Incomparable Romano-British settlement in Devon shows early Britons enjoyed Mediterranean diet

This article originally appeared on Culture24.

Some of the first evidence of the Romans in the south-west outside of Exeter has been discovered by archaeologists in a rural Devon village. They seem to have liked a Mediterranean menu

Large jars used to serve wine, olives, olive oil and fish sauce have been discovered at Ipplepen, the Romano-British settlement which could have been home to a 1st century Devon tribe and has been at the centre of a long-term large-scale archaeological investigation.

A series of late Prehistoric features, related to an Iron Age settlement set up years before the Romans entered the south-west, were found at the site last week, including several large, circular-shaped water drains known as ring ditches.

The amphorae vessels were accompanied by Samian fine table wares, imported into Britain from modern France.

“The presence of these kinds of vessels demonstrates that the people living here were at least influenced in some way by the Romans,” says Danielle Wootton, the Devon Finds Liaison Officer for the Portable Antiquities scheme, who has been helping post regular blog updates on the latest work at a site where coins were originally found in 2007.

“They have adopted Romanised ways of eating and drinking. At least some of the locals developed a taste for Mediterranean products such as wine and olives.

“The settlement is still puzzling as it does not really compare to other known Romano-British settlements in neighbouring counties to the east such as Somerset, Dorset and Wiltshire.

“Sites from those counties produce many more finds such as coins and brooches and a greater amount of pottery.
 
“We are wondering whether the Dumnonii, the tribe who lived in the area now known as Devon, still retained their traditional identity rather than becoming entirely Romanised.”

Ipplepen is 20 miles south-west – a day’s walk – of Exeter. A Roman road with wheel ruts and repaired pot holes has previously been found there, although the traces of farming excavated this time could offer more questions than answers.

“Environmental evidence shows a distinctive pattern of arable cultivation in Devon which is different to the rest of lowland Britainm” explains Professor Stephen Rippon, a landscape archaeologist and the lead academic on the project.

“The areas further east were growing huge amounts of wheat, probably to supply the Roman army with bread. But environmental analysis from Ipplepen and other sites in the south-west has shown that, although some wheat was being grown, there were extensive areas of other crops such as oats and barley being cultivated.”

As well as the blog, visitors are being invited to take part by dropping in to the local Methodist church, where some of the discoveries are being displayed and a free public open day will take place this Saturday (June 25 2016). Almost 1,500 people visited the open day and site hub last year.

• Visit ipplepen.exeter.ac.uk for more. Follow @ipplependig on Twitter and Ipplepen Archaeology on Facebook.

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More from Culture24's coverage of Ipplepen

Archaeologists find 15 skeletons at "absolutely amazing" roadside site of Devon's largest Roman cemetery

See pictures from the dig which revealed skeletons and a Roman settlement in Devon

Source: http://www.culture24.org.uk/art557183