Roman Archaeology Blog

Find Roman history and Anglo Saxon remains under your feet

2012-01-30T10:37:00.001+01:00

BUDDING archaeologists need to pick up a trowel and get digging in their back gardens.

A new project, funded by a £40,800 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund, has been launched to uncover the history hidden underfoot in Kingsholm.

At the launch of History on Your Doorstep on Saturday, Jean Ashmead, of Dean's Way, said she barely has to scrape the surface of her garden to uncover Roman relics. She arrived at the event laden with Roman pottery and an unidentifiable animal's jaw.

Read the rest of this article...

Le Port englouti de Constantinople

2012-01-30T09:04:00.001+01:00

ARTE has a superbdocumentary about the excavations of the Theodosian port in Constantinople,discovered during the building of the Istanbul metro under the Bosphorus.

The documentary makes excellent use of augmented and virual reality. Soundtrack is available in either French or German.

Watch the video...

Archaeology Courses at the Oxford Experience 2012

2012-01-27T12:32:00.001+01:00

The Oxford Experience SummerSchool

1 July to 11 August 2012

The 2012 Oxford Experience Programme is now online.

The Oxford Experience is a residentialsummer school held at the college of Christ Church, University of Oxford.

The programme consists of 6 weeks of coursesand participants attend for one or more weeks.
It offers a choice of twelve seminars eachweek over a period of five weeks. Participants do not need any formalqualifications to take part, just an interest in their chosen subject and adesire to meet like-minded people.

You can also find details ofthe various archaeology courses offered at Oxford Experience here...

Bones on Milton Keynes building site 'could be Roman'

2012-01-27T12:16:00.001+01:00

A set of bones discovered on a building site in Milton Keynes could be Roman, said a council archaeologist.

The remains of more than one person have now been discovered at the Taylor Wimpey development in Oakridge Park.

The bones of one skeleton were first unearthed by workers on the site two weeks ago.

Forensic archaeologists established that the remains were not of recent origin and therefore not of police interest.

Read the rest of this article...

Latest building found at Roman town near Norwich looks like a spaceship

2012-01-26T09:57:00.001+01:00

The Roman town of Venta Icenorum, meaning market of the Iceni people, was discovered during the 1929-35 excavations and has been a popular place of both local and national interest, with the BBC’s Time Team filming there in 2010.

The latest revelation, dating back to third century AD, was discovered by the Norfolk Archaeological Historical Research Society and has recently been unveiled in an academic journal.

The structure shows two angled wings, meeting on a central structure, and is described by Professor Will Bowden, who has been working on the project from the University of Nottingham, as “an unusual and adventurous building on a very interesting site”.

Read the rest of this article...

Y-shaped Roman structure discovered in UK

2012-01-25T19:34:00.001+01:00

A recently discovered mysterious "winged" structure in England, which in the Roman period may have been used as a temple, presents a puzzle for archaeologists, who say the building has no known parallels.

The archaeological team inside the postholes from the later Roman building. Decorated wall plaster was excavated from them [Credit: William Bowden]

Built around 1,800 years ago, the structure was discovered in Norfolk, in eastern England, just to the south of the ancient town of Venta Icenorum. The structure has two wings radiating out from a rectangular room that in turn leads to a central room.

Read the rest of this article...

Amateur archaeologist unearths 'Roman prostitute's pendant'

2012-01-22T00:19:00.001+01:00

Bob Dix found the rarity in the back garden of his former home and, without any further thought, tucked it away for safe-keeping.

But he only realised the pendant could be special after a similar brothel token appeared in the press earlier this month.

Mr Dix’s raunchy Roman jewellery shows a man and woman engaged in a sex act.
He said: ‘I believe the piece I found is slightly different to the one in London - I think it was what the prostitutes would have worn round their necks and people would recognise what service they were willing to provide.’

Read the rest of this article

Roman remains spark delay concerns over flood protection

2012-01-19T16:05:00.000+01:00

DETAILED research is under way for a revised scheme to protect one of Yorkshire’s worst flooding blackspots amid concerns archaeology dating from the Roman era could cause further delays.

A feasibility study has been commissioned on the flood defence scheme for Pickering after the original proposals were halted in June last year when it emerged the costs had almost tripled to £3.2m.

The study is expected to be published at the end of March before a decision is made on the exact design of earth embankments which are planned to hold back up to 17.5m gallons of water from Pickering Beck.

Read the rest of this article...

Temple of Mithras comes home

2012-01-19T16:02:00.002+01:00

One Saturday afternoon in September 1954, a handsome, faintly smiling god looked up from the London mud. His name was Mithras, and the rediscovered Roman temple to his cult became a sensation in a gloomy postwar capital pitted with bombsites and still recovering from rationing.

But the temple was also about to become Britain's most mobile Roman site. Fifty-seven years ago it was in the way of an office block development and had to be shifted. Now, almost 2,000 years after it was first built, it is on the move again to make way for the headquarters of Bloomberg.

In 1954, the temple was front-page news day after day, attracted half-mile queues and was watched across the nation on Movietone news. Its fate was anxiously discussed at cabinet meetings and watched with close interest by the prime minister, Winston Churchill.

Read the rest of this article...

Roman villa 'rare and important for Peterborough' says archaeologist

2012-01-14T16:28:00.001+01:00

A "substantial, high-status" Roman villa discovered in Peterborough has shed new light on the city's occupants 2,000 years ago, archaeologists say.

Although the city - known as Durobrivae - was well-documented as a strategic area for the movement of Roman troops, there was little evidence of occupation - and no evidence of wealthy occupants in the east of the city.

Now Oxford Archaeology East and archaeologists from Peterborough City Council have discovered a 2nd Century villa and farm complex on the site of former allotments at Walton.

Read the rest of this article...

Roman helmet's 'astounding' restoration

2012-01-12T11:39:00.001+01:00

A Roman helmet which was buried in a Leicestershire field for around 2,000 years has been displayed at the British Museum.

It was in hundreds of pieces when it was found in Market Harborough, in 2000, and has since been put back together.

Ken Wallace said when he discovered the helmet the metal fragments looked like "crushed cornflakes".

Mr Wallace added that he was amazed by its restoration by experts at the British Museum.

Watch the video...

UK unveils rare Roman helmet mistaken for bucket

2012-01-12T11:19:00.001+01:00

A rare Roman cavalry helmet dating from Emperor Claudius' invasion of Britain nearly 2,000 years ago was unveiled on Tuesday after painstaking restoration lasting nearly a decade.

The so-called Hallaton Helmet was found 10 years ago during the excavation of an Iron Age shrine at Hallaton in Leicestershire, central England.

At the time, archaeologists used to finding more instantly recognizable gold and silver coins joked that they had unearthed a fairly modern "rusty bucket."

Read the rest of this article...

Plans to restore crumbling Colosseum cause rumblings in Rome

2012-01-09T16:09:00.000+01:00

It sits in the ancient heart of Rome and is an emblem of the city's imperial history as well as an icon of Italy.

But plans to restore Rome's nearly 2,000-year-old Colosseum are causing rumblings among heritage workers and restorers, compounded by reports in December that small amounts of powdery rock had fallen off the monument.

The current $33 million (25 million euro) restoration plans to restore the Flavian amphitheater, which once hosted spectacular shows and gruesome gladiatorial battles, are being sponsored by Diego della Valle, of luxury Italian brand Tod's, in exchange for advertising rights.

Read the rest of this article...

