Overview

The Priory Field excavation, carried out between 2007 and 2010, was a research, training and engagement project that investigated a large courtyard store-building in the legionary fortress of Isca at Caerleon. This was the first building of its kind excavated to modern standards in the Roman Empire and the excavation exposed the building’s main entranceway, a guard chamber, a stairwell and four store rooms. The coins and pottery provide an excellent chronological sequence for the store, which was constructed around AD 90-100 and remained in use until the end of the 3rd century, after which it fell into a derelict state before being partially demolished and levelled by around 350. Debris from the building’s collapse and demolition sealed the floors of two store rooms, one of which was littered with items of military equipment, many of which survived in a very fragile condition. These included the highly fragmentary remains of a rare example of an elaborately decorated horse’s headpiece (chamfron), at least one set of dismantled Newstead-type lorica segmentata body armour, as well as another set of unusual scale armour. Two new buildings were constructed among the ruins of the partially demolished legionary store, including a cottage-like building that radiocarbon dating demonstrates was in use between 430 and 600. This wide-ranging and comprehensive report of the Priory Field excavation contains many fascinating stories about life in Caerleon during the Roman period and in the years after the ending of Britannia at the beginning of the 5th century.

Full Product Details

Author:   Peter Guest (Archaeologist and Numismatist, Vianova Archaeology & Heritage Services) ,  Prof. Andrew Gardner (Professor of the Archaeology of the Roman Empire, UCL)
Publisher:   Archaeopress
Imprint:   Archaeopress Archaeology
Weight:   1.568kg
ISBN:  

9781803276908

ISBN 10:   1803276908
Pages:   374
Publication Date:   29 May 2025
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Manufactured on demand  
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Table of Contents

Summary Crynodeb Résumé Zusammenfassung Chapter 1: Introduction and Background From Caerleon to Isca The Priory Field excavation summary Post-excavation: assessment, conservation and analysis Excavation archive Final research questions Chapter 2: Overview and Discussion of Key Themes The fortress of Isca and the Second Augustan Legion at Caerleon Site formation processes, phasing and chronology Architecture of the Legionary Store Building ‘Post-Roman’ buildings and occupation Themes in Roman archaeology Chapter 3: History of the Legionary Store and Post-Roman Occupation in Priory Field Introduction PHASE 0: Pre-legionary store building PHASE 1: Construction of the masonry store building PHASE 2: Occupation and alteration of the store PHASE 3: Dereliction and demolition of the store building PHASE 4: Post-Roman masonry buildings PHASE 5: Wall robbing PHASE 6: Medieval and early-modern occupation PHASE 7: Modern activity Chapter 4: Finds Catalogues and Specialist Reports Introduction and discussion Registered Artefacts Reports and Catalogues Soil Blocks lifted from Room 2 Building Fabric Ceramics Animal Bone (Murray Andrews) Botanical Remains (Astrid E. Caseldine and Catherine J. Griffiths) Summary of the Archaeometallurgical Residues (T.P. Young) Chapter 5: Bibliography Appendix: Radiocarbon dates from the Priory Field excavation Radiocarbon dates obtained from Phase 0 contexts Radiocarbon dates obtained from Phase 4 contexts Appendix: Soil Blocks Lifted from above Phase 2 floor in Room 2 Appendix: Evaluation Excavations in Golledge’s Field and Priory Field, 2007 Evaluation Trench in Golledge’s Field (CGF07) Test Pits in Priory Field (CPF07) The Pottery from CGF07 and CPF07 (Peter Webster and Mark Lewis) Other Finds from CGF07 and CPF07 Appendix: Summary of Community Engagement Activities, 2007-10 Community Engagement, 2007 Community Engagement, 2008 and 2010 Appendix: Excavation Teams 2007, 2008 and 2010 Evaluation excavations at Caerleon (Priory and Golledges Field) 2007 Excavations at Priory Field, Caerleon 2008 Excavations at Priory Field (and the Southern Canabae), Caerleon 2010 Appendix: Archaeometallurgical Residues (T.P. Young) Introduction Iron Smelting Residues Iron Smithing Residues Non-ferrous Metalworking Residues Discussion

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Author Information

Dr Peter Guest is an archaeologist and numismatist who has spent much of his career researching Roman Wales. He has previously worked for Cardiff University, the British Museum and the National Museum of Wales. Prof. Andrew Gardner is Professor of the Archaeology of the Roman Empire at the UCL Institute of Archaeology.

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