The Rise and Decline of Druce Farm Roman Villa (60-650 CE): Excavations 2012-2018

Cover
Title page
Copyright
Archaeology of Roman Britain Subseries
Titles in the Archaeology of Roman Britain Subseries
Of Related Interest
Acknowledgements
Table of contents
List of figures
List of tables
Preface
Summary
Résumé
Zusammenfassung
1. Environment and project background
	Location
	Landscape and geology
	The site
	Project background
		Geophysical surveys
		The excavations
		Archaeological methodology
		Local community outreach
		Funding
		Project aims
	Summary of Periods
		Period 1: Prehistoric up to 43 CE (Fig. 1.7)
		Period 2.1: 43-70 CE (Fig. 1.8)
		Period 2.2: 70-120 CE (Fig. 1.9)
		Period 3.1: 120-200 CE (Fig. 1.10)
		Period 3.2: 200-250 CE (Fig.1.11)
		Period 4.1: 250-300 CE (Fig. 1.12)
		Period 4.2: 300-350/70 CE (Fig. 1.13)
		Period 5: 350/70-430 CE
		Period 6: 430-650 CE (Fig. 1.14)
		Period 7: 650+ CE
	Radiocarbon dating
		Introduction
		Sampling strategy
		Results and Calibration
	Deposition and further work
2. The Prehistoric background
	Early Neolithic activity
		The features
	Pre-Roman ditches
		Ditch 878
		Ditch 1291
		Ditch 1325
		Ditch 1752
	Flint and chert
		Introduction
		Methodology
		Raw material
		Description of the total assemblage
		Cores and core reduction techniques
		Flakes and blades
		Chips and shatter
		Tools
		Distribution of the assemblage across the site
		Discussion
		Illustrated flint and chert artefacts
	Prehistoric pottery
		Fabric Code
		Discussion
	Conclusion
3. Enclosures, ditches and middens
	The Early Roman enclosure system
		The outer enclosure (ditches 1604, 309, 313, 311 and 312)
		The inner enclosure (ditches 308, 314 and 1605)
		Southern outliers (Ditches 1504 and 310)
		Structures associated with a south entrance to the villa
	Conclusions
	Other ditch systems
		Ditches 1641/1644
		Ditches 1459/1510
		Gullies 372 and 384
		Ditches 1260/1305
	Eastern enclosure
		Ditch 1262
		Ditch 1412
		Ditch 1410
		Ditch 1411
	Conclusions
	The midden deposits
		Midden 315 T2
		Midden 1529 T24, T41 and T46 (Fig. 3.15/1)
		Midden 1355 T59
		Midden 1528 T14 and T52 (Fig. 3.17)
	Conclusion
4. Early Roman activity outside the villa complex
	Early Roman activity in Lower Limepits field
		Pit 1399 T14 (Fig. 4.1/1)
		Pit 643 T21 (Fig. 4.1/2)
		Activity pre-dating the East Range
	Early Roman activity in Eleven Acres
		The Ancillary Building
	Room AB1 (pits 2015, 1996, 2008, 1991, 2032, 2008 and 1994)
		Pit 2015 (Fig 4.7/1)
		Pit 1996 (Fig. 4.7/2)
		Pit 1991 (Fig. 4.7/3)
		Pit 2031 (Fig. 4.7/4)
		Pit 2032 (Fig. 4.7/7)
	Room AB2 (pits 2000, 2017 and 2036)
		Pit 2000 (Fig, 4.7/8)
		Pit 2017 (Fig. 4.7/10)
	Room AB3 (pits 2295/2020/2038, 2050 and 2052)
		Pit 2295 cut by pits 2020 and 2038 (Fig. 4.7/11)
	Pit 1735
	Occupation Area T82
		Pit 1800 (Figs. 4.9/2 and 4.12).
		Deposit 1795 (Fig. 4.10)
		Pit 1845 (Fig. 4.9/3)
5. The North Range
	Phasing
	Phase 1: Early Roman, Period 2.2 (c. 70-120 CE) (Fig. 5.4 Phase1)
		Room N10
			Pit 643 (Fig. 4.1/2)
			Pit 644 (Figs 5.10/3 and 5.11)
	Conclusions
	Phase 2: Middle Roman, Period 3.1 (c. 120-200 CE) (Fig. 5.4 Phase 2)
		Room N12
		Room N1
	Conclusions
	Phase 3: Middle Roman Period 3.2 (c. 200-250 CE) (Fig. 5.4 Phase 3)
		The west extension (Fig. 5.13)
		Room N2
		Room N5
		Extension of the original building (Figs. 5.4/3 and 5.17)
		Room N3 (Fig. 5.12).
