Monument record MDO18719 - A37 Western Link; Early Roman Pit 598

Evidence for an Early Roman Pit was discovered during excavations along the route of the Dorchester By-pass, Western Link. A large circular pit [598] was cut by gully [534]. This clay lined pit measured 2.35m in diameter and was 0.55m deep with steep sides and a flat base. Black Burnished Ware of 2nd century form, sherds of amphora and samian, and an abundance of ceramic building material were recovered from the fills. Sherds of late Roman New Forest Ware are probably intrusive.

Found during a programme of archaeological work conducted by Wessex Archaeology along the route of the Dorchester By-pass, Western Link, Fordington Bottom, Dorchester between 1986 and 1988. The results of the excavations have been published as a Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society Monograph; (DNHAS Monograph 11). The numbers in square brackets below refer to the context and feature numbers used in the published report (1).

A pit and gully complex [534] occurs on the upper terrace in the NE corner of Trench G/H and the SE corner of Trench K, cutting through the colluvium sealing Late Iron Age/Early Roman terrace [599], but predating late Roman structure [5197]. The areas defined by these discontinuous shallow features are unclear, nowhere were their full lengths identified, and their function is obscure.

A large circular pit [598] was cut by gully [534]. This clay lined pit measured 2.35m in diameter and was 0.55m deep with steep sides and a flat base. Black Burnished Ware of 2nd century form, sherds of amphora and samian, and an abundance of ceramic building material were recovered from the fills. Sherds of late Roman New Forest Ware are probably intrusive.

<1> Smith, R J C et al, 1997, Excavations along the Route of the Dorchester By-pass, Dorset, 1986-8, 203-223 (Monograph). SDO9379.

Record last edited

Jan 26 2007 5:59AM