Mystery of Pompeii's Trashy Tombs Explained

2012-01-09T16:07:00.000+01:00

The tombs of Pompeii, the Roman city buried by a volcanic eruption in A.D. 79, had a litter problem. Animal bones, charcoal, broken pottery and architectural material, such as bricks, were found piled inside and outside the tombs where the city's dead were laid to rest.

To explain the presence of so much garbage alongside the dead, archaeologists have theorized that 15 years before the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, an earthquake left Pompeii in disrepair.

However, this theory is unlikely, according to an archaeologist who says the citizens of Pompeii may have just been messy, at least by modern, Western standards. [Images from Pompeii]

Read the rest of this article...

Sicilian temple not for sale 'even for 40 bln'

2012-01-09T16:06:00.000+01:00

The mayor of the Sicilian cityof Agrigento said Thursday that he would not sell one of Italy'sprime archaeological treasures even for 40 billion euros afterit reportedly attracted the interest of Russian industrialistMikhail Prokhorov.

The precious-metals billionaire, who plans to run in thisyear's presidential elections in Russia as an independentcandidate, has set his sights on buying the ruins of the Templeof Zeus in Agrigento's famed Valley of the Temples, according tomedia reports.

But Agrigento Mayor Marco Zambuto has moved to nip thenotion in the bud.

''I wouldn't sell the Temple of Zeus even for 40 billioneuros, the figure Premier Mario Monti had to find to saveItaly's finances,'' Zambuto said referring to the government'sausterity package, which was actually nearer to 30 billion.

Read the rest of this article...

Italy allows Unesco into Pompeii

2012-01-09T16:04:00.001+01:00

The Roman city risks joining the World Heritage in Danger list

Pompeii is in crisis. A Unesco report has identified serious problems with the World Heritage Site, including structural damage to buildings, vandalism and a lack of qualified staff. Unesco’s director-general for culture, Francesco Bandarin, tells The Art Newspaper: “The state of conservation is a problem, because of a lack of maintenance of very fragile structures. Visitor services need a dramatic improvement.”

The collapse of a column at Pompeii on 22 December raised further alarm. The column was in a pergola in the courtyard of the House of Loreio Tiburtino, whose adjacent rooms have very fine frescoes.

The eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD killed Pompeii’s inhabitants but preserved their buildings. The city was covered with ash, and it was only after its rediscovery in 1748 that excavations began. In 1997, Unesco designated it a World Heritage Site. The Pompeii crisis came to a head with the collapse of the Schola Armaturarum, known as the House of the Gladiators, in November 2010, along with three further collapses later in the month. This was after extremely heavy rain.

Read the rest of this article...

Hull museum's Roman mosaics gets specialist makeover

2011-12-19T16:56:00.001+01:00

CLEANING floor tiles can be a pretty mundane household chore.

But when they happen to be part of a stunning collection of Roman mosaics, the job takes on a whole new meaning.

Museum staff in Hull have just finished a specialist makeover of their priceless exhibits in the Hull And East Riding Museum, in High Street.

Paula Gentil, the museum's curator of archaeology, said the careful clean-up was long overdue.

Read the rest of this article...

University of Oxford Online Archaeology Courses

2011-12-17T17:49:00.001+01:00

Enrolment is now open for the following University of Oxford online courses in archaeology:
Archaeology of the Bible Lands (Online)
Exploring Roman Britain (Online)
Greek Mythology (Online)
Origins of Human Behaviour (Online)
Ritual and Religion in Prehistory (Online)
Vikings: Raiders, Traders and Settlers (Online)

Roman circus site may open next summer

2011-12-17T17:30:00.001+01:00

THE place where charioteers started and finished their races at Colchester’s Roman circus could be open to the public by next summer.

Colchester Archaeological Trust has been given planning permission for a project which will allow visitors to look at the foundations of the circus’s starting gates and watch re-enactments of scenes last seen almost two millennia ago.

The trust has permission to redevelop the Army Education Centre, near the starting gates, and hopes to move into the former Garrison building in February.

Read the rest of this article...

Roman Cockerel found in Gloucestershire archaeological dig

2011-12-16T12:24:00.001+01:00

THIS intricately decorated Roman cockerel has been discovered at a landmark burial site in Cirencester.

Archaeologists have uncovered the striking bird figurine, which could be an offering to the gods, from a young child's grave during excavations for St James's Place Wealth Management at the former Bridges Garage site.

Cotswold Archaeology chief executive Neil Holbrook said: "The cockerel is the most spectacular find from more than 60 Roman burials excavated at this site." It is the latest treasure to be found at the important plot, which has already yielded more than 60 skeletons and is believed to be one of the earliest burial sites ever found in Roman Britain.

Read the rest of this article...

London built with the blood of British slaves

2011-12-15T22:27:00.001+01:00

The Romans founded London as a centre of trade and business in about AD 50 - or so archaeologists have long believed.

But new evidence suggests the capital has a more chilling history, built as a military base by slaves who were then slaughtered. Hundreds of skulls discovered along the course of the "lost" river Walbrook suggest London may have been built by forced labour.

Dominic Perring, director of the Centre for Applied Archaeology at University College London, says the skulls could be those of Queen Boudica's rebel Iceni tribesmen who were brought to London to build a new military base.

Read the rest of this article...

Bronze coins found in Somerset reveal Roman age of austerity

2011-12-09T21:40:00.001+01:00

Archaeologists are celebrating the donation of a hoard of Roman coins – described as “ a hugely significant find” – to the new Museum of Somerset.

The 2,118 bronze coins, found by archaeologists excavating a site at Maundown, near Wiveliscombe, before Wessex Water built a new water treatment plant, may be evidence of financial crisis in Romano-British Somerset.

They were found in 2006 and have been donated to Somerset County Council by Wessex Water after a Treasure Inquest at Taunton last week heard that the British Museum disclaimed interest on behalf of the Crown.

Read the rest of this article...

An intimate look at ancient Rome

2011-12-03T20:43:00.001+01:00

When you visit sites of ancient Roman civilization, it's hard to know where to look first: Temples, markets, brothels and baths all draw the eye and the imagination. But if you really want to know what it was like to live in ancient Rome, you may want to consider the humble toilet.

On a recent trip to Italy, I went in search of ancient toilets at archaeological sites people usually visit for their temples, markets, brothels and baths. Apart from the fun factor -- and that factor is high when it comes to learning about the sponge-tipped sticks some Romans used as toilet paper -- toilets give a sense of ancient Roman daily life. From the lavish, marble-seated group toilet of Ostia Antica to the humble below-the-stairs john at Herculaneum, the places where Romans conducted their daily, er, business are worth a closer look.

Read the rest of this article...

Roman murder most foul

2011-12-02T12:15:00.001+01:00

Three incomplete skeletons have been uncovered in Modena, Italy, and point to a 2000 year old Roman mystery which is being investigated by archaeologists and researchers from the Superintendence for Archaeological Heritage of the Emilia-Romagna.

The discovery was made at the site of a new development to the east of Modena along the Via Emilia, between San Lazzaro and Fossalta. At a depth of only 60cm the archaeologists from ArcheoModena found the remains of a cremation necropolis and a 1st century Roman irrigation ditch/canal. The necropolis, which ran along the ancient Via Emilia, produced a few cremation burials and the remains of a shrine that had been robbed out in antiquity.

Read the rest of this article...

