Maryport Roman Settlement Excavation Yields New Finds

The Hadrian's Wall Trust's research and community archaeology project at the Maryport Roman settlement - directed by Oxford Archaeology North and funded by philanthropist Christian Levett - is revealing new evidence and raising more questions about this internationally famous site.

Site director John Zant said: "We're piecing together the complex story of the site over at least a couple of hundred years from around AD 100 to AD 300.

"From our work so far it's possible there may be an earlier fort than the remains we can see in the next field, and possibly even a lost Roman harbour to the north of the present day harbour.

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Roman military camp found in eastern Germany

Archaeologists have confirmed the presence of a long-lost Roman military camp deep in eastern Germany. The 18-hectare site, found near the town of Hachelbich in Thuringia, would have sheltered a Roman legion of up to 5000 troops. Its location in a broad valley with few impediments suggests it was a stopover on the way to invade territory further east.

Soil marks where Roman soldiers once dug a trench to defend their temporary camp [Credit: © TLDA] 

“People have been searching for evidence of the Romans in this part of Germany for 200 years,” says team leader Mario Kuessner, an archaeologist working for the state of Thuringia. “It took a long time before we realized what we had, and we wanted to be sure.”

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Roman way station unearthed in Bulgaria

Archaeologists from Bulgaria's National History Museum have uncovered the roadside Sostra complex, situated on the Roman cursus publi-cus from Oescus to Philippopolis. 

The rooms of the roadside station were heated by a hypocaust system where warm air heats not only the floors of buildings, but also their walls [Credit: НИМ] 

The roadside complex was an important point of rest for dignitaries and even emperors and their relatives who were travelling from Oescus (currently the village of Gigen, Pleven district) to Philippopolis (currently the city of Plovdiv), according to reports of dnevnik.bg.

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Römische Truppen in Thüringen

Nach vielen Jahren der Suche ist jetzt zum ersten Mal der archäologische Nachweis römischer Truppenpräsenz in Mitteldeutschland gelungen. Beim Dorf Hachelbich im Kyffhäuserkreis ist im Zuge mehrjähriger Untersuchungen durch das Thüringische Landesamt für Denkmalpflege und Archäologie ein römisches Marschlager aus dem 1. bis 3. Jh. n. Chr. zweifelsfrei lokalisiert worden.

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Roman tomb found in south-western Bulgaria

An entirely preserved Roman tomb was discovered in Bulgaria’s south-west resort of Sapareva Banya, the historical museum in the city of Kyustendil announced. 

Archaeologists excavate a grave in Bulgaria’s Sapareva Banya Resort [Credit: BGNES] 

During the construction of a private guest house, the workers have found what turned out to be 24 graves, the oldest of which dates back to 4th century AD, Bulgarian National Radio (BNR) reported. 

An intact plaque was found inside one of the walls. Most likely it was a family tomb, as the archaeologists have found the remains of a man, a woman and a child, as well as the remains of cremation. It is assumed that the man was a soldier, because of his military footwear, BNR informs.

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Support Past Preservers on The Hadrian's Wall Hike

This September Nigel Hetherington of Past Preservers will be returning to his ancestral homelands and taking part in the English Heritage's Hadrian's Wall Hike to raise funds for much needed conservation along the famous route. 

The English Heritage fundraising challenge has returned this year with The Hadrian’s Wall Hike! You can sign up today to join Nigel (and provide moral support!) and walk 30 miles of the 'best of the wall’ from Lanercost Priory to Chester’s Roman Fort, stopping at famed English Heritage sites - such as Birdoswald Roman Fort - en route. The hike, sponsored by Craghoppers, will give participants special access to the expert English Heritage team.

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Two Roman mosaics set to be unearthed in Dorset

Work is due to begin on unearthing two mosaics discovered at the site of a Roman villa in the Dorset countryside. 

A meander-style mosaic was discovered on the site of the villa  [Credit: EDAS/BBC] 

The first signs of the mosaics were spotted last year at the site near Puddletown which is being excavated by volunteers. 

Lilian Ladle of the East Dorset Antiquarian Society said it was "very fortunate" they had survived.

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Vikings Online Course

Vikings: Raiders, Traders and Settlers 

12 May to 25 July 2014

Vikings: Raiders, Traders and Settlers is an online archaeology course run by the University of Oxford's Department of Continuing Education.

The course runs for ten weeks and successful completion carries an award of ten CATS points. Students write two short assignments as part of the course.

Online forums for each unit enable students to discuss the topic being studied, and help from the online tutor is always available

You can find more details here...

You can find details of other online archaeology courses here...