Find Spot record MDO19222 - Roman sword hilt from a Location at or near 48 South Street, Dorchester

Roman sword hilt of bone at or near 48 South Street, Dorchester. In the Hogg collection. Museum Acc No. 1886.9.133
48A and 48B South street are occupied as commercial premises the manager of which knew nothing of the finds nor the date of the building construction. <1>

(SY 69239057) In digging foundtions of No.48A and No.48B South Street a piece of plain floor was found. It is laid down in the Museum Hall. <3>

Roman sword hilt of bone at or near 48 South Street, Dorchester. In the Hogg collection. Museum Acc No 1886.9.133. <4>

Nos.48A and 48B South Street are occupied as commercial premises the manager of which knew nothing of the finds nor the date of the
building construction. <5>

<1> 1886, Roman sword hilt from South Street, Dorchester (Artifact). SDO10175.

<2> Society of Antiquaries of London, 1906, Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of London 21, 153-5 (Serial). SDO10119.

“John Acland, Esq., Curator of the Dorset County Museum, exhibited, through the Secretary, a complete bone hilt of a Roman sword, lately found at Dorchester. The hilt was of bone, and consisted of a hollow pommel with circular cap and button at the end of the tang, a corrugated grip, and hollow guard, the iron tang being visible in the circular plate inserted at the end. Its total length was 67.8 inches.

On the circumstances of the discovery of the object Mr Acland has obligingly communicated the following note:

“The sword-handle was found in Dorchester in the autumn of 1905, by workmen excavating for layin foundations of a new building in South Street. It lay about 4 feet below the present ground level; nearly all the Roman remains, especially the mosaic floors, are found at that depth in Dorchester. One of the workmen afterwards pointed out the spot were it was unearthed. There was no trace of a hilt or blade.

Near the sword-handle was found an iron finger ring with small intaglio representing apparently Hercules and a lion, but the setting was entirely corroded. The Dorset County Museum acquired possession of the sword-handle and of the intaglio in March, 1906."

<3> Acland, J E, Private 1 to 25 inch scale map and index, 1904-1932 (Map). SDO19853.

<4> Display Card Dorset County Museum (Graphic material). SWX1314.

<5> Rigg, J, Field Investigators Comments JR, F1 JR 21-AUG-54 (Unpublished document). SWX1255.

<6> National Record of the Historic Environment, 453360 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Aug 22 2024 7:38PM