Short talks given to Society groups (more user friendly than the term 'Lecture')
Emma Corke, director of the Cocks Farm Abinger project will update us on the excavations that took place in 2021 in an area of Roman agricultural activity. You will find past interim reports from the site at https://www.surreyarchaeology.org.uk/content/excavations-at-cocks-farm-roman-villa-abinger-2009-present-interim-reports
A presentation by Lyn Spencer will provide a focus for a discussion on slavery in Roman Britain. Some of the questions that may arise include: evidence for slavery , how people became slaves and how they escaped slavery, differences in Iron Age and Roman slavery, roles allocated to slaves and how slavery was viewed in Roman society. Do come along with something to contribute to the discussion.
Members only event
Alan Hall, a founder member of RSG, is re-joining us from Oxfordshire where he has directed the excavation of a Romano-British building complex at High Wood in the Chiltern Hills. Before finalising his report on this site, he offers his presentation in the expectation that his interpretation of the site will be enhanced by the input and discussion between other members of RSG.
Members only event
The “Shining a Light” conference on Saturday 8th May is sure to generate plenty of thoughts, questions and discussions about the transition from Late Iron Age to Roman Britain so please join us on Tuesday to informally exchange more ideas and questions etc on this topic.
Simon Maslin is the Finds Liaison Officer for Surrey and East Hampshire. He has agreed to talk to us about a hoard of 28 Republican and early Imperial Denarii found recently in Surrey.
At the time of posting it is planned to hold this talk by Zoom and RSG members will be sent the Zoom link by e-mail the week before.
The village of Aldborough near Boroughbridge in North Yorkshire is the site of Isurium Brigantum, once one of the most important towns in Roman Britain and the ‘capital’ of the Romanised Brigantes, the largest tribe in Britain at that time.
The RSG AGM will take place by Zoom and the link will be sent out to members a week in advance. Following the AGM we are pleased to be welcoming Karen Jeneson from the Netherlands, to talk to us about Roman activity in and around the town of Heerlen.
Anne Sassin-Allen, Surrey Archaeological Society's Projects Outreach Officer and Community Archaeologist for the Darent Valley Landscape Partnership Scheme, will update us on one of her latest projects. A dig over several seasons at Lullingstone villa looked at an area not previously excavated and adds to the fascinating story of the site.
Currently it is intended to allow access to this and other RSG Zoom meetings to RSG members only. As a member you will receive a Zoom link by e-mail a week before the meeting.
Emma Corke, site director, will update us on the excavation held in July-August 2020 on the hilltop site at Abinger. Features uncovered this year have consolidated the layout of buildings found in previous seasons and illuminated a palimpsest of rural settlement activity. Due to Covid restrictions the volunteer team was smaller than usual but if you were not able to be on site this year this is your chance to catch up on what was found.
Part II of the discussion on Surrey's Roman rural settlement project, following on from the November 2020 meeting. Anne Sassin-Allen will kickstart the discussion by highlighting the use of Lidar and how useful it could be in Surrey. She will compare it with Lidar in Kent which is effectivly used as a research tool. David Bird and David Calow will then lead a discussion on how the group can use the available data to research particular areas of Roman settlement in the County and beyond its current borders. Please come prepared to take part.
