When in Rome, or York we should say – Micklegate to be precise
Our magnificent team have been hard at work digging up the past of Micklegate, also known as “Myglagata” and the (“Great Street” in Old Norse), to see what the people of the past left behind.
Spoiler alert!
So far, we have uncovered an abundance of finds, and we’re not done excavating yet. Here are our Top Ten finds of Micklegate so far:
1. Legionary Stamped Tiles
York was once a bustling Roman city, with a famed military presence; the infamous Ninth Legion (Legio XI Hispana). Why are the Ninth Legion a popular topic? Well, they just seemed to “disappear”. There are many theories of what happened to them, but until this day archaeologists have not been able to uncover their footsteps.
So, imagine our excitement when we found a Legionary stamped roof tile:
1a. Ceramic tile with “(LE) G.IX HIS” imprinted into the surface. This piece of text indicates that this find was once associated with the renowned Ninth Legion, which was known as Legio IX Hispana.
1b. Legionary stamp No.2. This piece of roof tile is slightly fainter than the first image, however it looks like it may be in mirror writing (writing displayed backwards).
2. Jet & Bone Pin
This bone pin is most definitely a unique find. Topped with a jet bead, this accessory makes for a very interesting artefact. Jet is a form of fossilised wood which has been put through extreme conditions.
Bone pins were commonly used for holding items of clothes together (just like buttons) or for pinning one’s hair up. In the Roman period, jet has a strong association with women and is often found in female burials, as it is believed to hold supernatural properties.
3. Jet Bangle
A piece of decorated bangle was found in a Roman deposit on site; featuring a twisted-like design which was hand-carved to give it this realistic effect.
4. Worked Bone Comb
This comb was one of many pieces of worked bone that we found on Micklegate. Unfortunately, all of its teeth were missing, but what we do love is the clarity of the etched detail on the handle. We wonder how long it would have taken someone to make this pattern? Was it a gift to a loved one?
Bone pins were commonly used for holding items of clothes together (just like buttons) or for pinning one’s hair up. In the Roman period, jet has a strong association with women and is often found in female burials, as it is believed to hold supernatural properties.
5. Bone Pin
This bone pin would have once belonged to someone as a staple accessory. We are amazed at how well it has preserved itself in the layers of York history.
6. Immortalised Roman Footprint
This Roman has left their mark on Micklegate and we’ve found it! Imprinted into the underside of a ceramic tile was the impression of a Roman hobnailed shoe.
7. Paw Print
We also uncovered this little paw print from a 13 th century hearth (most likely dog). Because we love story telling here at York Archaeology, we’d all like to think that these two could have been the best of friends.
8. Tiled Hearth
This Medieval patterned hearth has been made up of tiles that have been set on end to create this effective pattern. This hearth would have been used for either domestic or industrial purposes. However, we still like to let our imagination run wild and dream of the smells that would have drifted through the air whilst food was being cooked.
Great job team on cleaning it up!
9. Gaming Counters
We have found various gaming counters during excavations. Here we have a small collection of ceramic counters. Board games have been a source of entertainment for centuries. Historical counter pieces were typically made from ceramic, bone or antler.
10. Terra Sigillata
Vibrant against the dark colours of the soil was this piece of Samian ware sticking up out of the ground. Commonly used in Roman Britain for domestic ware; its unique reddish colour makes it distinguishable from other pieces of archaeological pottery.
We’d love to know which is your favourite too! Keep up to date on our excavation through our York Archaeology social media channels:
