Press
In the south of England, an extensive search was richly rewarded: archaeologists found two Roman villas underground. The discovery changes our knowledge of the past – and the future.
Shropshire – The time when the Romans ruled the British Isles dates back over 1500 years. Without archaeology, many aspects of history and the development of humanity would remain hidden. This makes the discovery in the southern county of Shropshire in the United Kingdom all the more significant: two old villas from Roman times are slumbering underground, as researchers have now discovered. The buildings used to be on a road to Wroxeter – one of the largest cities in Roman Britain at the time.
Archaeological sensation in Shropshire: Villas, graves and farms from Roman times discovered
Archaeologists searched over a thousand hectares in Shropshire – the equivalent of about 1,500 football pitches – and found what they were looking for: In addition to two villas from Roman times A Roman burial ground and several Romano-British farms were also discovered. Innovative scanning and mapping technology was used, which essentially scans the ground underground and records small changes in the local magnetic field. This makes it possible to examine large areas in a short time.
The search was commissioned by the National Trust charity, which also owns the land on which the archaeological find is located. “This new geophysical survey has truly transformed our knowledge by creating a comprehensive ‘map’ of what lies beneath our feet and giving us a fascinating picture of the estate’s hidden past by uncovering previously unknown sites of significance,” said archaeologist Janine Young, who was involved in the search, according to a statement. Press release.
Wroxeter: New discoveries provide insight into the Roman past
Viriconium Cornoviorum – now called Wroxeter – was once the fourth largest city in Britain during Roman times. Julius Caesar invaded the British island in 55 BC during his Gallic Wars. Two rivers flow together in the area and the terrible soil has attracted settlers for thousands of years. “Although we […] “While we know a lot about the Roman town of Wroxeter, there is still much to discover in the wider area surrounding the site,” commented Winn Scutt of the heritage organisation English Heritage, adding that this latest investigation was “very exciting”.
“Knowledge flows directly into our plans”: Find from Roman times also offers assistance for our future
The findings of the geophysical survey not only provided a glimpse into the past, but also into the future: The new knowledge can be used to identify locations for future forest and wetland areas, which at the same time protect the archaeological sites. “This detailed knowledge[…] feeds directly into our plans for how the land can best be used in the future for the benefit of nature and people,” explained National Trust project manager Alice Collier. Research will apparently continue in July: Together with further excavations in July this year […] we will all greatly increase our knowledge of this important historical site,” said Winn Scutt.
Recently, researchers were amazed by another find from the Roman period. Thousands of years old animal egg surprised with still liquid contents. (bme)
#Ancient #Roman #villas #underground