(etc.), repeated
three times in
large
red
letters,
is
regularly
found on this
type
of
amphora (LRA 2)
to record the
capacity
in a
(sextarii)
of 546 ml each.
142
In the
published drawing (ibid., fig. 22),
the initial
loop
and the rake of the third stroke of'N' is more
compatible
with
L;
and when olives are
specified
in London
555, they
are
'green' (albae),
not 'black'
(nigrae).
See
further,
note
51 above.
R.S.O. TOMLIN 363
( )
Britannia 24
(1993), 320,
No. 21. The anomalous Chi-Rho silver
pendant
from
Shepton
Mallet has
proved143
to be
a modern
forgery.
CHANGES OF LOCATION
(a)
RIB 1054
(South Shields).
This altar has been in Arbeia Roman fort museum since
1985,
on
long-term
loan from the Ashmolean
Museum,
Oxford.144
(b)
RIB 1132
(Corbridge).
This
fragment
is in store at
Corbridge
Roman site
(75.2016).145
(c)
RIB 1136+add.
(Corbridge).
Orchard
(or Hole) Farm,
Corbridge,
where this altar was
found and
remains,
is now called Orchard Vale.
(d)
RIB 1597
(Housesteads).
This
altar,
which is
part
of the
Clayton Collection,
is in store at
Corbridge
Roman site.
(e)
Britannia 8
(1977), 431,
Nos 20 and 21
(Housesteads)
=
RIB
III,
3327 and 3328. These
inscribed
building-stones
have been transferred from
Segedunum
Roman fort to
Corbridge
Roman
site,
where
they
are now in store.
(f)
RIB
II.8,
2503.406
(Billericay).
This
graffito
has now been located in the Essex
County
Council Field
Archaeology
Unit at
Braintree,
and will be sent to Chelmsford Museum.146
143
After
analysis by
Dr Matthew
Ponting
at the
University
of
Liverpool,
summarised
by Stephen
Minnitt in CBA
SW Journal No. 22.
144
Information from Arthur
MacGregor
and Alex Croom.
145
Information about this and the next three items was sent
by Georgina Plowright.
146
Information from
Joyce Compton.
364

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