The Chepstow Archaeological Society has made an archaeological find that dates all the way back to the 1st Century AD.
In August 2023, the archaeologists found timber slices at the Roman river crossing in Chepstow, but they have now been able to confirm that it likely dates back to Roman times.
Simon Maddison, director of fieldwork at the Chepstow Archaeological Society, said: “Thanks to the generosity of the Monmouthshire Antiquarian Association, we were able to get C14 tests on one timber sample.
“These give dates of the first century AD. This is excellent news as it clearly shows the structure to be consistent with being Roman, as we thought and expected.
“These dates are also consistent with the C14 date obtained from timber piles on the other side of the river in 2003 by the Extreme Archaeology TV programme, confirming that the two are part of the same overall construction.
“In a very tight two-hour window, the team uncovered more than half of the structure, and were able to take a series of detailed measurements and photos to record the structure as accurately as possible.
“Apart from the very tight timing, conditions were once again very challenging. This time SARA brought the team to site in two boat trips and were also fully engaged in clearing the mud off the timbers until near the time to leave.
“Pretty much the only way of shifting it was without tools, literally by hand, it being so sticky. We now have an excellent and detailed record of the structure to analyse and draw up in detail.”
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The society is organising an event to present these findings in detail and set them in the context of the Roman occupation and settlement of South Wales.
The programme consists of a series of presentations on the Wye Crossing, back to Roman times, the detailed findings of the Society’s investigations, and recent Roman finds within both the immediate vicinity and wider landscape.
This will take place on Saturday, October 19, at the Drill Hall in Chepstow, and full details and tickets are available here.
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