UNESCO unveils deal to help restore damaged Pompeii

2011-12-02T12:14:00.001+01:00

The United Nations cultural agency and Italy announced today that they have agreed to work together to restore Pompeii, which was badly damaged by torrential rains late last year.

In a statement issued in Paris, UNESCO said it would collaborate with Italian authorities over the next nine months on the restoration.

Several key buildings, including the Schola Armaturarum (Gladiators’ House) and the House of the Moralist, collapsed in November 2010, sparking international concern about the state of the site. (read report here)

Read the rest of this article...

Italy: Colosseum work pits restorers against building firms

2011-12-02T12:04:00.001+01:00

Rome, 1 Dec. (AKI) - The artisans that restore Italy's vast art and archeological sites say they are excluded from the project to give the Roman Colosseum a 25 million-euro face-lift and called on the government to stop all work or risk causing "irreparable damage'' to the 2,000 year old amphitheatre.

According to the Rome-based Restorers Association of Italy trade group, a government official charged with overseeing work on Rome's archeological sites two years ago changed contract bidding rules largely squeezing out art and archeology restoration firms in favour of large building contracting companies with far less knowledge on repairing the country's fragile historical heritage. .

In an open letter to Italy's new culture minister Lorenzo Oraghi published Thursday, the restorers group called on him to stop the bidding or "to avoid irreparable damage to the Italy's most celebrated monument with consequences of causing damage to Italy's image."
Read the rest of this article...

Alderney ruin found to be Roman fort

2011-11-28T19:18:00.001+01:00

An overgrown site on Alderney has been found to be one of the best-preserved Roman military structures in the world.

Island tradition had long suggested the site, known as the Nunnery, dated back to Roman times, although excavations since the 1930s had always proved inconclusive.

A joint project between Guernsey Museums and the Alderney Society was set up in 2008 to find the answers.

Over four August bank holiday weekends, a team of a dozen volunteers undertook various excavations to determine the history of the site.

Read the rest of this article...

Temple of Mithras prepares for facelift

2011-11-19T15:15:00.001+01:00

Plans to dismantle and move the reconstructed Roman Temple of Mithras to temporary storage, ahead of a more faithful reconstruction, will begin on the 21 November 2011 by Museum of London Archaeology.

The temple, which is located at Walbrook Square, was discovered by chance in 1952 by archaeologist WF Grimes as the site was being prepared for redevelopment. On the last day of excavation, 18 September 1954, the marble head of the god of Mithras was unearthed. Several more amazing artefacts, including several sculptures, were later found - these are now on display in the Museum of London’s Roman gallery.

The temple was dismantled at that time and the Roman building material put into storage. In 1962, the temple was reconstructed on a podium adjacent to Queen Victoria Street, 90 metres from its original site, nine metres above its original level and set in modern cement mortar.

Read the rest of this article...

When Roman empire was ruled from South Shields

2011-11-19T15:11:00.001+01:00

THE moment in history when the entire Roman Empire may have been ruled from a Tyneside town will be relived today.

Finds from digs at Arbeia Roman fort in South Shields have offered convincing evidence that the Emperor Severus and his sons Caracalla and Geta were at the base as they prepared for a campaign into Scotland.

Because the imperial family and court were present, that would have effectively meant that the empire would have been governed from South Shields.

Read the rest of this article...

Cirencester Roman dig is 'history changing'

2011-11-17T21:02:00.001+01:00

Excavations in Cirencester have unearthed one of the earliest burial sites ever found in Roman Britain.

The dig at the former Bridges Garage on Tetbury Road has uncovered over 40 burials and four cremations.
Experts say it is the largest archaeological find in the town since the 1970s.

Neil Holbrook, chief executive at Cotswold Archaeology, said he could not "underestimate the potential significance" of the discovery.

Read the rest of this article...

1,800-year-old Roman well unveiled in Bingham

2011-11-14T19:55:00.001+01:00

AN 1,800-year-old Roman well was today being unveiled to the public.

The well, which dates back to about 160AD, was found in 2009 by a group of archeologists.

But it was in the route of the A46 road-widening scheme, and had to be dug up and moved stone by stone.

From today it will be available for public viewing at the Bingham Cemetery, in The Banks, a few miles from where it was found.

Pete Allen, chairman of community group The Bingham Heritage Trail Association, which campaigned for the well's restoration, said: "It is a piece of history that deserves to be kept for the enjoyment of the public."

Read the rest of this article...

Roman treasure displayed to public

2011-11-14T19:54:00.001+01:00

THE largest hoard of early Roman coins found in the West Midlands are on display at Banbury Museum.

More than 1,000 silver denarii were found in a small pot at Edgehill in 2008 and went on show yesterday (Wednesday) in an exhibition running until December 10.

Cllr James Macnamara, Cherwell District Council’s lead member for the environment, said: “We’ll never know why someone decided to hide these coins. This was a tidy sum of money in the First Century – equal to a year’s pay for five Roman soldiers.

“Whether the people that buried the coins intended to come back for them or not, they remained in a pot underground for nearly 2,000 years.”

Read the rest of this article...

Who were the 99% of ancient Rome?

2011-11-12T18:15:00.001+01:00

From Gibbon to "Gladiator," it might seem like we know a lot about Ancient Rome, but our view of this civilization is a skewed one. The Romans lived in one of the most stratified societies in history. Around 1.5% of the population controlled the government, military, economy and religion. Through the writings and possessions they left behind, these rich, upper-class men are also responsible for most of our information about Roman life.

The remaining people – commoners, slaves and others – are largely silent. They could not afford tombstones to record their names, and they were buried with little in the way of fancy pottery or jewellery. Their lives were documented by the elites, but they left few documents of their own.

Now, Kristina Killgrove, an archaeologist from Vanderbilt University, wants to tell their story by sequencing their DNA, and she is raising donations to do it. “Their DNA will tell me where these people, who aren’t in histories, were coming from,” she says. “They were quite literally the 99% of Rome.”

Read the rest of this article...

Did the Romans leave London because of the miserable British weather?

2011-11-06T12:02:00.000+01:00

Forensic tests on skeletons show settlers suffered from malnourishment and poor health due to lack of sunlight

Researchers at the Museum Of London are carrying out forensic tests on some of their 22,000 carefully-preserved skeletons of Londoners through the ages.

Lead scientist Dr Jelena Bekvalac said her team is focusing on the declining health of settlers during the 400 years of the Roman occupation.

She told the Times: 'You'd think in civilised Roman society, there would be buffers to aid you, but the climate is still going to have an effect and we see some signs of that.

Read the rest of this article...

Bredon Hill hoard among county finds at Worcester event

2011-11-06T11:51:00.000+01:00

THE Bredon Hill coin hoard will be among other archaeological discoveries discussed at a special event at the University of Worcester's St John's campus this Saturday (12).

Worcestershire Historic Environment and Archaeology is holding an event to showcase the latest archaeological discoveries from Worcestershire, from 9.45am to 5.30pm.

A highlight of the day will be a presentation on the discovery and significance of the Bredon Hill Roman coin hoard which is currently on display at Worcester City Museum and Art Gallery.

Read the rest of this article...

UA scientists find evidence of Roman period megadrought

2011-11-06T00:00:00.001+01:00

A new study at the University of Arizona's Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research has revealed a previously unknown multi-decade drought period in the second century A.D.

Almost nine hundred years ago, in the mid-12th century, the southwestern U.S. was in the middle of a multi-decade megadrought. It was the most recent extended period of severe drought known for this region. But it was not the first.

