In 2008, workers came across buried objects during excavation work for building a new luxury hotel on the grounds of Syon Park in west London. Archaeologists have now confirmed that these are Roman artefacts dating from the 1st century AD.
Around 11,500 fragments of pottery, 100 coins and jewellery were unearthed by the experts from the Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA), along with burial sites containing human remains and a Roman road, a museum statement revealed. The artefacts were found very close to the surface, less than 0.5 metres deep. The artefacts are now in the MOLA lab and would be studied further.
The Roman settlement had remained remarkably undisturbed for close to 2,000 year. Among the artefacts found were two shale armlets, fragments of a lava quernstone and a late bronze age (1000-700BC) gold bracelet. The location of the settlement is on the road between major Roman cities of Londinium and Silchester. In all likelihood, this spot was a resting place for travellers.
The findings give credence to the theory that the British landscape changed under Roman influence. The interconnection between roads is being seen as a case in point. These had marked the ‘Romanisation’ of Britain.
Jo Lyon, Senior Archaeologist at Museum of London Archaeology, spoke of the significance of the discovery: “We were extremely fortunate to discover such a comprehensive repertoire of Roman finds and features so close to the surface. They tell us a great deal about how the people of this village lived, worked and died.
“The archaeology at Syon Park has given us a valuable, rare insight into the daily life of an agricultural village on the outskirts of Londinium (London) that would have supplied the Roman city and provided shelter for travellers passing through. It helps us build a picture of the Roman landscape and shows how the busy metropolis of Londinium connected with the rest of Roman Britain.”
