Rocío Muñoz-Ledo
(CNN) The remains of a vast Roman trading settlement have been discovered by a team of archaeologists working along a future high-speed rail route in England.
Hundreds of Roman coins, jewellery, pottery and a pair of shackles were among the artifacts discovered at the site near a village in Northamptonshire, according to a High Speed 2 (HS2) press release on Tuesday. HS2 is a large-scale project to create high-speed rail links between London and major cities in central and northern England.
The site, known as Blackgrounds, dates to around AD 50. C., although initially it was home to an Iron Age village dating to around 400 BC. C., said HS2.
The site is known as Blackgrounds. Credit: Courtesy of HS2 Ltd.
As an Iron Age road and more than 30 roundhouses were found near the Roman remains, archaeologists believe the Iron Age village became a wealthy Roman settlement.
It is believed that the area developed over time and became more prosperous, with the construction of new roads and stone buildings.
A Roman vessel is shown as HS2 archaeologists uncover a vast Roman trading settlement in Northamptonshire. Credit: Courtesy of HS2 Ltd.
A massive Roman road about 10 meters wide runs through the settlement, far exceeding the normal maximum of about 4 meters, said James West, site manager for MOLA Headland Infrastructure, which oversaw the excavation.
Experts believe this road, described as “exceptional in its size,” indicates that the settlement was once a busy area with carts carrying goods in and out.
“Discovering a large and well-preserved Roman road, as well as so many high-quality finds, has been extraordinary and tells us a lot about the people who lived here,” West said in the news release.
A lead weight, molded in the shape of a head, was found at the site. Credit: Leon Neal/Getty Images
“The site really has the potential to transform our understanding of the Roman landscape in the region and beyond.”
Workshops, kilns and several unearthed shafts suggest the city would have been a “busy and busy area” in its heyday, the press release says. In addition to industrial practices, the foundations of buildings used for domestic purposes were also discovered.
More than 300 Roman coins were found, suggesting that a significant volume of trade passed through the area.
This coin depicting Marcus Aurelius from the reign of Emperor Constantine was one of more than 300 unearthed. Credit: Leon Neal/Getty Images
Glass vessels, highly decorative pottery, jewelry, and evidence of cosmetics, such as the mineral galena, which was crushed and mixed with oil to create makeup, were also discovered.
The quality of the soil, which is fiery red in some parts, suggests that activities involving burning were carried out in the area, such as making bread, working with metal or ceramics.
The ground is a fiery red color in places, suggesting activities involving burning. Credit: HS2 Ltd.
A pair of shackles discovered could also be evidence of slave labor or criminal activity, the press release says.
The artifacts will be cleaned and examined by specialists, while the layout of the area and the details of the buildings are mapped.
Blackgrounds is one of over 100 archaeological sites between London and Birmingham that HS2 has surveyed since 2018.
HS2 has unearthed a number of interesting archaeological finds, including rare Roman statues found in a church in Buckinghamshire and a Roman mosaic on a farm in Rutland in the East Midlands.
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