The second century A.D. saw an extended dry period of more than 100 years characterized by a multi-decade drought lasting nearly 50 years, says a new study from scientists at the University of Arizona.

UA geoscientists Cody Routson, Connie Woodhouse and Jonathan Overpeck conducted a study of the southern San Juan Mountains in south-central Colorado. The region serves as a primary drainage site for the Rio Grande and San Juan rivers.

Read the rest of this article...

Missing link in Roman conquest of Germany a 'sensational find'

2011-10-31T09:59:00.000+01:00

Archaeologists are celebrating the find of a Roman military camp which was a crucial link in Emperor Augustus’ conquest of Germany – after more than a century of looking for it.

The find, near the small town of Olfen not far from Münster near the Ruhr Valley, has already produced a collection of artefacts, not only pottery but also coins and clothing fasteners. These enabled researchers at the Westphalia-Lippe Municipal Association (LWL) to confirm what they had hoped.

“It’s a sensational discovery for Roman research in Westphalia,” LWL-director Wolfgang Kirsch said in a statement.

Read the rest of this article...

Lost Roman camp that protected against Germanic hordes found

2011-10-28T23:44:00.000+02:00

Historians believe the camp, once home to an estimated 1,000 legionaries and located on the River Lippe near the town of Olfen, may well have been served as a key base for the Roman General Drusus, who waged a long and bloody war against the tribes that once inhabited what is now western Germany.

The find comes 100 years after the discovery of a bronze Roman helmet near Olfen indicated the presence of ancient remains but it took a century of searching to finally discover the exact location of the camp.

Read the rest of this article...

Archaeology Courses at the Oxford Experience 2012

2011-10-23T17:37:00.001+02:00

1 July to 11 August 2012

The 2012 Oxford Experience Programme is now online.

The Oxford Experience is aresidential summer school held at the college of Christ Church, University ofOxford.

The programme consists of 6weeks of courses and participants attend for one or more weeks.

It offers a choice of twelveseminars each week over a period of five weeks. Participants do not need anyformal qualifications to take part, just an interest in their chosen subjectand a desire to meet like-minded people.

You can also find details ofthe various archaeology courses offered at Oxford Experience here...

Pompeii wall collapse blamed on Berlusconi spending cuts

2011-10-23T17:18:00.001+02:00

Part of a Roman wall has collapsed at Pompeii, one year after a house there crumbled, prompting accusations that the Italian government has failed to keep promises to protect the ancient site.

During heavy rain on Friday, an eight square metre section of a perimeter wall crumbled near Nola Gate.

It is the latest in a series of incidents including the fall of the House of the Gladiators last November, which Unesco criticised and which led the government of Silvio Berlusconi to vow that upkeep would improve.

Read the rest of this article...

Part of ancient wall collapses at Pompeii due to heavy rains

2011-10-22T19:21:00.001+02:00

MILAN — Officials at Pompeii’s archaeological site say part of a wall has collapsed due to heavy rains in recent days.

Spokeswoman Daniela Leone said Saturday an external layer of a roughly two-meter (six-foot) section of wall collapsed at the northern end of the ancient ruins. Leone said it was of no artistic value and stressed that the wall itself remained standing. The area was closed to the public.

There were two collapses at the 2,000-year-old archaeological site last year, emphasizing concerns about the state of Italy’s cultural treasures.

Read the rest of this article...

Redditch man makes major archaeological discovery

2011-10-22T19:19:00.001+02:00

A METAL detecting enthusiast from Redditch has uncovered Worcestershire's largest ever archaeological hoard.

Jethro Carpenter found almost 4,000 Roman coins at Bredon Hill near Evesham - a major significance not only for the county but also the country.

Mr Carpenter, 43, was walking with friend Mark Gilmore when their metal detectors registered 'overload'.

Read the rest of this article...

Ancient Roman wall collapses at Pompeii after flash storms

2011-10-22T19:18:00.001+02:00

Rome (AFP) - Part of an ancient Roman wall has collapsed at the archaeological site of Pompeiii in southern Italy following flash floods and storms across the country, a spokeswoman said Saturday.

The wall, built with the Roman "opus incertum" technique using irregularly shaped stones and concrete, collapsed on a stretch of the ancient city’s external walls, near the Porta di Nola, in an area open to the public.

An archaeological team is assessing the damage but there is no risk to public safety, the spokeswoman told AFP.

Read the rest of this article...

Bredon Hill Roman coins unveiled at Worcester museum

2011-10-21T17:19:00.001+02:00

A hoard of Roman artefacts unearthed in the Worcestershire countryside is to go on show at a museum in the county.

Local metal detector enthusiasts Jethro Carpenter, 43, and Mark Gilmore, 47, discovered more than 3,800 coins in a clay pot at Bredon Hill, near Evesham.

The Roman haul - the county's largest ever - is mainly bronze coins dating back to the 3rd Century.

Featuring 16 different emperors, many will be shown at Worcester City Art Gallery and Museum from Saturday.

Read the rest of this article...

Last chance to see city’s Roman dig site

2011-10-20T15:49:00.002+02:00

ONE of the nation’s largest archaeological digs, which has unearthed a treasure trove of relics dating from the Roman era, is being opened up to the public for the last time at the weekend.

The excavations overseen by the York Archaeological Trust at the Hungate development are the most extensive in the city since the famous Coppergate dig more than a quarter of a century ago.

The five-year project comes to an end in December and visitors will have a final opportunity on Saturday to meet archaeologists, who will talk through some of the remarkable finds.

Read the rest of this article...

Roman hoard of coins found on Bredon Hill

2011-10-20T15:48:00.001+02:00

A FARMER has said metal detector enthusiasts “hit the jackpot” when they uncovered the largest hoard of Roman coins ever found in Worcestershire, on his family’s land at Bredon Hill.

About 4,000 coins, featuring 16 different Roman Emperors, were discovered in June this year and are thought to be of national significance. The farmer, who is not being named by the Journal, said the exact location of the find may never be revealed.

He said: “We were really taken aback and shocked by it.

Read the rest of this article...

Roman barge comes up for air after 2,000 years

2011-10-19T08:17:00.001+02:00

Archaeologists have recovered the final piece of a ship that sank in the river Rhone in France more than two millennia ago, which they hope will shed light on how the Romans led the way with globalization. Stuart McDill reports

Watch the video...

West Cumbrian dig uncovers Roman building

2011-10-16T17:44:00.001+02:00

The first week of a 12-day excavation on land below Papcastle has uncovered remains of a Roman building which could have been used as a Roman bath house or a high status building.

Grampus Heritage is leading the community excavation on land owned by Robert and Edmund Jackson.

Archaeologists found evidence of walls of a large Roman building, shards of pottery and metal objects.

Read the rest of this article...

Biggest haul of Roman gold in Britain could have been found

2011-10-16T17:23:00.001+02:00

Details of the treasure remained sketchy and the identity of the lucky metal detecting enthusiast has not been revealed.

But it is understood Worcestershire County Council and the county coroner have been informed because of the potential archaeological significance.

The treasure, found at Bredon Hill, the site of an Iron Age fort in Worcestershire, is already being compared with the Staffordshire Hoard, the country's biggest ever find of Anglo Saxon gold.

Read the rest of this article...

