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

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

Lilian Ladle
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  • Overview

  • Contents

Results from the excavation of this high-status Roman villa confirm its occupation throughout the Roman period and beyond, illuminating lifestyle and landscape through detailed analysis of its architecture, finds and environmental remains. This site includes rectilinear enclosures and associated Roman style buildings dating from the mid-1st century, and represents the earliest known proto-villa in Dorset. The buildings resemble those excavated in the south-east of Britain, with the acquisition of building materials, pottery, glassware, household, personal items and coinage confirming the economic vitality and wealth needed to sustain an elite lifestyle. Phases of construction and demolition are discussed, highlighting dramatic changes in the use of the site. There is also significant evidence of metalworking, textile production and hunting activities across the period of occupation. Discussion is supported throughout by comprehensive site plans, photographs and artefact illustrations. This excavation presents unparalleled evidence for villa development and decline, with relevance not only to those interested in Roman Britain, but also Northwest Europe more generally.
  • 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
  • Back Cover
Citable Link
Published: 2022
Publisher: BAR Publishing
ISBN(s)
  • 9781407360010 (paper)
  • 9781407360027 (ebook)
BAR Number: B676
Subject
  • Archaeozoology / Bioarchaeology / Osteoarchaeology
  • Excavation / Fieldwork / Survey
  • Trade / Exchange / Travel / Economy
  • Agriculture / Farming / Husbandry / Land-use / Irrigation
  • Numismatics
  • British Isles
  • Craft working (general titles, bone, glass, textiles)
  • Metal Objects
  • Archaeometry / Scientific Dating
  • Ceramics and Pottery Studies
  • Roman
  • Death / Burial / Cemeteries / Tombs
  • Archaeobotany / Environment and Climate
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