An International Field School and Master Class on the Northern Borders of Empire

A major archaeological project focused on the northern edges of the Roman empire in Britain has begun this summer. An international team drawn principally from Durham University UK and Stanford California is excavating the Roman fort and town at Binchester and surveying its place in one of the richest archaeological landscapes in the world.

Known to the Romans as Vinovia (“On the Wine Road”), Binchester protected Dere Street, the main road that ran from the legionary headquarters at York northwards to Hadrian’s Wall. It was a key element of the complex frontier system that lay on both sides of the Wall, forming the edge of empire for nearly four hundred years. Previous excavation has so far uncovered the best preserved Roman bath house in the UK and some of the most impressive mausolea seen on a Roman site for 150 years; geophysical survey reveals a large town that stayed thriving long after the empire fell; across the river at Escomb is one of the oldest churches in Britain, built from the stones of Binchester in the 7th century, still standing as a reminder of the kingdom of Anglo-Saxon Northumbria, the heartland of Celtic Christianity and land of Arthurian romance.

Beginning with excavation of the cemetery and parts of the town and with broader site and regional survey, our project aims to investigate the character and diversity of the local population, to explore connections between fort and town, and to pursue questions concerning the way the border was conceived and worked from Roman to medieval times. We are also keenly interested in the ways that archaeology may contributed to senses of identity and belonging in a region such as the English/Scottish borders; development of an interpretation center with the local County Council is part of the project.

Apply to be a part of the Project in summer 2010. (Stanford students contact Michael Shanks - mshanks @ stanford.edu - http://michaelshanks.org)

Below: A green field site - little has so far been excavated

Below: Durham colleagues at the site