120 Roman Shoes Found in U.K.; "Substantial" Fort Find

2011-10-12T13:19:00.000+02:00

About 60 pairs of sandals and shoes that once belonged to Roman soldiers have been unearthed at a supermarket construction site in Camelon, Scotland (see map), archaeologists say.

The 2,000-year-old leather footwear was discovered along with Roman jewelry, coins, pottery, and animal bones at the site, which is located at the northern frontier of the Roman Empire.

The cache of Roman shoes and sandals—one of the largest ever found in Scotland—was uncovered recently in a ditch at the gateway to a second century A.D. fort built along the Antonine Wall. The wall is a massive defensive barrier that the Romans built across central Scotland during their brief occupation of the region.

Read the rest of this article...

Sandford Heath's 'Roman Road' is excavated in Dorset

2011-10-12T13:17:00.001+02:00

An archaeological dig has begun on a Dorset footpath to determine whether or not it has Roman origins.

The straight path, known locally as "Roman Road", runs through Sandford Heath between Sandford and Station Road at Holton Heath.

Organisers say the path may have formed part of the main road between Wareham and Poole in the 18th Century.

Read the rest of this article...

£25,000 Roman dig bid for Cockermouth

2011-10-07T17:01:00.001+02:00

A £25,000 plan for a three-year Roman excavation project in Cockermouth will be drawn up.

Grampus Heritage has been given the cash by the Heritage Lottery Fund to work up the proposal.

Mark Graham, archaeologist for the non-profit organisation, said the aim was to build a picture of the Roman heritage along the banks of the River Derwent at Cockermouth and Papcastle.

The group will begin 12 days of excavation work on Monday on land below Papcastle, owned by Robert and Edmund Jackson.

Read the rest of this article...

Melting Glaciers Reveal Ancient Artifacts

2011-10-07T16:42:00.001+02:00

A well preserved male hunter’s coat from around the year 300 A.D. was found this summer in the Breheimen National Park, making it the oldest piece of clothing in the country.

The coat was found in the rock bed left by a melting glacier.

The warmer weather caused by climate change provides archaeologists, researchers and museums with new opportunities to find artifacts dating back hundreds of years. A new exhibition at the Museum of Cultural History in Oslo will feature all finds from the melting glaciers, most of which date back to Roman times.

Read the rest of this article...

Roman Finds

2011-10-06T15:55:00.001+02:00

Archaeological artefacts uncovered

Fresh finds have been made at the site of a Roman villa unearthed at one of the most important archaelogical sites in the South East. The discoveries were made by archaeologists and a huge team of volunteers digging at a clifftop at Folkestone.

Read the rest of this article...

Roman artefacts found at Camelon Tesco site

2011-10-05T20:06:00.000+02:00

Archaeologists have uncovered evidence of at least two Roman forts at a supermarket construction site near Falkirk.

Artefacts including bones, jewellery and coins were discovered at the development in Camelon.

Contractors Barr Construction, who are currently building a Tesco store on the site, are to put the excavated items on public display.

Experts believe the forts date back to the first and second centuries AD.

Read the rest of this article...

Dig finds 2,000-year-old salting site at Willow Tree Fen

2011-10-05T20:01:00.000+02:00

Archaeologists have been unearthing the story of a 2,000-year-old salt making site on the Lincolnshire fens.

Artefacts such as pottery, hair pins and tools have been found by volunteers at Willow Tree Fen, near Bourne.

Experts were invited to excavate the site by Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust prior to the area becoming a nature reserve.

Watch the video...

Bulgarian archeologists unearth unique mosaic in S. Bulgaria

2011-10-05T19:56:00.000+02:00

Stara Zagora. Bulgarian archeologists have unearthed unique mosaic in the southern municipality of Stara Zagora, the press center of the municipality announced.

A team headed by Dimitar Yankov, chief curator of the Regional Museum of History in the city of Stara Zagora, held a press conference on Tuesday to brief the media about the find.The mosaic dates back to around the 3rd century and depicts a man and two women, all members of Dionysus’ entourage.

“The complex figures of dancing women suggest the mosaic was done by a great master. The clothes are in five shades of blue and the red color varies from pink to dark red. The figures are very fine. One of the women holds castanets in her hands and the other one holds other music instruments. The folds of their clothes suggest their knees are bent. Their ankles are bare and their legs move. There is play of light and shade,” said Dimitar Yankov and expressed hope the team’s further excavations would reveal more figures, including the one of Dionysus, the Greek god of grape harvest, winemaking and wine.

Read the rest of this article...

Archaeologists in Roman Road dig at Sandford Heath

2011-10-05T19:54:00.001+02:00

A GROUND-BREAKING archaeological search for an ancient Roman road starts in Purbeck next week.

Experts will excavate part of the straight footpath running through Sandford Heath, known locally as the Roman Road.

Historians hope this dig will, once and for all, answer whether the thoroughfare visible today was constructed over an ancient road built during Dorset’s Roman occupation.

Read the rest of this article...

Axes, bones, jewellery and 60 pairs of shoes - secrets of Roman fort revealed

2011-09-30T22:08:00.001+02:00

ARCHAEOLOGISTS digging at the site of a former jeans factory have uncovered the remains of at least two Roman forts - and artefacts including 60 pairs of shoes.

The hoard of leather footwear is believed to be the largest of its kind yet found in Scotland.

Other discoveries include pottery, ovens, coins, bones, jewellery, an axe and a spearhead dating back to the first and second centuries AD, when the forts were in use.
Read the rest of this article...

Pair investigated on suspicion of attempting to loot buried treasure from Northamptonshire Roman town

2011-09-27T20:21:00.002+02:00

TWO people are being investigated by police on suspicion of attempting to loot buried treasure from the site of a historic Roman walled town in Northamptonshire.

Police confirmed the two suspects remained on bail on suspicion of illegally using a metal detector, the theft of treasure, damage to the land and other offences at a site of “tremendous historical and archeological importance”. They are believed to have attempted to take Roman coins and other historical artefacts.

Police said ‘several’ alleged crimes were being investigated at Chester House Farm, in Irchester, which is regarded by historians as one of the most important sites of its type in the county. Police are now liaising with experts from English Heritage and a national police expert about pursuing a case, which if prosecuted, could be one of the biggest of its kind in the country.

Read the rest of this article...

Ancient luxury residence of rich family found in İzmir

2011-09-26T19:32:00.000+02:00

A luxury residence dating back about 2,000 years to the Roman era has been discovered in the Aegean province of İzmir. Located in the ancient city of Smyrna, the 400-square-meter residence has many rooms, including a bathroom and kitchen.

“The presence of numerous rooms, a bathroom and kitchen show us that a rich family must have lived here together with slaves. We see many details of their lifestyle from the remains found during excavations,” said archaeologist Akın Ersoy, who leads the excavation works.

Read the rest of this article...

Pompeii shows its true colours

2011-09-25T09:26:00.001+02:00

'Pompeiian red' was created when gases from Vesuvius reacted with yellow paint, research reveals

When word spread to Britain of the sensational discovery of the Roman towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum in the 18th century, "Pompeiian red" became the favoured colour for smart dining-rooms – as it remains today.

But, it seems, it may be time to get out the paint chart. According to new research presented to Sapienza University in Rome last week, large swaths of the vivid "Pompeiian red" frescoes in the town actually began life as yellow – and were turned red by the gases emitted from Vesuvius as it erupted in AD 79.

Read the rest of this article...

