The Roman Rural Settlement Project · Project Coins and ‘small finds’ from the south-east of...
Transcript of The Roman Rural Settlement Project · Project Coins and ‘small finds’ from the south-east of...
The Roman Rural Settlement Project
Coins and ‘small finds’ from the south-east of England: preliminary results
Dr Tom Brindle
Structure of the Paper
Coins
Brooches
Other small finds
Roman coinage in the South East
• As in regions previously analysed, Roman coins far from ubiquitous
• Just 49% of sites produced coins
• Wide intra-regional variation
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Pe
rce
nt
County
Presence of coins (% of sites)
Intra-regional variation explained?
E.g. Buckinghamshire and Berkshire
• Buckinghamshire – 85 sites, 54% with coins
• Berkshire – 56 sites, 31% with coins
0
5
10
15
20
25
Bucks Berkshire
Pe
rce
nt
County
Proportion of sites for which controlled metal detection noted
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
GreaterLondon
Berkshire Kent Isle of Wight Surrey Oxfordshire Bucks Hampshire West Sussex East Sussex
Pe
rce
nt
County
Date of reports
<1970s
1980s
1990s
2000+
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
<0.25ha 0.25-0.5ha 0.5-1ha 1 to 5ha 5ha+
Pe
rce
nt
Area of investigation
Proportion of sites with coins against area of investigation
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10
20
30
40
50
60
Sites occupied beyond AD 250 Sites abandoned before AD 250
Pe
rce
nt
Proportion of sites with coins
Proportion of sites occupied >AD 250 and <AD 250 with coins
Occupation sites with activity beyond c. AD 260 should produce coins
• Reasonable area of excavation (0.5ha?)
• Controlled metal detector use on site
• Coins included in the site report(!)
What about early Roman coinage?
• 29% of sites produced coins up to AD 260
• Even with sample of sites with large excavated areas >5ha only 42% had coins (as opposed to 66% for coins of all periods)
So, which sites produce early coins?
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
Nucleatedsites
Villas Religious sites Linear farms Enclosedfarms
Pe
rce
nt
Site type
Presence/absence early Roman coins
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
Nucleatedsites
Villas Religious sites Linear farms Enclosedfarms
Pe
rce
nt
Site type
Presence/absence late Roman coins
0.0%
5.0%
10.0%
15.0%
20.0%
25.0%
Pe
rce
nt
Brooches Linear/developed farms (presence)
0.0%2.0%4.0%6.0%8.0%
10.0%12.0%14.0%16.0%
Pe
rce
nt
Brooches Enclosed farms (presence)
0.0%
5.0%
10.0%
15.0%
20.0%
25.0%
Pe
rce
nt
Brooches Villas (presence)
0.0%5.0%
10.0%15.0%20.0%25.0%30.0%35.0%40.0%
Pe
rce
nt
Brooches Religious sites (presence)
0.0%
5.0%
10.0%
15.0%
20.0%
25.0%
30.0%
Pe
rce
nt
Brooches Nucleated sites (presence)
Colchester
Colchester derivative
Nauheim derivative
Hod Hill
Aucissa
Images copyright of Portable Antiquities Scheme
Distribution of some particular types of brooch recorded by the Roman rural settlement project
Colchesters
Colchester derivatives
Nauheim derivatives
Hod Hills
Aucissa/Bagendons
! Towns
SE Roman Roads
Distribution of some particular types of brooch recorded by the Portable Antiquities Scheme
Aucissa/Bagendons
Aucissa/Bagendon brooches recorded by the Roman rural settlement project and PAS
Frere (1987) Britannia
Aucissa Brooches
• Total of 31 brooches at 17 sites
Multiple examples from 5 sites
– 10 from Springhead (roadside settlement and sanctuary complex)
– 3 from Fishbourne (villa)
– 2 from Wavendon Gate, Bucks (farm, funerary site)
– 2 Wilcote (village)
– 2 Barton Court Farm (farm/ villa)
12 single examples • Thurnham (villa/temple) • North Leigh (villa) • Gatehampton Farm (villa) • Thruxton (villa/shrine/funerary site) • Shakenoak Farm (villa) • Woodeaton (temple) • Walton Court, Aylesbury
(village/shrine) • Swarling (funerary site) • Mount Farm Berinsfield (linear
farm) • Northumberland Bottom (linear
farm), • Northbrook, Micheldever (enclosed
farm) • Ructstalls Hill, Basingstoke (enclosed
farm)
Very strong association between Aucissa brooches and nucleated, ritual and villa sites – officialdom?
