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| Medlycott, M. (2020) 7713: Braughing Iron Age Coin Moulds Post Excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design. Place Services | |||
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| Filename | Braughing_PXA_UPD.pdf (5 MB) |
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| Description | Braughing Late Iron Age and Roman settlement is in the parish of Braughing, Hertfordshire (TL3909024169) on the west bank of the River Rib, c.200m south of Ford Bridge. The site is Scheduled (SM75). In August 2016 Mark Landon and the Braughing Archaeology Group (BAG), with the professional oversight of Jonathan Hunn (Icknield Archaeology) carried out a rescue excavation of archaeological deposits that were being eroded out of the western riverbank. The total excavation area measured 4.5m². This work was funded by the HE Planning Group from their Regional HAR budget. A short section of bank to the north of this site had been previously investigated prior to remedial works in 2007. The excavation was focused on a deposit Late Iron Age and Roman material containing large numbers of clay coin-moulds that had been exposed in the western riverbank, between the higher and lower water levels. A summary excavation report was prepared by Jonathan Hunn for the site (Hunn, 2017). The coin-mould assemblage is of national significance. This post-excavation assessment covers the artefactual material (including a 10% sample of the coin-moulds) and the environmental material. A project bid for the post-excavation assessment was prepared by Maria Medlycott, in conjunction with Mark Landon and Jonathan Hunn, and with the advice of Isobel Thompson, Debbie Priddy and Stewart Bryant and submitted to Historic England. This was submitted in December 2018 and formally agreed 23rd January 2019 (Project No. 7713). |
| Landon, M. (2023) 7713: Braughing Iron Age Coin Pellet Moulds. Place Services, Essex County Council | |||
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| Filename | Braughing_coin_moulds_report_final_3.pdf (8 MB) |
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| Description | This report presents the results of a programme of analysis of a nationally and internationally significant group of Late Iron Age coin pellet moulds from the Scheduled Braughing Late Iron Age and Roman settlement, Hertfordshire. There is evidence for extensive activity, covering some 300 acres in the Rib valley floor and around Wickham Hill from around 30BC. The evidence is suggestive of a trading depot, focused on the confluence of the Rivers Rib and Quin, which included the large-scale importation of Italian and Gaulish pottery (Niblett 1995, 16). The suggestion is that imported goods were brought here by river, along the Thames, Lea and Rib, before being distributed throughout Hertfordshire and probably west Essex. The material from Braughing is compatible with this being a site of large-scale, probably seasonal, gatherings for feasting and exchange, as well social, judicial, and ritual roles. It is as part of this community activity that the presence of the coin pellet moulds at Braughing should be understood. However, the archaeological context from which the coin pellet moulds is Roman in date. In 2016 finds, including the coin pellet moulds were observed eroding out from the western bank of the River Rib within the Scheduled area. The excavation revealed a series of layers, of which the most significant was a dump of material, comprising coin pellet moulds, pottery sherds, animal bone and what appears to have been refuse from an animal byre. Though the coin pellet moulds are Late Iron Age in date, they, together with other Iron Age material appear to have been incorporated into probable midden deposits of late 1st-early/mid 2nd century date and dumped close to the River Rib. This deposition layer or dump may have taken place to raise the ground levels near the river or to consolidate an eroding bank. Alluvial evidence from both before and after the deposition of the coin moulds has demonstrated that the river was (and still is) prone to flooding. Coin pellet moulds has been found across Europe north of the Roman Empire, from Štaštín near Bratislava in Slovakia to Scotch Corner in North Yorkshire, England. The Braughing/Puckeridge settlement complex has now yielded around 70kg. of coin pellet mould in total, and it is clear from stray surface finds that more assemblages remain to be uncovered in the vicinity. Braughing/Puckeridge is therefore one of the most significant sites of pellet-mould deposition in Europe. It is one of only a small number of coin pellet mould assemblages identified either in Britain or in Western Europe. In addition, it is one of the largest assemblages of coin pellet moulds so far discovered. There is evidence for three tray types being present in the assemblage, this includes evidence for a new tray form. Three distinct fabrics were identified within the assemblage, two of ‘brick-earth’ clays and one which is calcareous in nature, highlighting the possibility of the deposit representing more than one instance of pellet production. It is very likely that different tray types were made with different clays sourced locally, before being brought to a central workshop for use in pellet production. The assemblage shows clear evidence of chalk-washing, possibly to help maintain reducing conditions in the holes and to ensure that themetal did not stick. Three types of pellets (ternary gold alloy, silver-copper alloy pellets and copper-based alloy pellets) appear to have been produced in the coin pellet moulds. |