Huge ancient Roman shipyard unearthed in Italy

2011-09-25T09:17:00.001+02:00

A large Roman shipyard has been uncovered an ancient port in Rome called Portus, researchers reported. They found the remains of a massive building, dating to the second century, where ancient ships were likely built close to the distinctive hexagonal basin, or "harbor," at the center of the port complex.

"Few Roman Imperial shipyards have been discovered and, if our identification is correct, this would be the largest of its kind in Italy or the Mediterranean," dig director Simon Keay, of the University of Southampton, said in a statement. [ See image of ancient shipyard ]

Portus was a crucial trade gateway linking Rome to the Mediterranean during the Imperial period (27 B.C. to A.D. 565). The area was initially built during the time of Emperor Trajan (A.D. 98 to 117). Excavation at the site has revealed that it had many uses, including to store grain and as a defensive measure.

Read the rest of this article...

Roman baths in Southwark marshlands stun boffins

2011-09-16T14:50:00.001+02:00

A rare find of ancient ruins has been made in south London, where Romans used to fear to tread.

Network Rail uncovered the remains of a bath house at London Bridge, last week.

It is shaping up as one of the biggest Roman finds ever made south of the Thames.

Read the rest of this article...

Church concealed bath house remains

2011-09-15T22:59:00.001+02:00

.
NOW here's an old view of Exeter's Cathedral Green which nobody will ever see again except in picture form.

It was taken back in 1959 when Exeter's South Street was undergoing a facelift

Most readers will, I am sure, recognise the cathedral but what on earth was that church with a steeple doing right outside the West Front?

Answer: It was the church of St Mary Major, which became redundant and was demolished in 1970 to open up the West Front approach to the cathedral as we know it today.

Read the rest of this article...

Remains of Roman bath house found on Borough High Street

2011-09-15T19:05:00.002+02:00

The remains of a Roman bath house have been found by Network Rail engineers working on the site at the corner of Borough High Street and London Bridge Street which is being redeveloped as part of the Thameslink Programme.

The site, formerly occupied by a fish and chip shop and a nightclub, was cleared to make room for the new railway bridge across Borough High Street which was installed earlier this year. A new office building is planned for the corner site.

Network Rail has commissioned a team of specialist archaeologists from Oxford Archaeology and Pre-Construct Archaeology to excavate the site.

Read the rest of this article...

1,700-year-old map of Roman roads used for online journey planner

2011-09-06T15:54:00.001+02:00

A Dutch historian has used a unique 1,700 year old map of Roman roads to create an online journey planner giving the destinations, distances and timings of routes used by ancient travellers in the days of empire.

Routes are based on the Tabula Peutingeriana, a one of a kind chart, which shows an imperial Roman road network, or curses public's, that stretches from Britain to the river Ganges that flows through India and Bangladesh.

The huge map, last updated in the third or fourth century, shows 2,760 towns with lists of distances and destinations on the Roman roads connecting them, all set out on a scroll of parchment almost 23 feet long.

Read the rest of this article...

Ruins of Roman gladiator school found in Austria

2011-09-06T15:52:00.001+02:00

Archaeologists in Austria say they have discovered a large, well preserved school for Roman gladiators.

The remains of the school, at a site east of the modern capital, Vienna, were found using radar imagery.

The school was part of a Roman city which was an important military and trade outpost 17 centuries ago.

Read the rest of this article...

Massive gladiator school is found under Austrian town

2011-09-06T15:49:00.001+02:00

A ROMAN gladiator school where men were trained to fight to the death in the arena has been found by archaeologists on the outskirts of the Austrian capital, Vienna - the first to be discovered outside Italy.

Ground-penetrating radar was used to identify the site of the school at a Roman settlement called Carnuntum, a town of 50,000 people 30 miles east of Vienna that flourished about 1,700 years ago. It was a major military and trade outpost linking the far-flung Roman empire's Asian boundaries to its central and northern European lands.

The academy was one of 100 created to train the fighters who were pitted against each other - and against wild animals - for the entertainment of emperors, senators and commoners alike.

Read the rest of this article...

Ruins reveal how Roman gladiators won their spurs

2011-09-06T15:29:00.001+02:00

Archaeologists using sophisticated radar equipment say they have located a remarkably well-preserved underground Roman gladiator school that will give them "sensational" new insights into the lives of the fighters 1,700 years ago.

The site, 24 miles east of Vienna, contains the remains of a heated training hall for combatants. It was discovered beneath the former Roman settlement of Carnuntum, which is already home to one the finest amphitheatres ever found. Archaeologists say it is the first gladiator school ever found outside Italy.

Frank Humer, an archaeologist with Vienna's Ludwig-Boltzmann Institute, which found the school while conducting a detailed radar scan of the site, said: "The wooden post that gladiators traditionally used as their mock opponent during training is still visible in the middle of the school's arena."

Read the rest of this article...

Rome monuments attacked by vandals

2011-09-05T00:31:00.001+02:00

Three historic monuments have been attacked by vandals in the Italian capital, Rome.

In the first attack, a man was caught on security cameras chipping two pieces off a marble statue on a fountain in the Piazza Navona.

Hours later tourists watched as a man threw a rock at the famous Trevi Fountain in the centre of the city.

Police then said they caught an American student scaling a wall of the Colosseum to chip off pieces of marble.

Read the rest of this article...

Roman Remains Found at Charles Street, Dorchester

2011-09-03T19:36:00.001+02:00

Wessex Archaeology has just completed a four week excavation within the southern part of the Charles Street Development in Dorchester. Neil Holbrook, of Cotswold Archaeology has been acting as archaeological consultant on behalf of the developers, Simons Developments and WDDC. A watching brief is currently being maintained on groundwork being undertaken by Cowlin Construction and their subcontractors associated with the construction of West Dorset District Council’s new offices, library and adult learning centre.

As the site occupies an area near to the southern edge of the Roman town of Durnovaria it was predicted evidence of Roman town life would be uncovered during the works. The prediction proved correct; immediately below the modern overburden, the remains of Roman houses were uncovered.

These buildings were built around 100AD and were orientated according to the town’s street plan, which it has been possible to map using evidence from other excavations in Dorchester.

Read the rest of this article...

Archaeologists uncover amphitheatre used to train gladiators near Vienna

2011-09-03T19:31:00.001+02:00

The ruins are a 'sensational discovery' with a structure to rival the Colosseum in Rome, archaeologists say

Archaeologists say they have located and excavated the ruins of a huge amphitheatre used to train gladiators east of Vienna, describing it as a "sensational discovery".

They claim that the ruins found through ground radar measurements rival the Colosseum and the Ludus Magnus in Rome in their structure. The Ludus Magnus is the largest of the gladiatorial arenas in the Italian capital, while the Colosseum is the largest amphitheatre ever built in the Roman empire.

Read the rest of this article...

Bulgaria subway expansion digs up Roman city

2011-08-16T08:29:00.000+02:00

Cars zoom by on the boulevards overhead as work progresses on expanding the subway underneath -- and in between a full-fledged Roman city has emerged right in the heart of the Bulgarian capital.

Archaeologists have little by little unearthed well-preserved stretches of cobbled Roman streets, a public bath, the ruins of a dignitary's house and the curved wall of an early Christian basilica, all dating back to the 4th century AD.

If all goes well, the ruins will be fashioned into a vast underground museum due to open to the public in late 2012.

Read the rest of this article...

Roman dead baby 'brothel' mystery deepens

2011-08-09T18:10:00.000+02:00

New research has cast doubt on the theory that 97 infants were killed at a Roman brothel in Buckinghamshire.

