XII.—Further Discoveries relating to Roman London, 1906-12

Abstract

Six years ago we read a paper before you on ‘Recent Discoveries in connexion with Roman London’, when you kindly gave us leave to make further researches on behalf of the Society. Since then we have been almost constantly watching excavations in London, and it is now our duty to give an account of Roman remains exposed to view since June, 1906. It will naturally be asked why we have delayed so long: the reply is, that these diggings have followed each other in rapid sequence, lasting in some cases over protracted periods and demanding much sacrifice of time and energy. A large part of our observation also has met with little definite result, while frequently later finds have had a bearing on those which preceded them, and have thus offered opportunities of correcting and amplifying the previous records.

A future for Dark Earth?

“…Dark earth ('made earth' and 'dark made earth') was a term coined by Norman and Reader (1912) to describe poorly stratified archaeological deposits in London that occur between Roman levels and overlying medieval and post-medieval archaeology. The term 'dark earth' was adopted instead of 'black earth', which had natural black soil connotations and could be confused with soils like Chernozems of the humid steppe region and the terra preta of Brazil.…”

PARIS London: One Hundred and Fifty Years of Site Preservation

“…Extensive development occurred in the early years, particularly 1905, and a number of sections were lost, however, more efforts were made to preserve elements, such as in the current Roman Wall House, All Hallows on the Wall, the Tower of London, and the angle bastion found at Christ's Hospital (Norman and Reader, 1912). …”