A mysterious Roman artefact thought to have been buried to defend an iron age house has been found in a new archaeology breakthrough.
An enamelled bronze brooch was found placed in the foundations of a fortified roundhouse during a 2020 excavation at the William Grant and Sons Girvan Distillery at the Curragh in South Ayrshire.
Researchers believe it dates back to around the second century AD, and hope the artefact can shine a light on the way ancient Scots interacted with Roman soldiers guarding Hadrian’s Wall.
The design of the brooch was thought to be popular among the Roman military, however other examples have been also found in present-day Europe.
The design of the brooch was thought to be popular among the Roman military
GUARD ARCHEOLOGY
The artefact is believed to have arrived in Scotland at around the time the Roman Empire was losing control of the south of the country.
They left Scotland in around 210 AD, but stayed in the UK for another 200 years.
Jordan Barbour, who co-authored a report into the find, said it was unknown how the artefact passed from the Romans to the Britons.
However, he said it was possible the brooch was a “trophy won in battle”.
MORE LIKE THIS:
He said: "It's the only Roman artefact recovered from the site. If the inhabitants had established regular trade with Roman Britain, we might expect to find a greater variety of Roman objects, but this is a solidly native context.
"Rather, the brooch is more likely to have been obtained through ad hoc exchange with Roman troops operating north of Hadrian's Wall, perhaps even taken in battle as a trophy."
There were no Roman forts nearby at the time the home was built, however there was evidence of previous military presence in the form of a Roman marching camp.
The Iron Age dwelling was on top of a rocky plateau, and its location, along with a timber frame surrounding the home, suggested the construction was geared towards defence.
The Iron Age dwelling was on top of a rocky plateau, and its location, along with a timber frame surrounding the home, suggested the construction was geared towards defence
GUARD ARCHEOLOGY
Barbour said there was not any evidence to show the brooch had been worn by a local Briton, however said it may have been placed in the foundation to protect the dwelling.
He said: "These brooches were particularly popular among members of the Roman military forces, so it's likely that it came north of Hadrian's Wall on the cloak of a Roman soldier tasked with garrisoning the empire's northernmost frontier.
"It's difficult to say exactly why the brooch was deposited within the palisade trench, but we know that ritualised foundation offerings are observed across many cultures, typically enacted to grant protection to a household, and this is certainly a possibility here."
