The working life of Museum of London

The LAARC has celebrated a great achievement the past month by being announced as the largest Archaeological Archive in the World! As part of my series of exploring London’s history explicitly through archaeology, this month it’s the Saxons (or is it?) and an object associated with archaeology’s ability to sometimes completely rewrite the history books.

Our historical knowledge of Saxon London until the 1980s was scant. No contemporary histories of the period exist until the writings of the Venerable Bede, an English Monk, in the c.730s AD who mentions the city of Lundenwic: “Its [the province of the East Saxons] chief city is London, which is on [the river Thames] and is an emporium for many nations who come to it by sea and land” (Historia Ecclesiastica). It was considered that this wic or emporium would have been situated within the walls of the old Roman city; however, little evidence was forthcoming. This is reflected in the paucity of the Museum of London’s core collection of Saxon objects from the city, which only number some 700 artefacts. Excavations at Jubilee Hall in 1985 proved new theories by archaeologists Martin Biddle and Alan Vince that Middle Saxon (650 – 850AD) Lundenwic actually existed west of the Roman city, in the modern area of London’s Strand/Covent Garden.

This fourth object will hopefully emphasise how new archaeological discoveries are constantly changing our understanding of London’s history and the difficulties associated with interpreting transitional periods in the archaeological record.

Object 4

Early Saxon (Late C6^th AD) Amber Bead Necklace

These 19 individually polished, red amber beads were excavated from one of the earliest graves belonging to a Saxon Londoner, on site of the London Transport Museum in 2003. This object was one of several grave goods accompanying a somewhat enigmatic burial. The skeleton itself could not be aged or sexed and exhibited no pathology that could be interpreted.

As such we know virtually nothing of this person other than that which can be interpreted from the goods chosen to accompany the body in burial (always a tricky business). A shield-on-tongue buckle could be of Kentish manufacture or an import – the garnet keystone brooch pre-dates any ‘Kentish’ known examples. Two ‘Roman’ artefacts – a glass vessel rim and copper-alloy terret – suggest some form of historical curation by the Saxons, but muddy the picture of this particular Saxon’s ethnic and cultural identity.

The amber beads have been highlighted from this assemblage because of all the grave goods they are the most ‘exotic’, having been sourced and traded from the Baltic. Amber was especially popular in the C5^th and C6^th and favoured in the Anglian and Saxon regions of England (versus Kent). Despite this popularity, this specific jewellery type is the first excavated from the London region, making it unique. On a broader perspective we can see, despite the end of the Roman Empire, London persists as a centre of trade.

Continuation of Roman practice is also evident through location of this pre-wic Saxon cemetery where Roman burials and the re-use of sarcophagi have been discovered. The burial itself is also telling as it is believed inhumation was a Saxon practice inherited from the Romans. However, the positioning of the body – head orientated to the west – may suggest a Christianizing influence.

The unusual Amber beads from this burial are only one piece of a puzzle that epitomizes how archaeology often asks more questions of its material than it can ever answer. All we can tentatively suggest of our Saxon in question is that she was an adult female and clearly of status.

In the last 25 years our knowledge of Saxon London has changed dramatically and in the last twelve years excavations, such as at sites LGC00 and SMD01, have allowed archaeologists to refine the stratigraphic framework and related chronology of this period. Having located where Saxon London was, perhaps in another 10 years we will be far closer to understanding who our Early Saxon Londoners were. Only archaeology will tell…

The LAARC’s residency at the Museum of London has come to an end, but our object of the month continues! This month it’s the Romans and now we’re into ‘proper’ history, as with the Roman occupation of Britain we gain our earliest written accounts of London.

The LAARC holds thousands of Roman artefacts, only some of which have made it into our galleries. Many still reside in storage waiting to be rediscovered, perhaps for a new gallery display.

