supported by the
Archaeology
Issue 1 April 2001
elcome
to
the
first
Archaeology newsletter put
together by South Gloucestershire
Council.
We intend to produce two a year
to keep people in touch with
current archaeological issues, be
they talks, exhibitions, current
excavations or finds within the
area. We also hope that the
newsletter can be used as a forum
for thoughts on archaeology
and for questions relating to
archaeological matters. If you
want to get in touch, why not drop
a line to Richard Osgood – we’ll
try to include some of your letters
in future issues.
W
Inside this issue...
◗ The Romans in Bradley Stoke! page 4
◗ Museums & Galleries Month 2001 page 6
Projects in South
Gloucestershire
The Thornbury Walls Project
Co-ordinated by Paul Wildgoose
The Council’s Archaeological
Resources
South Gloucestershire Council has several
archaeological officers, based at the Council
Offices in Kingswood. Planning Enquiries are
checked to make sure that they will not affect
One of the Thornbury walls
important archaeological sites and a record of
all finds and monuments is kept in the Sites
and Monuments Record (SMR). The officer in
charge of the SMR, David Evans, is featured in
this issue of the Newsletter. Members of the
general public interested in archaeology and
wanting to know what is present in the region
can make use of the SMR. Contact David Evans
(01454 863649) if you’re interested.
The survey of the surviving stone walls which
define the land allotment within the historic
Borough of Thornbury (1252 AD) is continuing.
The team, led by Anne Ellis can often be seen
measuring and photographing, not only the
town wall, but also the considerable number of
burgage plot walls which date back to the
borough’s medieval origins.
The Council is also keen to promote its archaeology as much as possible to local schools,
groups and individuals – if you can think of
ways we can accomplish this, phone Richard
If you can give some help to the
project, please contact the Museum:
Tel: 01454 857774 or email:
[email protected]
Osgood (01454 864679).
A HALF YEARLY NEWSLETTER PRODUCED BY SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE COUNCIL
1
“Finds Spot”
The gold of the Dobunni
Philip de Jersey (Institute of Archaeology, University of Oxford)
If you’re lucky enough to find a gold coin in the
triple-tailed horse, with a wheel below; above
Bristol/South Gloucestershire area - whether
it is the inscription, the only element which
you’re
archaeological
changes significantly. Other names found on
excavation, metal detecting or just out walking
working
on
an
the coins include Anted, Eisv, Comvx and Corio.
the dog across a field - there’s a fair chance it
Despite many years of work by archaeologists
might look like the coin shown here. This is a
and numismatists on this subject, there are still
gold “stater” of the Dobunni,
basic
questions
to
be
the tribe who occupied the
answered about these rulers:
Bristol area in the late Iron
their relationships to one
Age.
another, for example, or
From
roughly
the
middle of the first century
whether some of them may
BC, they produced a distinc-
have ruled different parts of
tive range of gold and silver
the
coinage, often inscribed with
simultaneously. In this case,
Dobunnic
territory
names which presumably
the distribution of the coins
refer to their leaders: in this
of Catti suggests that he
might only have ruled the
case someone going by the
gold stater
name of Catti.
northern part of the region.
The gold coinage of the Dobunni didn’t change
In all some three hundred gold staters of the
very much throughout most of its ninety
Dobunni are now recorded. That’s quite a small
or so years of production, before the Roman
number to work on, and those of us who study
conquest in 43 AD. Almost every type features
the Iron Age and particularly its coinage would
this strange branch emblem on one side. Is it a
like to see more. So do keep your eyes open
tree, or might it be intended to represent a
for one of these next time you’re out in the
ribcage? Whatever the case, the fact that it
countryside, or even digging up the back
appears on most of their gold coinage
garden: a very similar coin was found in a
suggests that it was of some importance to
garden on Warmley Hill in Kingswood in 1964,
the Dobunni. The other side of the coin was
so it can happen!
equally unchanging. The importance of the
Philip de Jersey is an acknowledged expert on
horse to Iron Age society is well-known, and on
Iron Age coinage and Keeper of the Celtic Coin
this coin we have a stylised representation of a
Index in Oxford.
