Roman settlement found next to 'devil's hill'
Pastor Dale Morgan
Roman settlement found next to 'devil's hill'*
By Roger Highfield, Science Editor
Last Updated: 1:55am GMT 10/03/2007
Evidence of a Roman sacred site has been discovered at the foot of a
man-made hill created thousands of years before the Romans arrived in
Britain, it was announced yesterday.
Silbury hill: sacred Roman site discovered
Silbury hill: The original purpose and use of the man-made Neolithic
hill still mystifies archaeologists
English Heritage called the uncovering of the settlement a "startling
discovery", and all the more so because it lies next to 5,000-year-old
Silbury hill, which at 130ft is Europe's largest man-made prehistoric
monument.
The original purpose and use of the Neolithic hill, which took an
estimated 20 million man hours to make, still mystifies archaeologists.
Yesterday's disclosure indicates that a Roman community was equally
taken with the Wiltshire hill and established a sacred settlement in its
shadow, some 3,000 years after it was created.
The discovery of a settlement the size of 24 football pitches is "quite
unexpected" said Dr Amanda Chadburn, an English Heritage archaeologist
and team leader. "Although there were hints - the odd Roman coin kicking
around - that the Romans were doing something around there we did not
know what. This is an important Roman settlement."
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The site straddled the Roman road from London to Bath where it crossed
the Winterbourne River.
But it was more than just a way station for weary travellers. The Romans
were as intrigued by Silbury as people are today, and there is even a
tantalising hint of a temple.
"There are a lot of legends about it being built by the devil and you
wonder what the Romans thought about it," said Dr Chadburn.