Excavations at Verulamium 1959. Fifth Interim Report

S. S. Frere

doi:10.1017/S0003581500061436

Excavations at Verulamium 1959. Fifth Interim Report

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 29 November 2011

S. S. Frere

Article contents

Extract
References

Get access

Rights & Permissions

Extract

The fifth season of the current Verulamium Excavations lasted from 29th July to 23rd September 1959, a period of 8 weeks of exceptionally dry weather. Work was done on a slightly smaller scale than previously, the highest daily number of helpers being about 75. The main work was undertaken in insulae XIV, XXI, XXVII, and XXVIII; in addition a trench was cut in the Theatre and another through the defences on the north-east side of insula XVIII.

Type: Research Article
Information: The Antiquaries Journal , Volume 40 , Issue 1-2 , April 1960 , pp. 1 - 24

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0003581500061436 [Opens in a new window]
Copyright: Copyright © The Society of Antiquaries of London 1960

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

^{page 1 note 1} The site-supervisors were Miss M. G. Wilson, F.S.A., Mark Hassall, G. B. Dannell, A. D. McWhirr, G. H. Brown, R. B. Adams, and W. Manning. Mrs. H. J. M. Petty had charge of the Finds Room, and Mr. Allard once more was responsible for the sale-of-literature stall. The Committee's Hon. Treasurer, Mr. H. J. M. Petty, F.S.A., shouldered the heavy burden of correspondence and accounts, and was responsible for the smooth running of the administration. Miss P. Keddie, and later for a short time Miss S. Pearce, ran the camp catering. Mr. M. B. Cookson was responsible for photography once again, and thanks are also due to Dr. I. Anthony and the staff of the Verulamium Museum for much help as in the past.

^{page 1 note 2} Antiq. Journ. xxxix, 5, 7, and 9.

^{page 2 note 1} Antiq. Journ. xxxvii, 13–14.

^{page 2 note 2} Ibid. xxxix, 14–16.

^{page 2 note 3} Ibid. xxxvii, 10–11 with pl. VII; ibid. xxxviii, 12–13 and fig. 1 (plan).

^{page 2 note 4} Ibid. xxxvi, fig. 1 and pl. IV, pp. 4–5.

^{page 2 note 5} See preceding footnote.

^{page 4 note 1} R. E. M., and Wheeler, T. V., Verulamium, pp. 26, 50.Google Scholar

^{page 4 note 2} Antiq. Journ. xxxvii, 4–6; ibid. xxxviii, 2–4.

^{page 4 note 3} See preceding footnote.

^{page 4 note 4} Contrast ibid. xxxvii, pl. VI.

^{page 4 note 5} The samian has been examined by B. R. Hartley, F.S.A. There are a number of Hadrianic pieces scattered through the bank; layer 7 produced a 38 and a Curle 15, both ofAntonine date, probably post-A.D. 160; and in the buried soil below the bank (layer 17) were a 33 and a 31, both Hadrianic–Antonine in date.

^{page 6 note 1} Arch. xcii, pls. xxx and xxxi.

^{page 6 note 2} R. E. M., . and Wheeler, T. V., Verulamium, p. 50Google Scholar, fig. 2 and pl. cxix.

^{page 6 note 3} Antiq. Journ. xxxvi, 8.

^{page 6 note 4} Ibid. xxxviii, 2.

^{page 6 note 5} Ibid. xxxviii, 4–8; ibid. xxxix, 3–10.

^{page 6 note 6} See plans, ibid. xxxix, figs. 1–4.

^{page 9 note 1} Antiq. Journ. xxxix, 8–10, with fig. 4.

^{page 9 note 2} See pl. VII.

^{page 9 note 3} Arch. lv, 235 with pl. xv: cf. ibid. lviii, pl. 11, insula XXVII, house 1, room 9.

^{page 9 note 4} Cf. Antiq. Journ. xxxix, figs. 2 and 3.

^{page 9 note 5} See ibid., p. 4 and pl. IIIb.

^{page 10 note 1} Identified by B. R. Hartley, F.S.A.

^{page 10 note 2} Antiq. Journ. xxxix, 5, fig. 2.

^{page 12 note 1} Cf. Antiq. Journ. xxxviii, 8–9.

^{page 12 note 2} Ibid. xvii, 28–38; cf. Wheeler, , Verulamium, p. 131Google Scholarand pl. XXXVIII.

^{page 12 note 3} Arch. lxxiv, 213–61; cf. Wheeler, , Verulantium, pp. 123–30Google Scholarand pl. xxxvi.

^{page 12 note 4} Arch. lxxxiv, 221–2.

^{page 12 note 5} In 1957 it was discovered that this street does not belong to the original first-century layout, but was contemporary with building XXVIII, 1, itself later than the fire. Antiq. Journ. xxxviii, 9.

