RELICS OF ROMAN BRITAIN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19524, 31 December 1926, Page 14

RELICS OF ROMAN BRITAIN.

fHE CITY OF VIROGOMIUM. Information concerning the excavations lit the Roman city* -of Viroconium (Wroxeter) • was., communicated,; to a,, meeting of the. Birmingham - Archaeological Association by : ; ill* Donald- -Atkinson; who lim directed the" work. " Although two yiaars have been devoted to the excavation of. the forum,, Mr. Atkinson indicated that another year's work would be necessary to complete, the explorations. This would be ..possible, he said, through the continued generosity of Sir Charles Hyde. Mr. Atkinson 1 described the discovery of, the remains of a large building on the site .of the forum, and'of an-earlier date. The -building had, in fact, been in a largo measure demolished, in. order to construct the forum. It consisted of several rectangular and circular ; room's, the walls in some places being carried clown to a depth of ',l3ft. The mortar of the joints was of . very good quality, and, the marks of'the tools with which the joints were made 'were plainly visible." The quality of the;-work challenged "comparison with any- Roman building in Britain, and no. British site except London .had ..revealed a- building so massively constructed. As the excavation work - proceeded it became increasingly evident ;:hat the building was abandoned in an- unfinished state. Fragments of carved ston&C and silver and bronze' coins were discovered.' The mas-sive-and careful construction pointed to its having been a ptiblitf building-,-' but it woa'ld, perhaps be- rash 1o attempt to suggest its purpose ■ until tho whole plan Wis revealed. ■ -

Sir. Charles Hyde expressed a hope that in a year's time, ail the treasure found at VirocoTiium would bo properly housed in the museum at Shrewsbury;