Life and Death in a Roman City: Excavation of a Roman cemetery with a mass grave at 120-122 London Road, Gloucester [Paperback]

The cemeteries around Roman Gloucester remain as windows through which the past populations of the town and preceding fortresses may be studied. Excavations by Oxford Archaeology in London Road between 2004 and 2006 revealed substantial parts of one of these cemeteries, at Wotton, lying by one of the main Roman roads east of the town. In addition to the nine cremation and 64 inhumation burials, a rare mass grave was found of at least 91 individuals, possibly victims of the Antonine Plague which swept the Roman Empire during the later 2nd century AD. This report analyses the burials for what they can tell us of the origins, health, status and funerary practices of the people living in Gloucester from the 1st to 4th century AD. The development of the Wotton cemetery itself is also studied, using evidence from excavations undertaken from the 19th century onwards.The current investigations also unearthed vertebrate deposits in the gravel cap dating to the Pleistocene, including hippopotamus and possibly bison and elephant. The significance of this assemblage in terms of the local geology is discussed.

"Very well illustrated... clearly written and provides some really important insights into Roman urban archaeology, and the identity and lives of some people from Roman Gloucester.'"
Richard Hingley
British Archaeology (Nov/Dec 2008)

"...a comprehensive report... well structured and clearly and informatively written. It is impressive that such a wide range of scientific techniques has been applied...'"
Jake Weekes, Canterbury Archaeological Trust
Journal of Archaeological Science 36 (2009)

"[This volume] shows the strength of one of Britains top commercial archaeological units. It is well-organized, reveals good fieldwork, and fine post-excavation analysis with a deployment of resources such as would be the dream of most researchers. It is a huge gain that these efforts are directed at such an interesting find. The book is elegantly produced with high-quality graphics and images, clearly written and indexed.'"
Henry Hurst, Museum of Classical Archaeology, Cambridge
Journal of Roman Archaeology (2010)