In 2008, the remains of the newborn babies were rediscovered packed in cigarette cases in a dusty museum storeroom by Dr Jill Eyers from Chiltern Archaeology.

They were excavated from the remains of a lavish Roman villa complex in Buckinghamshire almost 100 years earlier, but had remained hidden ever since.

Read the rest of this article...

Rome's Pantheon may have been built as a massive sundial researchers reveal

2011-08-03T19:41:00.000+02:00

It is one of the best preserved buildings from the Roman world, a 2,000-year-old testament to the immense power and wealth of the empire.

But mystery has always surrounded what lies behind the unusual design of the Pantheon, a giant temple in the heart of Rome that was built by the Emperor Hadrian.

Now experts have come up with an intriguing theory – that the temple acted as a colossal sun dial, with a beam of light illuminating its enormous entrance at the precise moment that the emperor entered the building.

Read the rest of this article...

3,000 Roman 3rd Century coins found in Montgomery field

2011-07-27T19:09:00.000+02:00

More than 3,000 Roman coins have been discovered in a field, it has emerged.

The hoard of copper alloy coins, dating from the 3rd Century, was unearthed in Montgomery, Powys, several weeks ago.

About 900 were found by a member of a Welshpool metal detecting club, with the rest of the discovery made with help from archaeologists.

Read the rest of this article...

Streetmuseum : The only way is Londinium

2011-07-27T18:34:00.000+02:00

Following on from the success of award-winning phone-app Streetmuseum, the Museum of London has joined forces with the HISTORY Channel to develop a new app which gives users the opportunity to see Roman London as it was 2,000 years ago.
Immersive experiences of Roman London

Streetmuseum Londinium directs users to locations across London where they can immerse themselves in the sights, sounds and remains of Roman life in AD 120.

Users can digitally excavate Roman artefacts, including leather bikini briefs and an ancient manicure set, each item telling the story of life in Roman London. Using amazing technology, the user can reveal the objects on the very spot where they were first found in the capital.

Read the rest of this article...

Should Pompeii have a theme park?

2011-07-27T18:32:00.000+02:00

Should archaeologists reconstruct ruins as they decline or should they preserve them as best they can until there is nothing left?

Caroline Lawrence, archaeologist turned children's author, and Professor Andrew Wallace-Hadrill, director of the Herculaneum Conservation project and master of Sidney Sussex College Cambridge, debate the future of Pompeii.

Read the rest of this article...

Northampton archaeologists find man who could be 1,600-years-old

2011-07-26T17:52:00.000+02:00

ARCHAEOLOGISTS from Northampton have discovered human remains which could be more than 1,600 years old.

The team from Northamptonshire Archaeology discovered the remains of a man while they were carrying out investigations on a building site.

A small piece of pottery found alongside the crouched skeleton was used to date the burial to somewhere between the years 43 and 410 – suggesting the body is Roman.

Read the rest of this article...

Award winning treasure found in Wing was used by Roman criminals

2011-07-24T16:08:00.000+02:00

AN AMATEUR archaeologist from Aylesbury has been given a national award after uncovering a coin press which may have been used to make counterfeit currency in Roman times.

Tom Clarke, who has been metal detecting for more than 40 years, found a number of blank bronze coins and a small anvil in a farmer’s field in Wing.

The unmarked discs are the halfway stage of someone making their own coins and have been dated to around 300AD.

Read the rest of this article...

Roman skeleton unearthed on Watton building site

2011-07-24T16:03:00.000+02:00

The remains of a male believed to date back to the Roman occupation of Britain have been discovered in Watton, west Norfolk.

The bones were unearthed during work to turn a former RAF base into housing and are thought to have been buried around AD43 to 410.

BBC Radio Norfolk's Elizabeth Dawson spoke to site developer Edward Parker and lead archaeologist Mark Holmes to find out more about the discovery.

Read the rest of this article...

The Only Way is Londinium, Roman London is Revealed with Augmented Reality in New App

2011-07-24T15:47:00.000+02:00

Following on from the success of award-winning app Streetmuseum™, the Museum of London has joined forces with AETN UK ’s flagship channel HISTORY™ to develop a new app which gives users the opportunity to see Roman London as it was 2,000 years ago.

Streetmuseum Londinium will direct users to locations across London where they can immerse themselves in the sights, sounds and remains of Roman life. At the city’s peak in AD 120 approximately 25,000 Romans lived in London , leaving much behind to explore today.

Users can digitally excavate Roman artefacts, including leather bikini briefs and an ancient manicure set, which tell the stories of life in Londinium. Using their finger to dig and by blowing on their iPhone, users will gradually reveal the objects where they were first found in the capital.

Read the rest of this article...

'Fantastic results' at Roman dig in Maryport

2011-07-18T13:39:00.000+02:00

The excavation of a Roman site at Maryport, in Cumbria, has produced "fascinating results", experts say.

The project at the remains of a Roman fort at Camp Farm, which started last year, is due to be completed on 22 July.

The team said it had found many features not recorded by a previous excavation in 1870.

Read the rest of this article...

Archaeologists discover a hoard of silver Roman denarii coins at Vindolanda

2011-07-18T13:38:00.001+02:00

A hoard of twenty one silver denarii has been recovered during the recent excavation of the foundations of a clay floor in a centurion’s apartment of the late Antonine period (cAD180-200) at Vindolanda, northeast England.

The hoard had been buried, possibly in a purse or some similar organic package which had long since rotted away, in a shallow pit within the foundation material of the floor of the structure in the middle of the room.

Dr Andrew Birley – director of excavations at the site explains, “The coins were tightly packed together and several had corroded onto one another, held together as a group by the foundation clay of the building on the surrounding packaging that had rotted away. The surface area covered by the coins was no greater than 10cms, suggesting that there had been little movement by post depositional processes. The archaeological context suggests that the hoard may well have been deliberately buried, rather than lost, and was probably the savings of an individual who was unable to recover his money.”

Read the rest of this article...

Neue Multimedia-Führung im LVR-RömerMuseum

2011-07-12T10:38:00.000+02:00

Auf virtuelle Streifzüge durch die Antike können sich die Besucher des LVR-RömerMuseums im Archäologischen Park Xanten begeben.

Ab sofort erwecken kurze Filmsequenzen und Animationen auf handlichen Multimedia-Geräten die Exponate aus der römischen Zeit an insgesamt 40 Stationen zum Leben: Auf Knopfdruck erwächst ein ganzer Tempel aus dem Bruchstück einer Säule, steuert ein voll beladener Lastkahn in den römischen Hafen oder beginnt ein Vogelflug über den Dächern der römischen Stadt. In vier Sprachen gibt es neben den Informationen für Erwachsene auch spezielle Filme für Kinder. Für Menschen mit eingeschränktem Hörvermögen werden alle Filme zusätzlich mit Gebärdensprachendolmetscher angeboten.

Read the rest of this article...

Italy: Nero's Golden House to remain closed to visitors

2011-07-11T18:52:00.000+02:00

Roman Emperor Nero's first century Domus Aurea villa will be closed to visitors for at least another three years as complicated repairs to the sprawling complex cause its scheduled 2011 reopening to be delayed, said the Italian culture minister's director general for archeology Luigi Malnati.

"You first and foremost have to avoid further collapses and save it," he said in an interview with Il Messaggero newspaper published on Friday.

