From the Scotsman:
ARCHAEOLOGISTS digging at the site of a former jeans factory have uncovered the remains of at least two Roman forts – and artefacts including 60 pairs of shoes.
The hoard of leather footwear is believed to be the largest of its kind yet found in Scotland.Other discoveries include pottery, ovens, coins, bones, jewellery, an axe and a spearhead dating back to the first and second centuries AD, when the forts were in use.
The discoveries have been made at the site of the former Wrangler factory in Camelon, Falkirk, which is set to become a Tesco supermarket.
Camelon has long been suggested as the possible site for Camelot, the home of King Arthur, who many believe was a Roman who stayed on after the collapse of the Roman Empire and fought against the invading hordes of Anglo-Saxons.
The idea of King Arthur as a Roman was the basis of the 2004 Hollywood movie, King Arthur, starring Clive Owen, as a Roman centurion. Yesterday, experts described the new finds as “nationally important” and the most significant in the Falkirk area “for generations”.
Archaeologist Martin Cook said a rich bounty of relics had been uncovered, despite only 10 per cent of the site being examined so far.
He said: “This will be one of the most important finds in the Falkirk area for decades and one of the best ones we’ve been involved with.
“It’s hugely exciting because of the quality and quantity of artefacts from the organic deposit and reinforces the importance of the forts which have been rebuilt more than once.
“This proves that the Romans were there for a greater length of time, which is different to their normal routine of coming in, building something and then tearing it down so the natives can’t use it once they have left. We found some Samian pottery from France, more than we expected to find.
“There were coins, trumpet brooches and 60 pairs of leather shoes in the ditch, something we really didn’t expect and which is hugely important statistically. It shows how many troops were using the forts.”
He added: “These 60 shoes are remarkable for their quantity but also for their quality. They are leather sandals with straps and hob-nailed soles.”
To avoid digging as much as possible, the rest of the site will be preserved in situ, although the team would like to dig more.
Geoff Bailey, Falkirk Council’s keeper of archaeology and local historian, said: “There was probably a harbour on the River Carron where the golf club is now. The area is the lowest crossing point on the Carron and it would have been the A1 of the Roman period.”
rogueclassicism 