		Room N6
		Room N8
		Room N7
		Room N10
		Corridor N11
	Conclusions
	Phase 4: Late Roman Period 4.2 (c. 300-350/70 CE) (Fig. 5.4 Phase 4)
		The west wing
		Room N1
		Room N2
		Room N4
		Paved area and potential building
		Room N5
		The north wing
		Room N3
		Room N10
		Room N9
		Corridor N11
		Gully 407
	Conclusions
	Phase 5: Final Roman Period 5 (c. 350/370-430 CE)
		Room N1
		Room N3
		Room N7
		Room N10 (plan Fig. 5.42)
		Room N9 (Fig. 5.37/1)
		Room N11
	Conclusions
	Phase 6: Post-Roman Period 6 (c. 430-650 CE) (Fig. 5.4 Phase 5)
		Activity south of Room N3
		Room N1
		Room N3
		Room N9
		Corridor N11
		Collapse south of the North Range
	Conclusions
	General conclusions
6. The East Range
	Phase 1: Early Roman, Period 2.2 (c. 70-120 CE)
		The first rectangular building
		Features relating to this phase
	Conclusion
	Phase 2: Middle Roman, Period 3.1 (c. 120-200 CE) (Fig. 6.8)
		Extension of the rectangular building and associated features
		Tank 778 and associated features
		Pit 381 (Figs 6.11/2 and 6.12).
		Pit 1149 /1181 (Figs 6.13 and 6.14/1)
		Pit 896
		Pit 209 (Fig. 6.14/2)
	Phase 3a: Late Roman, Period 4.1 (c. 300 CE)
		The Aisled Hall
		Flint-packed pit 638 (Fig. 6.19/1)
		Flint-packed pit 648 (Fig. 6.19/2 and 6.20)
		Deposit 1269 (Fig. 6.21)
		Pit 1077 (Figs 6.19/3 and 6.22)
	Phase 3b: Late Roman, Period 4.1 (c. 350 CE)
		Fire damage and site preparation for re-building
	Phase 4: Late Roman, Period 4.2 (c. 350/70 CE) (Fig. 6.23)
		Extension of the Aisled Hall
		The flint-packed pits
		Internal walls
		Floor surfaces
		Deposit 556 (Fig. 6.24)
		Oven 207 (Figs 6.23, 6.25-28).
		Structure 1203 (Fig. 6.29)
		Pit 823 (Fig. 6.30)
	Phase 5: Final Roman and Post-Roman, Periods 5 and 6 (c. 430-650+ CE)
		Collapse of the building
		Material over the collapsed building
		Collapse sequence
		The roof
		Collapse of the north wall 559 (Fig. 6.31) (Period 6 c. 430-650 CE)
	Phase 6: Early Medieval, Period 6 (c. 430-650 CE)
		Post-collapse activity
		Pit 209 (Figs. 6.14/2 and 6.35)
		Pit 825 (Figs 6.36 and 6.37/1: the pit is located on section line AB on Fig. 6.26)
		Pit 752 (Figs 6.36 and 6.37/1)
		Pit 944 (Fig. 6.37/2)
		Pit 962 (Figs 6.37/1 and 2: section lines AB and CD shown on Fig 6.26)
	Conclusions
	General conclusions
7. The West Range
	Phase 1: Middle Roman Period 3.1 (c. 120-200 CE) (Fig. 7.3/1)
	Phase 2: Period 4.1 Late Roman (c. 250-300 CE) (Figs. 7.1 and 7.5)
		Room W1
		Room W2
		Room W3
		Room W4
	Conclusions
8. The grain dryer and associated burial
	The grain dryer
		The flue (Fig. 8.3)
		The flue walls
		Section 1850 (A) (Fig. 8.5/1)
		Section 2075 (B) (Fig. 8.5/2)
		Section 1963 (C) (Fig. 8.5/3)
		Section 1969 (D) (Fig. 8.5/4)
	The stoke pit and burial
		The stoke pit 1964 (Figs 8.1, 8.2 and 8.5/5)
		The skeleton (Figs 8.1, 8.2/1, 8.5/5 and 8.7)
	Conclusions
9. Building materials
	Wall construction
		Introduction
		Non-flint internal walls
		Mortar used in the construction of the building
	Roofing and ceramic building materials
		Introduction
		Methodology
		Ceramic building material
		Stone roof tiles
		Roofing slates
	Stone building material and architectural fragments
		Introduction
		Raw material
		Column fragments
		Jambs?
