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Amateur archaeologists redraw map of Roman Britain – from home

Started by Imperial Dave, May 13, 2020, 10:09:43 PM

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Chuck the Grey

Quote from: Holly on May 13, 2020, 10:09:43 PM

simply awesome....

Totally agree with you Dave. It was interesting that the study appears to suggest that some areas were more heavily populated than previously thought. Shows the difficulty of estimating ancient population density and totals with limited information. I'll be interested in seeing the new information on a map once it's safe to publish.

Duncan Head

Saw this, very interesting. There seem to have been quite a lot of Roman or Romanised sites turning up in the south-west over the last few years.
Duncan Head

Jim Webster

It's interesting but I wonder if it points to an underlying issue. People assume history happened where archaeologists look

So at one point 'The North' was 'a military zone. Then the rescue archaeology which went with the widening of A1(M) and other roads produced all sorts of civilian structures
So now 'The North West' was a military zone
Yet I've found a heap of 3rd century Roman pottery (confirmed by Heriot Watt university) and we're not supposed to have had Romans

Imperial Dave

I think the picture is always changing and terms such as 'military zones' can be misleading and wrongly applied at times. Will be thoroughly interested when 'boots on the ground' allow a more intrusive investigation at some point in the future
Slingshot Editor

Nick Harbud

M.C. Bishop in The Secret History of the Roman Roads of Britain makes the point that the greatest concentration of discoveries tends to be directly proportional to the number and enthusiasm of the people looking for them.
Nick Harbud

Jim Webster

Quote from: NickHarbud on May 14, 2020, 12:26:28 PM
M.C. Bishop in The Secret History of the Roman Roads of Britain makes the point that the greatest concentration of discoveries tends to be directly proportional to the number and enthusiasm of the people looking for them.

I think that this is definitely true

Imperial Dave

Quote from: Jim Webster on May 14, 2020, 12:41:57 PM
Quote from: NickHarbud on May 14, 2020, 12:26:28 PM
M.C. Bishop in The Secret History of the Roman Roads of Britain makes the point that the greatest concentration of discoveries tends to be directly proportional to the number and enthusiasm of the people looking for them.

I think that this is definitely true

100%

As a nation we have only scratched at the surface literally and figuratively of what there is to discover....all that is required in time, money and manpower
Slingshot Editor

Duncan Head

Quote from: Holly on May 14, 2020, 02:22:04 PMAs a nation we have only scratched at the surface literally and figuratively of what there is to discover....all that is required in time, money and manpower

Well, we've got to leave some stuff for the archaeologists of the next few centuries to find.
Duncan Head

Erpingham

Quote from: Duncan Head on May 14, 2020, 03:57:28 PM
Quote from: Holly on May 14, 2020, 02:22:04 PMAs a nation we have only scratched at the surface literally and figuratively of what there is to discover....all that is required in time, money and manpower

Well, we've got to leave some stuff for the archaeologists of the next few centuries to find.

They'll have much better tech than us and will see things even where we've looked :)

Note that this survey uses Lidar.  Before that, our remote sensing was air photography.  Before that, it was a bloke standing on a hill.

Imperial Dave

Quote from: Erpingham on May 14, 2020, 04:04:58 PM
Quote from: Duncan Head on May 14, 2020, 03:57:28 PM
Quote from: Holly on May 14, 2020, 02:22:04 PMAs a nation we have only scratched at the surface literally and figuratively of what there is to discover....all that is required in time, money and manpower

Well, we've got to leave some stuff for the archaeologists of the next few centuries to find.

They'll have much better tech than us and will see things even where we've looked :)

Note that this survey uses Lidar.  Before that, our remote sensing was air photography.  Before that, it was a bloke standing on a hill.

LIDAR really is a game-changer. I've used it and the results are pretty impressive
Slingshot Editor

Jim Webster

Quote from: Duncan Head on May 14, 2020, 03:57:28 PM
Quote from: Holly on May 14, 2020, 02:22:04 PMAs a nation we have only scratched at the surface literally and figuratively of what there is to discover....all that is required in time, money and manpower

Well, we've got to leave some stuff for the archaeologists of the next few centuries to find.

I've been told that on some sites (Those where they aren't rescue archaeology) they have purposefully done that

Imperial Dave

the issue with archaeology is money....there normally isnt enough of it to do all the identified sites
Slingshot Editor