So what object best to exemplify Londinium? I could have selected something iconic, such as the marble head of Mithras discovered by Professor Grimes in his chance discovery of the Roman Mithraeum. It is after all one of the finest Roman marble sculptures ever excavated in all of Britain…

Or perhaps I should have selected an artefact that brings us closer to, and makes real, Roman Londoners, such as this wooden writing tablet excavated from Poultry near Bank. Inscribed into the wood, its last permeated letter records the sale of a slave girl named Fortuna. Important as singular evidence of the slave trade, but also offering a glimpse at a real Londoner (who may not have been resident in London for very long and indeed wasn’t even ‘Roman’)…

I could even have chosen a more recently excavated object and one that showcases the ability of museum conservators to bring objects ‘back to life’ after their c.2000 year entombment. This reconstructed Roman bowl of millefiori glass was recently excavated from a grave at Prescott Street, east London and was painstakingly restored. It’s one of the finest examples known outside of the eastern Roman Empire…

Instead, I’ve not even chosen an artefact at all, but have hopefully blindsided you all by selecting an ecofact! I’ve chosen this as it highlights an important field of archaeological study – environmental archaeology – that forms a dedicated section in our Archaeological Archive. Additionally I hope this specimen illustrates how archaeology can in fact question our assumptions of written history…

Object 3

Roman (C1^st AD) Carbonised Cereal Grain

These seeds are a sample of a larger deposit of grain that was excavated from a building in London’s Roman forum – essentially the marketplace of the Roman town – in 1976. The seeds have survived through carbonisation as a result of intense burning. The impetus of this particular fire is the well known: the Boudican sacking of Londinium in 60-61 AD. As such, these seeds form part of an important ‘event horizon’ in London’s archaeological stratigraphy. Such tangible contexts are key benchmarks that allow us to construct a basic chronology and formulate a historical narrative of the early city.

Analysis of this grain deposit revealed inclusions of einkorn, lentils and bitter vetch (as well as a couple of weevils!) which has led to the conclusion that this crop was not indigenously cultivated i.e. it was imported from the Mediterranean or near east. When excavated in 1976, these seeds were the first evidence of grain being imported into Britain. Up until then it had been assumed that grain was one of the main exports of Britain, based on the writings of the Roman author Strabo: “It [Britain] bears grain, cattle, gold, silver, and iron. These things, accordingly, are exported from the island, as also hides, and slaves, and dogs…” (Geographica 4.5.199). Although this cereal may not have been imported in any major quantity, it does emphasise the importance of archaeology in the appraisal of literary texts, which can often go unchallenged.

Since the 1970s, when professional archaeology was developing in the city of London, archaeobotany has continued to evolve and our knowledge of exotic imports has considerably grown. Recent discoveries at Poultry include evidence of mulberry, pine nut, pomegranate, black cumin and anise to name a few. Although this ‘object’ may not even be recognisably Roman, its selection hopefully underpins and does justice to Londinium’s legacy as a major commercial centre.

We’re now three weeks away from the end of the LAARC’s residency in the Museum of London’s galleries, promoting London’s archaeology, and where you can still join in yourself through our curator-led Hands-on archaeology sessions.

Continuing a year’s exposure of some of the Museum’s hidden archaeological treasures, our second object of the year sees us skip forward several millennia to the early Iron Age – an age where we still fundamentally rely on archaeology to interpret and understand ‘London’ and ‘Londoners’:

Object 2

Prehistoric (Early Iron Age) Iron Dagger & Sheath

The second object in our top 10 has moved us from the Palaeolithic to the early Iron Age. And what better an object to explore the archaeology of the Iron Age than an iron dagger! Known as the Bermondsey dagger, this well preserved object was unearthed by a Thames mudlark in 2003, in front of Chambers Wharf. Consequently it was donated to the Museum where our conservation department have stabilised and investigated the object. Just as our artefact last month represented one of the earliest examples of a London-made object; this dagger also belongs to some of the earliest iron-made objects in Britain dating to this period. Using the magic of science (that is, radiocarbon dating) the wooden sheath has produced a date range of 810-500BC – a slightly earlier date than other similar daggers that normally fall between the 6^th and 4^th centuries BC.

