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Dave1965
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| 25 Apr 2008 9:00 PM |
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| Hi All
I am trying to reseach the period 410AD to 630AD with regard to South East Scotland and North Northumbria area.
There seem to be large roman finds in this area along with large Angle finds in Settlement sites such as Bamburgh and Dunbar and areas inland.
But what seems missing abart from post holes which may be post British Halls in areas mentioned and at Yeavering a defended site.
But how come no physcial or very little archaeology, how can a society that was allied to Rome and would have had a strong tribal leadership after the Romans left just disapear without leaving anything behind. Sorry if this sounds silly but there have been pictures taken from the air showing a largish settlement plan over the area. But no finds in any areas dug so far any ideas please or point me in direction to look further into this.
Thanks
Dave |
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the_historian
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| 25 Apr 2008 9:02 PM |
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| Hi Dave,
The only British finds I can think of in the area were those at Traprain Law, which you probably know was a tribal capital of the Gododdin. The area was quickly overrun by the Bernicians in the 600s, but you would think there would be some material culture left.
I can only suggest you try the NMRS at www.rcahms.gov.uk , or the English equivalent at www.pastscape.org. Let us know how you get on.
Regards,Gordon
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Dave1965
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| 25 Apr 2008 9:02 PM |
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| Hi Gordon
Yes Traprain Law could have been one of the major sites of the celtic tribe the Votadini. The finds at Traprain Law produced high status roman finds and a silver hoard possible handed over for the hiring of allied troops. To maybe back up this was the fact that Traprain Law surrived as a hill fort while others in the same period were knocked down by the Romans. Maybe they were hired as local scouts ect. This tribe was not completly Romanised as they were for the large part of the time North of the Wall and to their northern borders they had the Picts and to the West they had the Scotti/Irish. This may allow one to say that these people just to survive would themsleves have to be hardy people. Therefore when Roman Law collopsed in early 5th century, unlike the devastiation this caused in some parts of Southern England, maybe this tribe just carried on as before.
There are other sites that possibly have Post Roman settlements of this tribe Edinburgh, Dundar,Yeavering are the most known about I think but there are a number of sites that have been spotted from the air in the Scottish Borders including cemeteries. But it is a mystry how a population completely dissapeared. I am sure if there was more money to dig some of these sites we may just find these missing people but money is the problum. Also being a Christain tribe in the late 5th century would have ment less goods left to find, thank you for the links will carry on looking
Dave |
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Gil_Das
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| 25 Apr 2008 9:02 PM |
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| Hi Dave,
I know comparatively little of the post-Roman culture of this area, although if southwestern British society is anything to go by, we should expect an admixture of continued RB culture with revitalised 'pre-Roman' elements (the former decreasing and latter increasing through the 6th century), alongside aspects of anglo-saxon culture - often glass and bits of metalwork (& in the southwest, grass-tempered pot); also Irish bits & bobs might be expected.
The problem assuming usage dates for the evidence - increasingly RB culture is turning up in Post Roman contexts (typically, scappy bits of Samian and oxford colour-coated ware), as is early Roman material in later Roman contexts - good recent work demonstrating this is Andrew Gardner's book, An Archaeology of Identity: soldiers and society in late Roman Britain.. Also (if you've not already seen it), Hilary Cool's 'The parts left over...' in Wilmot & Wilson (2000) The Late Roman Transition in the North
If the RB material is overwhelming, I'd say this has a lot to do with the identities that the local communities are attempting to communicate. In the SW, Roman culture is quite significant in the emphasis of unity in opposition to AS groups - as I suspect it is in Wales (although this doesn't preclude the adoption of elements of AS culture). RB culture may have been key in the signification of 'Britishness'
I can't remember much about Yeavering, but I think the seating area appears rather Roman (and according to recent place name work, which I think suggests a predominantly Brittonic speaking population - and immigrant groups didn't seem to speak this language) could as easily be post-Roman indigenous, as 'anglo-saxon' (but I need to check this out). We shouldn't expect to find a discrete post-roman 'British' assemblage, as it rarely works out so neatly within areas of cultural interaction
I'm sure this has been more confusing than clarifying!
K
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