Your Say
South Gloucestershire Council welcomes comments on this newsletter and on archaeology
matters in general. If you have a suggestion, query, story or find, then let us know!
2
Events
South Gloucestershire
Archaeology in the News
Richard Osgood, the Archaeology Promotion
It has been a busy period for
Officer for South Gloucestershire Council will
the region’s archaeology as far
be speaking about his excavations with BBC2’s
as coverage on National televi-
“Meet the Ancestors” in “The Dead of
Tormarton”. The lecture will be on Tuesday 3rd
sion is concerned! Both BBC2s
“Meet the Ancestors” and
April 2001 at 19:30 in the Cosham Hall in
Channel 4’s “Time Team” visited excavation
Thornbury. For further details, contact Mel
sites in South Gloucestershire for their recent
Barnett at Thornbury Museum for details: Tel
series.
01454 857774
The Time Team programme, entitled “The Bone
A Study of the South Gloucestershire’s local
Cave”, featuring work on a site in Alveston was
buildings of historic importance is being put
aired on Thursday 1st March at 21:00. The site
together and the council held two meetings to
showed many intriguing remains in a cave, with
discuss the project at Bradley Stoke Leisure
dog skeletons being prominent. A number of
Centre. If you would like to help with the
human
project, or if you have interesting stories
including an individual who suffered from
skeletons
were
also
uncovered
connected to buildings in your Parish, contact
Paget’s disease, and a femur that the experts
Richard Osgood and he can put you in touch
suggested was indicative of cannibalism – with
with your Parish Survey representative.
the bone being deliberately split to obtain the
marrow!
http://www.channel4.com/nextstep/
timeteam/2001alv_.html
Meet the Ancestors focussed on the excavation
of a Middle Bronze Age ditch at Tormarton.
The ditch contained the bodies of 5 young men
that had died in combat. The bodies of two of
them, discovered by chance in some work in
1968 had been damaged by bronze spears
which remained in the skeletons.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/programmes/
meettheancestors
Local industrial building - Mangotsfield
The Council For British Archaeology South
West Group are holding an Autumn Symposium
on the 10th November 2001 at Gloucester City
Guild Hall. The theme for the event is ‘The
Land of the Dobunni’ and speakers include
Profs Barry Cunliffe, Michael Fulford, Philip
Rahtz and David Dumville. Details are available
from Lynne Walmsley, 52 Sylvam Road,
Pennsylvania, Exeter, Devon. EX4 6EY or tel.
01392 432184
Bronze spear embedded in the vertebrae of a Tormarton
skeleton
Archaeology - Issue 1 April 2001
3
The Romans in Bradley Stoke!
What looks like a completely modern
development at Bradley Stoke in fact
hides an ancient past, settlement over
1500 years old. Construction work
has turned up much in the way
of Roman remains, ranging from
buildings to burials and from coins to
coffins.
Bailey’s Court Primary School is starting a
Project on the Romans and the need to provide
drainage to the cricket pitch next to the school
provided an ideal opportunity for some
research. In 1990 a Roman villa was uncovered
beneath
this
field
and,
this
year,
archaeologists from South Gloucestershire
Interpretation of the survey results
Council commissioned a Magnetometer Survey
from a company called Geoquest to determine
the formof the villa. This was in advance of the
possible insertion of drains below the cricket
pitch.
The pupils looked at the equipment used in the
survey and asked many questions about the
technology, and the Romans in general. Early
results from the survey suggest that archaeological features have shown up and there is
every likelihood that preliminary excavation will
take place in September, with the schoolchildren taking part.
Dr Mark Noel of Geoquest lets the pupils use the
gradiometer
The Survey
Possible archaeological features are shown in
orange and suggest a large number of
elements beneath the pitch.
Can You Help?
South Gloucestershire Council is hoping
to put together a CD-ROM on the
Romans in South Gloucestershire Council.
We are looking for companies to assist
with the costs of this venture. The CDROM would be available to all of the
Primary Schools in South Gloucestershire
to aid studies in the National Curriculum.
If you or your company can help in any
way – give Richard Osgood a phone call
The magnetometer survey data
4
– 01454 864679.