Some historians say Nero started the great fire that charred much of Rome in 64 AD to make room for his 300 acre Domus Aurea, or Golden House that was adorned by gold leaf and dazzling frescos.

Read the rest of this article...

Roman-era shipwreck reveals ancient medical secrets

2011-07-10T13:22:00.000+02:00

A first-aid kit found on a 2,000-year-old shipwreck has provided a remarkable insight into the medicines concocted by ancient physicians to cure sailors of dysentery and other ailments.

A wooden chest discovered on board the vessel contained pills made of ground-up vegetables, herbs and plants such as celery, onions, carrots, cabbage, alfalfa and chestnuts – all ingredients referred to in classical medical texts.

The tablets, which were so well sealed that they miraculously survived being under water for more than two millennia, also contain extracts of parsley, nasturtium, radish, yarrow and hibiscus.

Read the rest of this article...

Archaeologists Explore the Secrets of Bulgarian Pompei

2011-07-10T12:26:00.000+02:00

Bulgarian-British expedition resumed the excavations in the ancient city of Nikopolis-ad-Istrum near Veliko Tarnovo. This is the best preserved archaeological site in Bulgaria and a specialized Italian publication called it Bulgarian Pompei for its importance.

This summer archaeologists will be exploring a building dating back to the ruling of Roman emperor Septimus Severus. According to experts, the building was used as temple by the worshippers of goddess Cybele.

So far the archaeologists have found fragments of wall paneling, details of door cases, windows and niches.

Read the rest of this article...

Roman Frontier Gallery tells tales from Cumbria's origins at Tullie House Museum

2011-07-08T18:37:00.000+02:00

The pavements outside Tullie House’s beautiful old building, in Castle Street, once played host to Roman posties.

Just 20 years after the marauding channel-hoppers had arrived in Carlisle, in around AD 72, letters were being peacefully shuttled between correspondents in the Cumbria settlement.

The tablets they were written on serve as handy evidence of the earliest examples of handwriting, forming part of a gripping new gallery in a cavern beneath the doors they were delivered to almost 2,000 years ago.

Read the rest of this article...

Roman silver coins go on display in Warwick

2011-07-06T14:32:00.000+02:00

A hoard of Roman silver coins which pre-date the birth of Christ are going on show at the Warwickshire Museum.

A Roman pot containing 1,146 silver denarii coins was found by a man using a metal detector in a field on Edge Hill in the county.

The hoard, which dates back to 190 BC, will be on display from Saturday as the museum in Market Square, Warwick, marks its 60th birthday this month.

Read the rest of this article...

Important Roman altar stone unearthed at Cumbrian dig

2011-07-03T17:56:00.000+02:00

A historically important Roman altar stone has been discovered by archeologists digging in Maryport.

The excavation at Camp Farm is being led by Professor Ian Haynes, of Newcastle University with leading field archaeologist Tony Wilmott.

The site is internationally famous as the place where 17 altar stones found in 1870 - they are now on display in the museum at the town’s Senhouse Roman Museum.

Read the rest of this article...

Capita consultant on Cumbrian Roman visitor centre

2011-06-30T14:48:00.000+02:00

Firm is lead consultant and architect on the £10.7m Roman Maryport Development

Capita Symonds is the lead consultant and architect for a Roman visitor attraction centre in Cumbria. The £10.7m Roman Maryport development is at Camp Farm, a Victorian model farm that includes a Roman fort and civilian settlement in the Solway Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The site is owned by Hadrian’s Wall Heritage and plans have been submitted to Allerdale Borough Council.

Read the rest of this article...

Gloucestershire's oldest coin discovered in field

2011-06-29T15:04:00.000+02:00

A Roman coin more than 2,000 years old has been discovered near Huntley, and a dog walker has been puzzled by finds of iron ore in the same village.

David Hutton, from Taynton, discovered the Roman coin earlier this month and has since had it confirmed that the coin is the oldest in the county.

"It's dated 147BC but the Romans didn't invade Britain until 43AD," said David, 58, who has been scouring the area with farmer Don Sherratt since they found a Roman hoard of coins in 1996.

"It's sparked a bit of a debate. It could mean the Romans were trading with a local Iron Age tribe, or it could just be that it was an old coin that came over when they invaded."

Read the rest of this article...

Mildenhall: Historic silver Mildenhall Treasure to return to Suffolk

2011-06-29T15:02:00.000+02:00

The Great Dish is the most famous object from the Mildenhall treasure which was discovered near the town in 1942.

Because of its international importance, the collection of late-Roman silver tableware has been housed at the British Museum in London.

However, the museum is now planning to return the fourth century dish to Suffolk as part of its Spotlights Tour.

Read the rest of this article...

1,400-year-old St Paul fresco discovered in ancient Roman catacomb

2011-06-29T14:58:00.000+02:00

The fresco was found during restoration work at the Catacombs of San Gennaro (Saint Januarius) in the southern port city of Naples by experts from the Pontifical Commission of Sacred Art.

The announcement was made on the feast day of St Peter and Paul which is traditionally a bank holiday in Rome and details of the discovery were disclosed in the Vatican's official newspaper L'Osservatore Romano.

A photograph released by the Vatican shows the apostle, famous for his conversion to Christianity from Judaism, with a long neck, a slightly pink complexion, thinning hair, a beard and big eyes that give his face a "spiritual air."

Read the rest of this article...

Plans revealed for £11 million Roman centre in west Cumbria

2011-06-28T20:17:00.000+02:00

Hadrian’s Wall Heritage Ltd has submitted an application to build the world-class tourist attraction at Maryport to Allerdale Council.

It aims to build on the area’s strong Roman heritage and recent archeological finds across the local area.

Artists’ impressions have now been unveiled for the development at Camp Farm – a Victorian model farm including a Roman fort and civilian settlement – where many discoveries have been made.

The plans are now available to view online and Michael Baker, director of sustainable development for Hadrian’s Wall Heritage, is urging local people to give their views.

Read the rest of this article...

Roman baths are uncovered in York

2011-06-25T19:12:00.000+02:00

The remains of a Roman bath complex have been uncovered in York.

The baths, which date from the second and third centuries AD, were discovered during construction of a new council headquarters building.

The edge of the complex was first discovered in the 1840s when the original railway station in the city was built on the site.

This is the first time archaeologists have been able to investigate the site since the 19th Century.

Read the rest of this article...

Roman Fort Project needs your support

2011-06-25T19:11:00.000+02:00

The Roman Fort Project is an opportunity to enable people of all ages and abilities to engage with the past. For this dream to become a reality your help is needed.

Paul Harston of Roman Tours previously built a temporary camp at Chester in 2008. Then along with Dean Paton of Archaeology for Schools, the pair decided to re-visit and re-work the idea. As part of their vision, visitors will be able to watch the construction of a fort in real-time and learn about the evolution of the site as the building work continues – all set within a historically accurate reconstructed landscape.

The project represents an opportunity to bring together period re-enactment, mainstream education and academically-focussed archaeology.

Read the rest of this article...

Herculaneum sewer sheds light on secrets of Roman life

2011-06-15T19:44:00.000+02:00

Archaeologists have been discovering how Romans lived 2,000 years ago, by studying what they left behind in their sewers.

A team of experts has been sifting through hundreds of sacks of human excrement.

They found a variety of details about their diet and their illnesses.

This unconventional journey into the past took the team down into an ancient sewer below the town of Herculaneum.

Read the rest of this article...