Filling in the gapsWhat the Portable Antiquities Scheme can contribute to our understanding of the archaeology of Greater London.

EMAIL: BEN.PAITES@COLCHESTER.GOV.UK

TWITTER: @BENPAITES

The PAS in Greater London –When and where?

PALAEOLITHIC 15

MESOLITHIC 75

NEOLITHIC 145

BRONZE AGE 43

IRON AGE 365

GREEK AND ROMAN PROVINCIAL

3

ROMAN 1376

BYZANTINE 1

EARLY MEDIEVAL 100

MEDIEVAL 1695

POST MEDIEVAL 3912

MODERN 72

The PAS in Greater London

20.03.2015:

7,855 records

8,986 objects.

Mesolithic Greater London

20.03.2015:

75 records

81 objects.

Neolithic Greater London

20.03.2015:

145 records

238 objects.

Bronze Age Greater London

20.03.2015:

43 records

76 objects.

Iron Age Greater London

20.03.2015:

365 records

402 objects.

Roman Greater London

20.03.2015:

1,376 records

1,623 objects.

Early Medieval Greater London

20.03.2015:

100 records

112 objects.

Medieval Greater London

20.03.2015:

1,695 records.

1,888 objects.

Post Medieval Greater London

20.03.2015:

3,913 records.

4,338 objects.

Focus area in Greater London

The Tower of London

CROYDON

BROMLEY

The area of study.

c. 400m of foreshore.

What you’d expect…

17th century Curry comb (LON-B84AA2) 17th century Pappenheimer rapier (LON-D29987)

The Tower before the Tower

Total – 120 coins

Reece periods for coins across Britain, recorded with the PAS

Unexpected finds

Iron Age glass bead (LON-041951)

Megaphallic pendant or weight (LON-530DE1)

Case Studies - Finds

240 “finds of note” in Greater London.

162 (68%) are Medieval or later in date.

Bronze Age Spear (HAMP-F22239)

Foreshore find, near Pimlico.

Ehrenburg class V spearhead, dating to the Ewart Park phase (1200-750BC).

Bronze Age sword (LON-9540B5)Found on Brentford Ait (small islet in the Thames).

A Wilburton type sword, dating 1240-1020 BC.

Returned to finder.

Iron Age Scabbard (LON-0012B7)

Foreshore find, near Putney.

La Tene I type dagger scabbard (350-300BC).

Roman Medallion (LON-8553C1)

Foreshore find, near Tower Bridge.

Depicts Marcus Aurelius as Caesar.

1 of 6 medallions on the PAS database. One of a kind iconography.

Roman inscription (LON-890B55)

[---]AE . DEAE [---]

[---]B . AVG [---]

[---]BOGIVS[---]

[---]PANNO[---]

[---]VM[---]

Found on the foreshore, near Putney

Saxon drinking horn terminal (LON-EFCF31)

Found on the foreshore, near Lambeth.

8th century in date.

Possibly Irish in origin, based on the interlace

decoration.

Medieval beast mount (LON-B495A3)

Found on the foreshore, near London Bridge.

No direct parallels know of this sort.

Post Medieval Dividers(LON-DD57F4)

Found on the foreshore, near Bermondsey.

Associations with the Dutch East India Company.

Rare to be housed in a metal container.

Thank you for listening!