The dagger and accompanying sheath (made of ash wood) was essentially found by chance, but its original deposition may have been quite purposeful. The river Thames continued to be treated as a sacred river throughout prehistoric times and this dagger may have been ritually deposited as part of a funeral offering. This dagger adds to a small group, all of a similar type, that have been found in the Thames bed at sites such as Westminster and Mortlake. They would have been highly prestigious items and perhaps hint to Iron Age aristocracy based in the Thames valley.

Although the dagger is of good preservation it is missing much of its decorative construction that would emphasise its high status. A similar dagger in the Museum’s collection and currently on display shows the dagger is missing a copper-alloy outer sheath of overlapping, metal strips. Another missing element is the ‘twin loop suspension system’ which marks this dagger as particularly British-made, as opposed to similar Continental daggers of the same period.

As a tidal river the Thames is slowly excavating objects, some of which are thousands of years old, under its own will. This dagger is a perfect example of the amazing preservation the river bestows upon its dedications. It also highlights the importance of finders, such as the Mudlarks, in recognising, reporting and, in this case, allowing the Museum to share some of the river’s most treasured possessions.

Next month object number 3 – where we move into the Roman period and the beginnings of ‘history’, but showcasing an unusual object that represents a major branch of archaeology that has only burgeoned in the last few decades…

This year the LAARC (London Archaeological Archive & Research Centre) marks its 10^th anniversary. To celebrate our achievement of promoting London’s archaeology and making our collections publicly accessible we’re in residence at the Museum of London’s galleries. You can even join in yourself and assist us in improving our collections by getting your Hands-On real Archaeology.

Although the Archive holds a wealth of information from maps, drawings, digital data, context sheets to photographs, it is perhaps archaeology – the ‘stuff’ – filling over 200,000 archive boxes that we are all instantly drawn to. Our ‘general finds’ are the bread and butter of archaeology but for the most part it is our ‘registered finds’ that are intrinsically interesting.

For several years my colleague Adam has been blogging about these noteworthy objects that lie dormant in the Archive waiting to be researched, audited by a volunteer or even make it into a Museum of London gallery display.

Over the next year I’ll be presenting you with ten archaeological objects. Ten objects that emphasise the importance of London’s archaeology in shaping, or even reshaping, our understanding of the City’s history. I have literally over millions of artefacts to choose from, but this won’t be a display of the shiniest or most well-known. My selections may be representative of, or even unique to, an historical period. They may acknowledge the science of how these objects are discovered and how they survive London’s chthonic depths over millennia.

Like all good history we’ll start at ‘the beginning’:

Object 1

Prehistoric (Upper Palaeolithic) Leaf-point Flint Blade 

The first of our objects is a flint blade (not so interesting you may think…). Dredged from the Thames at Longreach (opposite Purfleet) in April 1905, it came to us via the late Geoffrey Gillam of Enfield. This is a classic example of a museum object that has lain dormant; its significance waiting to be unlocked, for this prehistoric flint may actually be the earliest example of an artefact crafted by a ‘Londoner’ in the Museum’s collection.

Our first Londoner in this instance would be a modern human, that is, homo sapiens sapiens. It was during the Upper Palaeolithic, about 40, 000 years ago, that modern humans developed blade technology (our predecessors, Neanderthals, perhaps being commonly associated with flake technology produced hand-axes) resulting in a huge range of stone artefacts being crafted. At the same time scholars have also argued about the inherent aestheticism of these objects – and we may even be looking at London’s earliest ‘work of art’! Lithics expert, Jon Cotton, ‘re-discovered’ this object with colleagues and they will hopefully be publishing it in the near future.

Next month object number 2 – where we’ll skip past a few millennia (and a lot more flints) to the Iron Age…