Zoomorphic brooches
Multiple examples from 3 sites
– 2 from Weston Turville (hare and fly - funerary site)
– 2 from Campsfield, Kidlington (fly/bee and fly -farm – part of possible structured deposit in 4th century corn drier
– 2 from Wiggonholt (duck and rearing horse and soldiers above eagle – villa)
9 single examples • Springhead Sanctuary (hare-temple) • Walton Court Aylesbury (cockerel -
shrine/village) • Slonk Hill, Shoreham (cockerel –
shrine) • Lancing Down (cockerel –
temple/shrine – recovered from grave near temple)
• Muntham Court, Finden (fish – shrine)
• Ewell (stag -shrine/village) • Brentford (hare - village/funerary
site) • The Mount, Maidstone(horse - villa) • Ashtead (plate depicting dolphin -
villa)
Overwhelming association between zoomorphic brooches and ritual/funerary sites
Other finds – presence of objects (proportion of sites)
0
20
40
60
80
100
Nucleatedsites
combined
Religioussites
combined
Villas LinearFarms
EnclosedFarms
UnenclosedFarms
Pe
rce
nt
Dress Accessories
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Nucleatedsites
combined
Religioussites
combined
Villas LinearFarms
EnclosedFarms
UnenclosedFarms
Pe
rce
nt
Reading and Writing
0
20
40
60
80
100
Nucleatedsites
combined
Religioussites
combined
Villas LinearFarms
EnclosedFarms
UnenclosedFarms
Pe
rce
nt
Cosmetic/ Toilet implements
05
101520253035
Nucleatedsites
combined
Religioussites
combined
Villas LinearFarms
EnclosedFarms
UnenclosedFarms
Pe
rce
nt
Title
Lighting Equipment
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
Nucleatedsites
combined
Religioussites
combined
Villas LinearFarms
EnclosedFarms
UnenclosedFarms
Pe
rce
nt Military/hunting
Dress – presence of objects with Mediterranean identity
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Nucleatedsites
combined
Religioussites
combined
Villas LinearFarms
EnclosedFarms
Unenclosedfarms
Pe
rce
nt
Hairpins
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Nucleatedsites
combined
Religioussites
combined
Villas LinearFarms
EnclosedFarms
Unenclosedfarms
Pe
rce
nt
Ear-rings
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Nucleatedsites
combined
Religioussites
combined
Villas LinearFarms
EnclosedFarms
Unenclosedfarms
Pe
rce
nt
Finger rings
05
10
15
202530
35
4045
50
Nucleatedsites
combined
Religioussites
combined
Villas LinearFarms
EnclosedFarms
Unenclosedfarms
Pe
rce
nt
Hobnails
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
Villas LinearFarms
EnclosedFarms
Unenclosedfarms
Religioussites
combined
Nucleatedsites
combined
Titl
e
Mirrors
0
2
4
6
8
Villas LinearFarms
EnclosedFarms
Unenclosedfarms
Religioussites
combined
Nucleatedsites
combined
Titl
e
Combs
02468
10
Villas LinearFarms
EnclosedFarms
Unenclosedfarms
Religioussites
combined
Nucleatedsites
combined
Titl
e
Cosmetic mortars/grinders and palettes
0
5
10
15
20
25
Villas LinearFarms
EnclosedFarms
Unenclosedfarms
Religioussites
combined
Nucleatedsites
combined
Titl
e
Tweezers
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
Villas LinearFarms
EnclosedFarms
Unenclosedfarms
Religioussites
combined
Nucleatedsites
combined
Titl
e
Nail Cleaners
Presence of objects associated with personal presentation and hygiene
0
20
40
60
80
100
Villas Linear Farms Enclosed Farms Unenclosedfarms
Pe
rce
nt
Presence of paddocks/stock enclosures Connectedness?
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
Villas Linear Farms Enclosed Farms Unenclosedfarms
Pe
rce
nt
Presence of trackways/roads
0
5
10
15
20
25
Villas Linear Farms Enclosed Farms Unenclosed farms
Pe
rce
nt
Objects associated with horses/transport
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Villas Linear Farms Enclosed Farms Unenclosed farms
Pe
rce
nt
Sites with horse bones
0
5
10
15
20
25
Villas Linear Farms Enclosed Farms Unenclosed farms
Pe
rce
nt
% of sites with horse ABGs (associated bone groups)
0
5
10
15
20
Villas Linear Farms Enclosed Farms
Pe
rce
nt
Presence of juvenile horse bones
Conclusions • Recovery of artefacts strongly influenced by investigation methodology,
particularly size of excavation and whether metal detectors are used • By late Roman period coins widespread across Roman sites, and should be
expected at sites occupied beyond late 3rd century AD • Early Roman coins less evenly distributed and appear less widespread at
enclosed and unenclosed farms than linear farms, villas and nucleated sites • Interesting brooch patterns beginning to emerge – have been able to show clear
association for Aucissa brooches to follow the Roman road network, and to show a tendency towards non-farm sites. V clear relationship between zoomorphic brooches and ritual/funerary contexts– seem to occur rarely as casual losses on farm
• Developing patterns suggest the types of site we can expect finds to occur on – nucleated sites, religious sites and villas best represented by finds, though linear farms stand out as being far better represented by objects than the other farms
• Linear farms more commonly associated with a range of objects regarded as more ‘Roman’ than native, and also tend to exhibit better evidence for personal grooming and bodily display
• This is likely to be associated with cultural and social status, and the increased presence of paddocks, trackways and horse remains at linear farms are suggestive of better access to transport, travel, and social situations in which it is desirable to project one’s identity
• Building a better picture of a very nuanced socially stratified society that goes well beyond the traditional villa/farm dichotomy