The Buried Secrets Under A Pig Field | Time Team | Timeline
Timeline - World History Documentaries・3 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.




