Potted History (Mildenhall) | Series 17 Episode 6 | Time Team

Time Team Classics・2 minutes read

The largest coin horde found in Britain, consisting of 55,000 coins worth 550 pounds, was discovered in a Wiltshire field, leading to the discovery of Canettio, a lost Roman town that evolved from a small settlement to a formal town before disappearing underground. The Time Team conducted extensive surveys and excavations to uncover the layout, history, and various artifacts of Canettio, shedding light on its role as a market town and taxation center in the Roman urban landscape.

Insights

  • The largest coin hoard found in Britain, consisting of 55,000 coins worth 550 pounds, was discovered in a Wiltshire field, providing crucial dating evidence for Canettio, a Roman town that was lost for almost 2,000 years and unearthed through geophysics and excavation efforts.
  • The excavation at Canettio revealed a complex history of the site, showcasing a small economic market center in the Roman urban landscape, potentially explaining the abundance of coins found, while also highlighting the town's evolution from a small settlement to a formalized town with gridded streets before disappearing underground due to Roman bureaucratic influence.

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Recent questions

  • Where was the largest coin horde found?

    Wiltshire field

  • What was the purpose of the geophysical survey?

    Investigate Canettio

  • What was the significance of the coin hoard discovery?

    Insights into Canettio's role

  • What were the setbacks faced during the excavation?

    Rain affected radar machine

  • What did the geophysics survey reveal about Canettio?

    Complex history and features

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Summary

00:00

"Britain's Largest Coin Horde Uncovered in Wiltshire"

  • The largest coin horde found in Britain consisted of 55,000 coins, discovered in a Wiltshire field.
  • The site of Canettio, a Roman town, is located in Wiltshire, between London and South Wales, near Marlborough.
  • Canettio was lost for almost 2,000 years until aerial photographs in the 1940s revealed its existence.
  • A geophysical survey, the largest by Time Team, is conducted to investigate Canettio.
  • The team aims to uncover the layout and history of Canettio through geophysics and excavation.
  • Trench one is dug to find the gateway and watchtower of Canettio's southern wall.
  • A radar device named Jimmy is used for utility mapping on the archaeological site, a first in Britain.
  • Trench two focuses on identifying a large building believed to be an "amancio" or Roman travel lodge.
  • The discovery of coins dating from the 3rd to 4th centuries provides crucial dating evidence for Canettio.
  • The excavation uncovers various artifacts, including a spoon, pottery, and architectural remnants, shedding light on Canettio's history.

15:12

Unearthing Roman Coin Hoard Mystery in Punetio

  • A plow potentially unearthed a coin horde from Punetio, adding to the mystery of potential treasure.
  • Rain caused setbacks, with the radar machine's computer affected, leading to manual efforts to continue the search.
  • Excavations revealed a Roman building, possibly a mansion, with stone roof tiles and a courtyard area.
  • Trench one uncovered a possible gateway, hinting at a demolished entrance or architectural changes.
  • Geophysics teams surveyed the field, identifying features like a villa-type building and rooms within.
  • Trench three unearthed a two-story building with potential floor levels, while trench four found a variety of floor layers.
  • Pottery findings suggested the building's construction around the second century A.D., with no late Roman artifacts.
  • Canettio was likely a small economic market center in the Roman urban landscape, possibly explaining the abundance of coins found.
  • The 1978 coin hoard discovery may provide insights into Canettio's role as a market town and taxation center.
  • Efforts to locate the buried coin hoard continue, with coordinates being mapped out for further exploration.

29:16

Uncovering Ancient Hoard Outside Town Walls

  • Henry marked the ground where he believes the coin hoard should be located.
  • Geophysics revealed a strong spike response at the marked spot outside the town walls.
  • Trench five was dug to investigate the location of the hoard outside the town walls.
  • The geophysics survey showed a complex history of the site with various features.
  • The team aimed to find the exact spot of the hoard to understand its context.
  • The geophysics survey was praised but deemed messy due to overlapping features.
  • The team focused on the earlier town layout revealed by the geophysics survey.
  • The team identified a crossroads outside the town walls indicating early activity.
  • The team discovered a potential kitchen area with a chalk structure and an oven.
  • The team discussed possible reasons for the hoard burial, including community offerings.

44:11

Roman town unearthed with 55,000 coins

  • A hoard of 55,000 1p coins, worth 550 pounds, was discovered, likely from the Roman period, with each coin valued at around one pence.
  • The Time Team uncovered an entire Roman town after an extensive survey covering 27 acres, collecting nearly half a million data points, revealing a settlement that evolved from a small settlement around a crossroads in the first century to a more formalized town with gridded streets in the second century, eventually disappearing underground due to Roman bureaucratic influence in later periods.
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