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The Buried Secrets Under A Pig Field | Time Team | Timeline

Timeline - World History Documentaries・2 minutes read

Stonehenge visited during history documentary production; recent archaeological finds in Dorset's Cranborne Chase spark interest, leading to discoveries of Roman artifacts, burials, and potential Bronze Age and Iron Age settlements.

Insights

  • Pigs unearthed Roman artifacts in Dorset's Cranborne Chase, sparking interest in the area's history and leading to a Time Team investigation uncovering burials and a Roman building.
  • Excavations in the area revealed a rich history, including Roman burials with grave goods, Iron Age pottery aiding in dating, and a late Roman beaker providing crucial evidence, suggesting the presence of a Roman villa with connections to earlier settlements.

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Recent questions

  • What historical location was visited during a documentary?

    Stonehenge

  • What is recommended for history documentaries with a special offer?

    History Hit TV with code "timeline"

  • What area is rich in archaeology with recent discoveries?

    Dorset's Cranborne Chase

  • What sparked interest in the area's history with Roman artifacts?

    Pigs unearthing a mosaic floor

  • What is crucial for relocating burials and positioning excavation trenches?

    Geographical survey points

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Summary

00:00

"Stonehenge Documentary Uncovers Roman Burials"

  • Stonehenge is an extraordinary historical location visited during the production of a documentary.
  • History Hit TV is recommended for history documentaries, offering a special introductory offer with the code "timeline."
  • Dorset's Cranborne Chase is rich in archaeology, with recent discoveries of burials and a Roman building.
  • Pigs unearthed a mosaic floor and Roman artifacts in a field, sparking interest in the area's history.
  • Time Team embarks on a three-day investigation to uncover the mysteries of the burials and Roman building.
  • Geographical survey points are crucial for relocating burials and accurately positioning excavation trenches.
  • Trenches reveal various archaeological features, including potential Bronze Age barrows and Iron Age field boundaries.
  • A late Roman beaker found in a grave provides crucial dating evidence, placing the burial in the late 3rd to 4th century A.D.
  • Iron Age pottery in a ditch under a burial aids in establishing the date of the archaeological site.
  • Excavations uncover Roman artifacts like coins and nails, indicating Roman burials with grave goods like hobnails.

15:04

Unearthing Roman Building and Ancient Artifacts

  • The conditions for resistance are not ideal due to dryness and building rubble, but they match the suggested outline of the building.
  • A trench is suggested in the darkest resistance area to uncover more rubble and artifacts.
  • Hand-dug trenches reveal Roman mosaic floor pieces, sparking interest in the farmer's Roman building.
  • Burials are absent in one trench, possibly defining the building's extent on the hillside.
  • Speculation arises about the nature of the Roman building, with a villa being the favored option.
  • A New Forest beaker with potential contents is discovered, prompting further examination.
  • Roman skeletons and a large building are found, with a focus on pottery dating back to the late Iron Age.
  • A late Iron Age ditch is identified, indicating the Roman burials postdate this feature.
  • The Roman building's history is traced through coinage, suggesting abandonment around 350 A.D.
  • Bronze Age and Iron Age artifacts are unearthed, hinting at earlier settlements predating the Roman era.

29:13

Iron Age and Roman burials reveal mysteries.

  • Iron Age burials sometimes included ashes, pots, feasting meat, and personal objects like brooches.
  • Few Iron Age burials have been found, posing a mystery in archaeology.
  • Settlements with scattered small bones suggest some burials were left for birds.
  • Excavating skeletons reveals significant information but is time-consuming.
  • Roman burials are being excavated to learn more about the individuals.
  • A complete new forest beaker was excavated, but it was found empty.
  • Efforts are focused on uncovering a potential Roman villa on the site.
  • Geophysics surveys guide the placement of trenches for further excavation.
  • Burials near the villa are believed to be of workers from a nearby settlement.
  • A Roman building platform was discovered alongside the burials, indicating a connection.

42:51

"Villa excavation uncovers ancient bath house"

  • The team discovers that the bath house is part of a smaller building than initially believed, leading them to focus on uncovering further walls and features to understand the villa's layout.
  • Despite not finding new burials or dating material in a trench, advanced equipment reveals evidence of a Bronze Age roundhouse, an Iron Age field ditch, and an early Roman farm building on the ridge.
  • Fragments of colored plaster found in the plunge bath suggest the villa's abandonment in the late fourth century, possibly due to political upheaval and estate seizures.
  • Uncovering a Roman plunge pool with painted plastered walls and a mosaic floor, the team reveals a new bath range with heated rooms, indicating the villa's residents' upward mobility and investment in improving their home.
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