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Related: About this forumUnearthed near Hadrians Wall: lost secrets of first Roman soldiers to fight the Picts
Archaeologists are likening the discovery to winning the lottery. A Roman cavalry barracks has been unearthed near Hadrians Wall, complete with extraordinary military and personal possessions left behind by soldiers and their families almost 2,000 years ago. A treasure trove of thousands of artefacts dating from the early second century has been excavated over the past fortnight.
The find is significant not just because of its size and pristine state, but also for its contribution to the history of Hadrians Wall, showing the military build-up that led to its construction in AD122. The barracks pre-dates the wall: the Romans already had a huge military presence in the area, keeping the local population under control.
...
The artefacts survived because they were concealed beneath a concrete floor laid by the Romans about 30 years after the barracks was abandoned, shortly before 120. The concrete created oxygen-free conditions that helped preserve materials such as wood, leather and textiles, which would otherwise have rotted away.
Birley said: The swords are the icing on the cake for what is a truly remarkable discovery of one of the most comprehensive and important collections from the intimate lives of people living on the edge of the Roman Empire at a time of rebellion and war. Whats exciting is that [they] are remarkably well-preserved There is a huge range of stuff their hair combs, pots, wooden spoons, bowls, weapons, bits of armour, and their cavalry bling.
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/sep/09/hadrians-wall-lost-secrets-roman-vindolanda-unearthed
The find is significant not just because of its size and pristine state, but also for its contribution to the history of Hadrians Wall, showing the military build-up that led to its construction in AD122. The barracks pre-dates the wall: the Romans already had a huge military presence in the area, keeping the local population under control.
...
The artefacts survived because they were concealed beneath a concrete floor laid by the Romans about 30 years after the barracks was abandoned, shortly before 120. The concrete created oxygen-free conditions that helped preserve materials such as wood, leather and textiles, which would otherwise have rotted away.
Birley said: The swords are the icing on the cake for what is a truly remarkable discovery of one of the most comprehensive and important collections from the intimate lives of people living on the edge of the Roman Empire at a time of rebellion and war. Whats exciting is that [they] are remarkably well-preserved There is a huge range of stuff their hair combs, pots, wooden spoons, bowls, weapons, bits of armour, and their cavalry bling.
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/sep/09/hadrians-wall-lost-secrets-roman-vindolanda-unearthed
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Unearthed near Hadrians Wall: lost secrets of first Roman soldiers to fight the Picts (Original Post)
muriel_volestrangler
Sep 2017
OP
ms liberty
(8,607 posts)1. K&R. This is amazing and wonderful! n/t
VMA131Marine
(4,153 posts)2. Didnt realize that "bling" was a Latin word
muriel_volestrangler
(101,385 posts)3. Might be Greek
BigmanPigman
(51,638 posts)4. The ancient Roman's were brilliant and were able to do
incredible things that we are still learning from such as how they were able to create concrete from products that solidified and became stronger in salt water. I wonder if they made the concrete floor as an intended form of preservation or whether it was a wonderful consequence of their building and expanding their empire.