I’ve never really thought of archaeology as an interesting subject. Maybe it’s all that digging around in the mud when the wind and rain suggest you’d be better off cuddled up in front of a roaring fire or maybe it’s the thought of having to play jigsaw with small pieces of pottery that actually don’t make one vase at all but have come from several different examples. Whatever it is, being an archaeologist was never an ambition of mine. So you can imagine my reaction when Helen suggested we visit the open day of a dig not far from our home! The groaning was mostly inaudible and the red marks on the scruff of my neck are only just disappearing. To my surprise, however, it turned out to be quite a fascinating afternoon.

Because archaeology can change our understanding of history. And the Tai Cochion dig just to the south of Brynsiencyn is certainly beginning to look like the historians have got some major rethinking to do about life under the Romans on the western side of Britain. Up until now most experts believed that though the Romans were well settled-in in parts of what is now southern England, in west Wales this was not thought to be the case. There are plenty of examples of Roman towns and villages in the south-east of Britain – evidence of a civilisation well bedded in – not unnaturally since they were here for over 400 years. But this evidence had not been found in the west. Here there is evidence of military outposts suggesting the invader may have had military control of such areas but that they had not found it safe enough to settle there.

Experts in the Brynsiencyn dig, however, have found evidence that could change this perception entirely. In a field on the side of the Menai Straits, with the significant Roman settlement of Segontium just over the water in Caernarfon, archaeologists have found the remains of what was a relatively large settlement. Coins and pottery found on site suggests that this was a Romano-British village which was there between the 2nd and 4th centuries CE. There is evidence of a large dwelling which possibly had its porch overlooking the magnificent Snowdonia range – a house so large that it could only have been occupied by someone of high status. They have also found the remains of a road that would have been 7 metres wide – though as yet they have no idea where exactly inland this road was heading. The village does not appear to have any military attachment and was not laid out with any thought of needing a defensive strategy – suggesting that the Romans and natives had come to an understanding very early on following the occupation of the island in 60 CE.

Such a settlement has not been found before in western Britain – and it is possible, of course, that another may not be found again but this find was entirely unexpected and it seriously challenges the understanding we have of this period in our country’s history.

Quite apart from all the fascinating history that this find has come up with, it also provides us with one very important lesson – ‘truth’ is rarely fixed. New facts can always be found that change our current thinking and beliefs about most things in life. And it is essential, therefore, that far from being dogmatic and closed about today’s truth, we should always be open to new discoveries and change our point of view.


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