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Correction: A 64m-Long Roman Building in Sussex?
Well, not quite! I’m afraid the structure mentioned on p.22 of CA 423 in ‘A Roman landscape revealed’ suffered from the curse of metric measurements, i.e. the missing decimal point. It should have read 16m by 6.4m. It did not detract from this fantastic celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Culver Archaeological Project. Thanks to all at CA.
David Millum, Culver Archaeological Project
A hymn to Hadrian’s Wall
Newly retired, in 2007 I walked Hadrian’s Wall west to east. It rained every day. Close by Vindolanda, my thoughts turned to those Roman auxiliaries stationed there and their letters home. I composed the following, which can be sung to the obvious tune.
I’m sitting in a military station,
got a route map for my
destination… hmmm
On a tour of Hadrian’s Wall,
its endless length makes
me feel small
And every Roman site I see
reminds me that I long to be
Romeward bound – I wish
I was Romeward bound
Rome, from these
forts escaping
Rome, where my clothes
aren’t chafing
Rome, where my love-life’s
waiting
Hopefully for me.
Every day’s an endless stream
of foreign food and bad
latrines… hmmm
And each fort looks the same
to me, the gateways and
the granary
And every black-faced
sheep I see reminds me
that I long to be
Romeward bound – I wish
I was Romeward bound
Rome, where my feet
aren’t aching
Rome, where the sun is baking
Rome, where my love
is making
Spaghetti for me.
Tonight I’ll wring my socks
again, I’ll play the game
and pretend… hmmm
But all my aches from back
to knees, the steep slopes
cause my chest to wheeze
The damp and drizzle make
me sneeze, I need some
warmth so I don’t freeze
Romeward bound, I wish
I was Romeward bound
Rome, where the weather’s
better
Rome, where I’ll send this letter
Rome, where the cheese is fetta
SPQR me!
Peter Fieldhouse, Haughton, Staffordshire
Edible Archaeology
In early April, we unveiled the latest archaeological reconstruction at Butser Ancient Farm: a late Neolithic house based on excavated evidence from Wyke Down in Dorset (see CA 423). At the launch event, it was reconstructed in cake, too! The amazing creation that you see here was made by our Learning Team Co-ordinator Vikki Phillips, together with cupcakes decorated with flints and fragments of Grooved Ware pottery fashioned from fondant.
Thérèse Kearns, Butser Ancient Farm, http://www.butserancientfarm.co.uk
CA ONLINE: What you shared with us this month
Joe Flatman @joeflatman.bsky.social
@currentarchaeology.bsky.social 423 is now out and with it my latest column, a start of a #Roman Towns road-trip. This month I visit #Chester (Deva Victrix), to dig into its rich – and sometimes grisly – history.
Antiquity Journal @antiquity.ac.uk
‘Small wins and wicked problems’: how can archaeologists apply their skills to solving global challenges such as climate change, environmental pollution, crime & conflict, and social injustice #ArchaeologyNews via @currentarchaeology.bsky.social
Dr Francis Young @DrFrancisYoung
It’s great to read an article about Bury’s market cross by @ArchRisk in March’s @CurrentArchaeo!
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