A Roman Pond at Wyre Piddle, Worcestershire, with a Brief Survey of Ponds in Roman Britain. (14th April 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hurst, Derek; Daffern, Nicholas; Griffin, Laura; Head, Katie; Mann, Andrew; Pearson, Elizabeth; Warman, Sylvia
• Is Part Of: Britannia. Volume 47(2016)
• Page Start: 169
• Page End: 191
• Publication Date: 2016-04-14
• Subjects: Roman ponds, -- Roman agriculture, -- Wyre Piddle, -- landscape, -- environmental evidence, -- feasting, -- ritual deposition; Great Britain -- History -- Roman period, 55 B.C.-449 A.D -- Periodicals; Great Britain -- Antiquities, Roman -- Periodicals; Romans -- Great Britain -- Periodicals; 936.10305
• DOI: 10.1017/S0068113X16000064
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0068-113X

Abstract

Abstract: Artificial Roman ponds present in various guises, but they are relatively rarely found in the service of rural agriculture. This article focuses on a possible example of this type from Worcestershire, where extensive excavation has been carried out. The results demonstrate the potential of a pond for the reconstruction of wider landscape usage, while the considerable quantity of associated finds potentially sheds some light on social practice. A review of similar sites across Roman Britain suggests there may be practical (in essence curatorial) issues about the fuller investigation of such features once identified, in order that a similarly high level of data can be achieved more regularly, and suggests a need for prospection/mapping for the better management of this resource, especially employing newly available LiDAR data.