Roman cremation cemetery
Roman cremation cemetery
HER Number
903
District
S Tyneside
Site Name
Roman cremation cemetery
Place
South Shields
Map Sheet
NZ36NE
Class
Religious Ritual and Funerary
Site Type: Broad
Cemetery
Site Type: Specific
Cremation Cemetery
General Period
ROMAN
Specific Period
Roman 43 to 410
Form of Evidence
Implied Evidence
Description
During the latter part of the 19th century, while both archaeological excavations and building works were in progress in the vicinity of the Roman fort on the Lawe, a number of finds were made suggesting the existence of Roman cemeteries south of the south-west corner of the fort. The finds diagnostic of a cremation cemetery were "many urns...with calcined ashes within, and marks of fire around". A bronze coin (possibly of Domitian) was found in an urn near Bath Street. Bidwell has located these discoveries on the north side of Coston Drive, north-west of the junction with James Mather Street. Fragments of tombstones and other funerary monuments were also found in the vicinity (HER nos. 896-901). Excavations in 1993 in Morton Walk, 300 metres south-west of the fort, revealed 2 cremations of 2nd century A.D. date.
Easting
436400
Northing
567500
Grid Reference
NZ436400567500
Sources
<< HER 903 >> Rev. R.E. Hooppell, 1880, On the...Exploration of Roman Remains at South Shields in...1875-6, Transactions Natural History Society Northumberland, Durham and Newcastle-on-Tyne, Vol. VII, p. , plate V
C. Bruce, 1880, On the recent discoveries in the Roman Camp on the Lawe... Archaeologia Aeliana, 2, X, 223
P.T. Bidwell, 1988, The Civilian Settlement...of the Roman Fort at South Shields, nos. 13 ii, iii
M. Snape, 1993, Excavations...1992-3...Morton Walk, South Shields, The Arbeia Journal, Vol. II, pp. 55-59
C. Bruce, 1880, On the recent discoveries in the Roman Camp on the Lawe... Archaeologia Aeliana, 2, X, 223
P.T. Bidwell, 1988, The Civilian Settlement...of the Roman Fort at South Shields, nos. 13 ii, iii
M. Snape, 1993, Excavations...1992-3...Morton Walk, South Shields, The Arbeia Journal, Vol. II, pp. 55-59