^{page 12 note 6} See section, ibid. xxxviii, 7, fig. 3.

^{page 13 note 1} Tacitus, , Ann. xiv, 32.Google Scholar

^{page 13 note 2} Frere, , Roman Canterbury, The City of Durovernum (2nd ed. 1957), p. 11.Google Scholar Cf. J.R.S. xli, 139; xlii, 102.

^{page 13 note 3} Antiq. Journ. xvii, 29.

^{page 13 note 4} Only beneath the room behind the stage was a floor, and occupation with Flavian pottery and a coin of Trajan in it, found by Dr. Kenyon. This would be the remains of a narrow portico bounding the enclosure along Watling Street. Arch. lxxxiv, 220–1 with pl. LXXII.

^{page 13 note 5} Grenier, , Manuel, iii (1958)Google Scholarpassim.

^{page 13 note 6} Hull, , Roman Colchester, pp. 259–69Google Scholar with fig. 113; cf. J.R.S. xl, 108, fig. 24.

^{page 13 note 7} Indeed the first (buttressed) wall (fig. 1) round the temple-enclosure is dated by Lowther as not later than the early second century. It is difficult to see how stratigraphical evidence can have given so firm a terminus ante quem rather than post quem: but at least it suggests that in its original form the temple was not circumscribed within its later limits.

^{page 13 note 8} e.g. Augst, Avenches, or Champlieu. But this is not universal: on classical sites such as Vienne ( Grenier, , Manuel, iii, 218)Google Scholar or Gabii ( Delbrueck, R., Hellenistische Bauten in Latium, ii, 6Google Scholar )the orientation is the reverse; while at other sites again, e.g. Sanxay, Paris, or Gosbecks Farm near Colchester, the planning does not seem to be organic at all.

^{page 16 note 1} On the disuse of the Theatre see Richmond, I. A., Roman Britain (Pelican), p. 100Google Scholar.

^{page 16 note 2} Antiq. Journ. xxxvii, 13–14.

^{page 16 note 3} Cf. ibid., pls. III-V; op. cit. xxxix, pl. 1.

^{page 17 note 1} Cf. Antiq. Journ. xxxvii, pl. IVc.

^{page 17 note 2} See pl. IIIa, and cf. St. John Hope's remarks on recognizing this form of construction at Silchester, Arch. lviii, 7–9.

^{page 17 note 3} Antiq. Journ. xxxvii, pl. IIb.

^{page 17 note 4} Ibid. xxxix, pl. 1.

^{page 18 note 1} Antiq. Journ. xxxix, 10, and fig. 4.

^{page 18 note 2} See Antiq. Journ. xxxvii, pl. IIa.

^{page 18 note 3} Ibid. xxxix, 13–16 with figs. 6 and 7.

^{page 18 note 4} See Antiq. Journ. xxrvii, 9, with pl. VIII.

^{page 19 note 1} Collingwood, and Myres, , Roman Britain and the English Settlements, p. 189Google Scholar: ‘It is plain that the Roman Government in the time of Claudius made no attempt to create a town in the Roman model…’

^{page 19 note 2} Antiq. Journ. xxxvii, plans, fig. 2 and pl. VII; ibid. xxxviii, 3, fig. 1.

^{page 19 note 3} See section, ibid. xxxvii, pl. VIII.

^{page 19 note 4} Ibid. xxxvii, 11; xxxviii, 12. These were an Urbs Roma issue and a barbarous copy of Constantius II (Fel. Temp. Reparatio, horseman) minted not later than c. A.D. 360. The present coin is a Securitas Reipublicae issue of Valens, A.D. 364–78, in fresh condition. They have been examined by Dr. C. M. Kraay.

^{page 21 note 1} Antiq. Journ. xxxvii, 10–11 with pl. VII.

^{page 21 note 2} Aitken, M. J., Antiquity, xxxiii, 205 (1959).Google Scholar

^{page 21 note 3} Aitken, M. J., Archaeometry, 2, 40 (1959).Google Scholar

^{page 21 note 4} Aitken, M. J., Webster, G., Rees, A. I., Antiquity, xxxii, 270 (1958).Google Scholar

^{page 24 note 1} Wenner, F., Bulletin of the U.S. Bureau of Standards, 1916, 12, 469.Google Scholar

^{page 24 note 2} Packard, M. and Varian, R., Phys. Rev. 93, 941 (1954).Google Scholar

Article contents

Excavations at Verulamium 1959. Fifth Interim Report

Extract

Access options

References

Save article to Kindle

Save article to Dropbox

Save article to Google Drive

Reply to: Submit a response

Your details

You have entered the maximum number of contributors

Conflicting interests