Thread by @fakehistoryhunt

Watching episode 4, season 9 of "Digging for Britain".

Nice finds;
Roman barrel flask made of glass, perhaps used to store perfume or wine.
Found in an early Medieval (the era formerly known as "dark" ages) grave in Cambridge.

#diggingforbritain

bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01…

1500 year old brooch found on the skeleton where it most likely kept a cloak together.

On the back there were mineralised traces of textile!
God I love this so much.

I want to touch it.
I wouldn't, even if left alone with this object, but goodness I want to.

This is from an object found elsewhere, a finer weave.
Comparing finds like these tell us a lot about what kind of fabrics people had back then.
This may be a continuation, again, of Roman techniques.
Another example of the Roman collapse being less collaps-y than long thought.

I love this.
The reaction of a historian (Onyeka Nubia) when he saw the brooch with remains of 1500 year old fabric.
That's love and it's so contagious.
Seeing someone so passionate about history makes makes me want to buy him a drink.

Welcome to the club Mr. Nubia, although I have a sneaking suspicion you already knew the dark ages weren't so dark ;)

In Leicester, in 2017 they found two Roman streets with incredibly well preserved houses from 250AD.
With mosaics, underfloor heating, etc.
But a small bit of metalwork made a bigger impression on archaeologists & historians...

A Roman bronze key handle showing several boys with on top a long haired bearded man wearing trousers (!) fighting what is called a lion but could also be a wolf I reckon.
It looks like there are remnants of colour on it!

Trousers weren't much of a thing in the Roman empire, beards and long hair were also not fashionable much, so it's most likely a barbarian, one of the non-Romans in Europe.
Some say it depicts a fight/execution in an amphitheatre but I'm not sure.

I'm not an expert on this so my opinion has no real value here, but to me this scene seems almost heroic, it has a certain admiration in it.
Yes, it's a barbarian but he appears to be fighting a wild beast to protect children.
I think it may depict the story of a hero.

Which would also make sense to see it on a key, after all a key also protects a house, family or something precious.
Or was this a barbarian who defeated a lion in the amphitheatre to save his children and thus gained respect from Romans?
Maybe?
I have no idea.

Another stunning find; a Roman toilet/manicure set!
Very fancy.
Look at the colours!

You can watch the episode here it you live within the Roman, I mean British empire, I mean UK, or if you are a sneaky Celt who uses VPN or something although that might be naughty and not allowed, I have no idea, I wouldn't know. ;)
bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00…