		Post pad
		Miscellaneous architectural fragments
		Illustrated architectural fragments and building stone
	Note on the column capital from context 197
	Other occurrences of building stone
	Conclusion
10. Internal decoration
	Mosaics
		Introduction
		Room N1: Mosaic 1 (Context 153)
		Room N2: Mosaic context 1059 (below Mosaic 2)
		Room N2: Mosaic 2 (Context 246)
	Other mosaics of the North Range (see Fig. 5.2 for room locations)
		Room N3: Mosaic context 210
		South of Room N3
		Room N4: Mosaic context 98
		Room N5
		Room N6: Mosaic 3 (Context 357)
		Room N7: Mosaic 4 (Context 329)
		Room N10
		Room N11: Mosaic context 99
	The East Range
	The West Range
	Glass tessera
	Discussion
	Painted wall plaster
		Introduction
		The assemblage
		Methodology
		Room N1
		Room N12
		Room N2
		Room N4
		Room N5
		Room N3
		Room N6
		Room N7
		Room N9
		Room N10
		Room N11
		Room N3 Infill
		Midden - South of Room N3
		Midden - East of Room N4
		East Range /Aisled Hall
		Middens and Other Pits
		Discussion
11. Roman and post-Roman pottery
	Structure of the report
	Imported finewares
		Samian
		Central Gaulish Terra Nigra (F11) CNG TN
		Lyon Colour-coated ware (F18) LYO CC
		Argonne Colour-coated ware (Sinzig Roughcast) (F14) ARG CC
		Moselkeramic Black-slipped ware (F3) MOS BS
		Central Gaulish Black-slipped ware (F2) CNG BS
	Overview of amphorae
	Mortaria
		Early Roman (Period 2 c. 43-120 CE)
		Middle Roman (Period 3 c. 120-250 CE)
		Late Roman (Period 4 c. 250-350/70 CE)
		Late Roman (Periods 4-5 c. 250-400 CE)
		Final Roman (Period 5 c. 350/70-420 CE)
		Discussion
		Catalogue
	British finewares
		Corfe Mullen ware (F10).
		New Forest finewares
		Oxfordshire wares
		Lower Nene Valley Colour-coated ware
		Unsourced finewares
	Coarsewares
		(South East) Dorset Black Burnished ware (DOR BB1)
		South East Dorset Orange Wiped ware (SEDOWW)
		South Western Black Burnished ware (SOW BB1)
		New Forest greyware
		Alice Holt Reduced ware (ALH RE)
		Hampshire Grog-tempered ware (HAM GT)
		Other coarsewares identified to kiln
		Unsourced Coarsewares
	Sherds bearing graffiti
	Post-Roman pottery
	Medieval pottery
12. Pottery assemblages
	Introduction
	Methodology
	The Assemblages
		Period 2: c. 43-120 CE
		Periods 3 and 4: c. 120-350/70 CE
		Period 4.2: c. 300-350/70 CE
		Period 5: c. 350/70-430+ CE
		Periods 6 and 7: c. 450/500-1000 CE
	Discussion
13. Portable objects of stone, shale, glass, bone and fired clay
	Stone Objects
		Introduction
		Raw material
		Querns and millstones
		Mortars and pestle
		Grinding stones
		Sharpeners and polishers
		Counters
		Miscellaneous stone objects
	Kimmeridge Shale
		Introduction
		Methodology
		Source of material
		Results
		Discussion
		Catalogue
	Roman glass
		1st/2nd century vessels (Periods 2.1-3.1)
		Colourless cups and bowls of the 2nd to 3rd centuries (Periods 3.1-4.1)
		Late Roman vessels (Periods 4.1-5)
		Catalogue
	Bone objects
		Personal adornment
		Writing and communication
	A note on the bone folding scalprum
		Gaming equipment
		Domestic utensils
		Tool
	Tools from the animal bone assemblage
	Fired clay objects
		Methodology
		Conclusions
14. Non-ferrous metal finds
	Introduction
	Coins
		Coin catalogue
		Medieval coins (11)
	Comments on the Roman coin assemblage
	Copper alloy objects
		Personal adornment
		Bracelets
		Finger rings
		Ear ring
		Necklaces/bracelets
		Pins
		Toilet implements
		Household utensils
		Sewing needles
		Objects associated with written communication
		Fasteners and fittings
		Items with a military association
		Note on the Late Roman military belt fitting
		Miscellaneous and other unidentified fragments
		Post-Roman and Early Medieval objects
	Lead objects
		Pot mends
		Weights
		Counters
		Household utensils
		Miscellaneous
		Offcuts and waste
		Post-Medieval lead
15. Iron objects and metalworking debris
