Description
Book SynopsisOutside the north gate of Venta Belgarum, Roman Winchester, a great cemetary stretched for 500 yards along the road to Cirencester. Excavations at Lankhills from 1967 to 1972 uncovered 451 graves, many elaborately furnished, at the northern limits of this cemetery, and dating from the fourth century A.D. This book, the second in a two-part study of Venta Belgarum, which forms the third volume of Winchester Studies, describes the excavations of these burials and analyses in detail both the graves and their contents. There are detailed studies and important re-assessments of many categories of object, but it is the information about late Roman burial, religion, and society which is of special interest.
Table of ContentsList of plates ;
List of figures ;
List of tables ;
List of abbreviations ;
List of references ;
INTRODUCTION ;
I. THE EXCAVATION ;
1. Circumstances of Excavation ;
2. Archaeological Background ;
3. General Character of the Excavation ;
4. The Graves (Table 2) ;
5. Other Features (
with contributions by J. L. Macdonald) ;
II. ANALYSIS ;
1. Introduction ;
2. Chronology ;
3. Age and Sex ;
4. Cremations ;
5. Inhumations: The Grave ;
6. Inhumations: The Grave-Furniture ;
7. Cemetery Organisation ;
Appendix. An Outline of the Computer Processing Performed by R. N. Cuff ;
III. THE FINDS ;
1. Introduction ;
2. Coins
by Richard Reece ;
3. Pewter Vessels
by David Brown ;
4. Glass Vessels
by D. B. Harden ;
5. Pottery Vessels ;
6. Animal Remains ;
7. Equipment ;
8. Cross-Bow Brooches ;
9. Belts and Belt-Fittings ;
10. Beads and Necklaces ;
11. Bracelets ;
12. Other Personal Ornaments ;
13. Hobnails and Footwear ;
14. Miscellaneous Objects ;
15. Textile Remains by Elisabeth Crowfoot ;
16. Coffin-Nails, Coffin-Fittings, And Coffins ;
17. Human Skeletons ;
18. Economic Conclusions ;
IV. DISCUSSION ;
1. Late Romano-British Burial Practice ;
2. Foreign Elements ;
3. Religion
by J. L. Macdonald ;
CONCORDANCES by David Critchley ;
i. Graves Illustrated ;
ii. Objects Discussed and Illustrated ;
ADDENDA ;
INDEX OF SITES
