Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Man With Metal Detector Finds Roman-Era Grave
LiveScience via Discovery News ^ | April 17, 2015 | Laura Geggel

Posted on 09/02/2015 10:47:11 PM PDT by SunkenCiv

A man in England went exploring with a metal detector and made the discovery of a lifetime: an exquisitely preserved Roman-era grave filled with artifacts, including bronze jugs, mosaic glassware, coins and hobnails from a pair of shoes, all dating to about A.D. 200.

The grave likely belonged to a wealthy individual, said Keith Fitzpatrick-Matthews, the archaeology and outreach officer for the North Hertfordshire District Council. Once Fitzpatrick-Matthews and his colleagues located the grave, they also found evidence of a nearby building, likely a shrine or temple, attached to a villa.

The man with the metal detector, Phil Kirk, found the grave in a field in Kelshall, a small village located between London and Cambridge. He had once found a Roman coin in the same field, and had a hunch that there were more Roman artifacts nearby, Fitzpatrick-Matthews said.

In October 2014, Kirk hit the jackpot. His metal detector led him to a buried bronze jug that stood roughly 10 inches (25 centimeters) tall. Next, he pulled out a bronze patera (a dish used for pouring wine or blood libations) and two other jugs.

Elated with what he had found, Kirk contacted local experts and told them about the findings. They returned to the spot later that month and in November and found even more artifacts: a bronze pin, an iron lamp, glassware and bottles of different shapes, including octagonal, hexagonal, rectangular and square, Fitzpatrick-Matthews said.

The hexagonal bottle held an unusual and macabre surprise.

"It quickly became apparent that the large hexagonal bottle was stuffed full with cremated bone," said Fitzpatrick-Matthews, who hadn't realized they were digging into a grave.

(Excerpt) Read more at news.discovery.com ...


TOPICS: History; Science; Travel
KEYWORDS: cambridge; charon; diggers; epigraphyandlanguage; godsgravesglyphs; hertfordshire; icknieldway; kelshall; knightstemplar; marcusaurelius; philkirk; romanempire; royston; trajan; unitedkingdom
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-25 next last
A silver coin discovered in a Roman-era grave in the United Kingdom. TONY FITZPATRICK-MATTHEWS

A silver coin discovered in a Roman-era grave in the United Kingdom. TONY FITZPATRICK-MATTHEWS

1 posted on 09/02/2015 10:47:12 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

https://www.google.com/search?q=roman+grave+metal+detector+site%3Afreerepublic.com%2Ffocus%2F


2 posted on 09/02/2015 10:51:06 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (What do we want? REGIME CHANGE! When do we want it? NOW)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: SunkenCiv

A coin to pay the ferryman on the river Styx...


3 posted on 09/02/2015 10:52:10 PM PDT by tcrlaf (They told me it could never happen in America. And then it did....)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: tcrlaf

It was. I ran out of word count, but that’s described in the rest of the article. The coin was issued by Marcus Aurelius, but shows the earlier emperor Trajan, reigned 98-117 AD.


4 posted on 09/02/2015 10:53:55 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (What do we want? REGIME CHANGE! When do we want it? NOW)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: tcrlaf

something like that


5 posted on 09/02/2015 11:13:34 PM PDT by GeronL (Cruz is for real, 100%)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: SunkenCiv

Last week I found a 1968 East German penny on the beach at the waters edge with my eye. We were looking for beach glass/amber.


6 posted on 09/02/2015 11:14:22 PM PDT by Berlin_Freeper
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SunkenCiv
"In October 2014, Kirk hit the jackpot. His metal detector led him to a buried bronze jug that stood roughly 10 inches (25 centimeters) tall. Next, he pulled out a bronze patera (a dish used for pouring wine or blood libations) and two other jugs. "

“A libation is a ritual pouring of a liquid as an offering to a god or spirit or in memory of those who have died. It was common in many religions of antiquity and continues to be offered in various cultures today.