	Iron objects
		Metalworking tools
		Woodworking tools
		Possible modelling tool
		Leather working tools
		Transport
		Keys
		Domestic equipment
		Knives
		Structural fittings
		Nails
		Miscellaneous items
	Assessment and analysis of the metallurgical debris
		Introduction
		Methods and key terms
		Results
		X-Ray Fluorescence analysis
		Discussion
	Conclusion
16. Human remains
	Perinatal human remains
		Introduction
		Preservation and taphonomy
		Results
		Anthropological data
		Pathology and non-metric skeletal traits
		Discussion
	Adult human remains
		Introduction
		Anthropological data: sex, age, and stature
		Pathology
		Discussion
Preface to Chapters 17 and 18 (Faunal and environmental remains)
	Animal bone
	Charred plant macrofossils
	Charcoal
	Radiocarbon dating programme
17. Faunal remains
	Animal bones
		Introduction
		Recording methods
		The hand-collected assemblage
		Preservation and taphonomy in the main hand-collected assemblage
		Period 1: Prehistoric up to c. 43 CE
		Period 2.1 Early Roman c. 43-70 CE
		Period 2.2: Early Roman c. 70-120 CE
		Period 3: Middle Roman c. 120-250 CE
		Period 3.1: Middle Roman c. 120-200 CE
		Period 3.2: Middle Roman c. 200-250 CE
		Period 4: Late Roman c. 250-350/70 CE
		Period 4.1: Late Roman c. 250-300 CE
		Period 4.2: Late Roman c. 300-350/70 CE
		Period 5: Final Roman c. 350/70-430 CE
		Period 5/6: Final Roman/Post-Roman c. 350/70-650 CE
		Period 6: Post-Roman c. 430-650 CE
		Cattle
		Sheep/goat
		Pig
		Horse
		Dog
		Cat
		Wild mammals
		Butchery and carcase processing and disposal
		The Associated Bone Groups and skulls
		The small vertebrate assemblages
		The bulk sample assemblages
		Summary of the small vertebrates
	Fish
	Discussion
	Molluscs
		Land snails
		Marine molluscs
		Conclusion
18. Environmental remains
	Wood charcoal
		Introduction
		Methodology
		Results
		Discussion
	Charred and mineralised plant remains
		Introduction
		Soil processing methodology and selection of samples for analysis
		Results
		Description of samples by period and feature
		Discussion
		The integrity of the data
		Arable crops
		Evidence of crop husbandry recovered from weed taxa
		The distribution of cereal, hay and heathland remains around the villa
		Other potential crops, orchard fruits and garden plants
		Imported foods
		Grassland and heathland resources
		The Roman plant-based diet at Druce compared to other villas
		Summary by period
		Conclusions
19. Interpretation and discussion
	Introduction
	Period 1: Prehistoric up to c. 43 CE (Fig. 1.7)
		Early Neolithic
		Bronze Age
		Field systems
	Druce Farm Roman Villa
		Introduction
	Period 2.1: Early Roman c. 43-70 CE (Fig. 1.8)
		Chronology
		Settlement and land use
		Society
		Environment and economy
	Period 2.2: Early Roman c. 70-120 CE (Fig. 1.8)
		Chronology
		Settlement and land use
		Society
		Environment and economy
	Period 3.1: Middle Roman c. 120-200 CE (Fig. 1.10)
		Chronology
		Settlement and land use
		Society
		Environment and economy
	Period 3.2 Middle Roman c. 200-250 CE (Fig. 1.11)
		Chronology
		Settlement and land use
		Society
		Environment and economy
	Period 4.1: Late Roman c. 250-300 CE (Fig. 1.11)
		Chronology
		Settlement and land use
		Society
		Environment and economy
	Period 4.2: Late Roman c. 300-350/70 CE (Fig. 1.13)
		Chronology
		Settlement and land use
		Society
		Environment and economy
	Period 5: Final Roman c. 350/70-430 CE
		Chronology
		Settlement and land use
		Society
		Environment and economy
	Period 6: Post-Roman c. 430-650 CE
		Chronology
		Settlement and land use
		Society
		Collapse
		Post-collapse pit digging
		Environment and economy
	Period 7: Early medieval c. 650+ CE
		Chronology
		Settlement, land use, environment and economy
	Final Conclusions
Bibliography
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