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Amazing Roman finds on A1
REMAINS of a Roman 'industrial estate' have been discovered during work on the £318m upgrade of the A1.
The site near Ripon, which is linked to a known imperial fort at Healam Bridge, near Dishforth, was unearthed during a year-long dig by archaeologists which has just finished.
A major feature of the 2,000 year old industrial complex was a water powered flour mill used to grind grain and produce food for the garrison and other units travelling along the Roman road of Dere Street - the modern A1. The adjacent buildings, thought to have been occupied up to the 4th century AD, may also have been a supply centre for a wider area.
Artefacts uncovered on the A1 include animal bones, pottery, coins, metal work and brooches, as well as 14 human cremations in individual pits.
skeleton
Also revealed was the well-preserved skeleton of a horse underneath a building, which is thought to have been slaughtered as a sacrifice to the gods to bring the building good luck.
The cultural heritage team leader for the dig, Blaise Vyner, said: "We know a lot about Roman forts, which have been extensively studied, but to excavate an industrial area with a mill is really exciting.
"We hope it can tell us more about how such military outposts catered for their needs, as self sufficiency would have been important."
Gary Frost, Highways Agency project manager for the A1 scheme, said: "With the A1 we knew we were delivering this essential road improvement scheme in an area rich with history but even so, the findings made were far more than expected.
"They uncovered a hidden world, showing how the Romans sustained the fort and the surrounding area."
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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