Puleston, John Henry: Roman antiquities recently discovered on the site of the National Safe Deposit Company's premises, Mansion House, London (London, 1873)

56 Roman Antiquities recently discovered on the site of the

in a line with Bucklersbury until it reached the apparent course of the brook.
Upon the opposite side similar indications appeared and the remains possibly
indicate a roadway which here crossed the stream. It was in this trench that the
remains of the area and the perfect amphora were discovered. In the trench
parallel with Bucklersbury a seam of ballast was disclosed at a depth of 35 feet.
In this were quantities of wooden piles, many of which had been driven into the
clay prior to the silting up around them of this sand and shingle. The greatest
depth from which these piles were drawn was upwards of 40 feet from the street-
level. Near to the spot marked ~E upon the plan the greatest number of the
antiquities were seen. Here appeared fragments of bricks, tiles, and other indi-
cations of buildings associated with a vast number of coins, pottery, and personal
objects both of iron and bronze. All bore evidences of fire: portions of metal
and glass were collected which by extreme heat had been fused and melted into
misshapen forms. At this spot there was also discovered a large quantity of
wheat. This, though retaining the form of the grain, was blackened, and much
of it completely carbonised by fire. In the trench A to B was observed a portion
of a coarse description of flooring composed of broken tiles made up with Roman
concrete; from its situation it apparently belonged to the buildings connected
with the tessellated pavement discovered some three years ago. The usual depth
at which the London clay appeared was about 30 feet; and, as much of this had
to be removed for the purpose of ensuring a good foundation, various objects
were exhumed belonging to a period long anterior to the civilization of Rome.
Quantities of fossil wood, nodules of iron pyrites, and various fossil shells were
seen. Of the latter a few have been preserved as relics. They are described by
my friend Mr. I\ Gr. H. Price, F.G.S. as being specimens of Fusus bifasciatus.
JPyrula Smithii, Qryptodon Goodhalli, Dentalium anceps, and a variety of JPleu-
rntoma.

Of the vast number of antiquities which have been discovered the collection of
pottery is perhaps the most varied and abundant. As articles of universal
requirement, fictile vessels are always plentiful among the debris of places
which have been inhabited for a lengthened period; and the enormous quantities
of broken vessels which have now been found may be well explained by the con-
venience of the brook as a receptacle for the fractured plates and dishes ordinarily
usee' by the inhabitants of Roman London. The familiar bright red pottery
termed Samian is generally plentiful at excavations within the limits of the City ;
and in the collection now brought together it is doubtless possible to select suffi-
cient for the illustration of almost every form of vessel that is known. In quality,