Various substances have been used for libations, most commonly wine or olive oil, and in India, ghee. The vessels used in the ritual, including the patera, often had a significant form which differentiated them from secular vessels. The libation could be poured onto something of religious significance, such as an altar, or into the earth. ...”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libation

7 posted on 09/02/2015 11:18:36 PM PDT by ETL (ALL (most?) of the Obama-commie connections at my FR Home page: http://www.freerepublic.com/~etl/)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Berlin_Freeper
a 1968 East German penny

1968 East Germany 1 Pfennig Coin

8 posted on 09/02/2015 11:19:38 PM PDT by Berlin_Freeper
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: SunkenCiv

I have a silver coin from 335 BC. It is from the reign of Philip of Macedon


9 posted on 09/02/2015 11:20:57 PM PDT by Fai Mao (Genius at Large)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Berlin_Freeper

Isn’t “brown” amber that is worth a ton of money, and exclusive to that part of the world??


10 posted on 09/02/2015 11:21:50 PM PDT by tcrlaf (They told me it could never happen in America. And then it did....)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Berlin_Freeper

That’s a nice find, it’s from a defunct country to boot.


11 posted on 09/02/2015 11:36:00 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (What do we want? REGIME CHANGE! When do we want it? NOW)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: tcrlaf
Baltic amber can be found on the beach but the amber we found was 3 euros worth placed in a 6 euro pail of sand sold at "Dinosaur Land".

We did find some nice Beach glass on the beach though.

12 posted on 09/02/2015 11:37:49 PM PDT by Berlin_Freeper
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: SunkenCiv

Yes, thanks! :)
I offered it to my 1968 born German wife but she told me to keep it.


13 posted on 09/02/2015 11:40:59 PM PDT by Berlin_Freeper
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Fai Mao

Nice!


14 posted on 09/02/2015 11:41:43 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (What do we want? REGIME CHANGE! When do we want it? NOW)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Berlin_Freeper

Err, we found the sea glass variety.
I always mix that up.


15 posted on 09/02/2015 11:46:07 PM PDT by Berlin_Freeper
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelshall


16 posted on 09/02/2015 11:54:21 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (What do we want? REGIME CHANGE! When do we want it? NOW)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: ETL

Thanks ETL. Speaking of religions:

St.Faith’s Church[from wikiwackypedia]
St.Faith’s Church was restored thoroughly from 1868-70.[13] It is situated on the edge of the village and the ceilings are painted in a medieval style, which was done recently. The south door is also described as being “contemporary”. [14] “Several small ponds lie on the east of the church, and from the formation of the ground it appears probable that there was once a moat here”

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4f/St._Faith_church.jpg


17 posted on 09/03/2015 12:01:25 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (What do we want? REGIME CHANGE! When do we want it? NOW)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Berlin_Freeper

The water’s edge had your eye? Ouch!
(Couldn’t resist - - - ) : ^ ]


18 posted on 09/03/2015 3:12:28 AM PDT by USARightSide (S U P P O R T I N G OUR T R O O P S)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: SunkenCiv
Thanks for that article.
I know that area well and was aware of these finds but not the details. (I think the local authorities try not to give too much publicity at the time things like this are found as they don't want to encourage illegal detecting which can cause a lot of damage.)

Kelshall is only a mile or two from Ermine Street, which was the principle North-South road of Roman times, and the much older ancient Icknield Way, the main East-West route, which cross nearby. The whole area is littered with Ancient as well as Roman sites and much surely remains to be dicovered. It's eye-opening how just busy the area must have been two thousand years ago.

P.S. Whoever wrote that wikipedia entry for Kelshall was clearly having a bit of fun!
19 posted on 09/03/2015 4:37:56 AM PDT by Mr Radical
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: SunkenCiv

Civ, over the years I have learned so much from your posts.

Today I learned the phrase “blood libations”.


20 posted on 09/03/2015 6:29:20 AM PDT by T-Bone Texan (The economic collapse is imminent. Buy staple food and OTC meds now, before prices skyrocket.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-25 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson