Britannia 39

Describes excavations between 2003 and 2007, and discusses the form of the circus and the likely nature of activities there based on the evidence derived from these. Notes in particular that the circus appears to have gone out of use sometime after c AD 275, and was somewhat narrower than average, with eight starting gates.

Concludes that the Romans would have been able to supply a garrison of 800 men with water using rainfall harvesting from the roof structures within the fort.

Reassesses analytical categories commonly used to reconstruct the 'funerary sequence' of cremation and associated deposition in Early Roman Britain, looking in particular at pre-pyre and pyre activity, burial, and other forms of primary deposition.

The significance of the well-known central roundel of the mosaic from Hinton St Mary, Dorset, which carries a young male head with a chi-rho monogram behind it and pomegranates on each side, has been much discussed. Marshals evidence which suggests that the head is not a representation of Christ, but of one of the emperors of the House of Constantine, perhaps Constantine himself. Some of the implications for the nature of fourth-century imperial culture are discussed.

Briefly describes the discovery of the fort, noting that further fieldwork is planned at the site, in particular to attempt to assess its relationship to nearby iron nodes.

Describes the analysis by gas-chromatography mass-spectroscopy (GC-MS) of the residues on seven pottery sherds; four from cooking vessels and one from an amphora.

Describes the coins, considered to have been deposited as the result of accidental loss rather than deliberate deposition. Notes that fuller descriptions of the coins can be found on the website of the Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS): http://www.finds.org.uk/database

Presents tables and distribution maps of various classes of finds reported to the scheme. Also describes and illustrates various individual finds.