Archaeologists have unearthed what could be a significant Iron Age Roman settlement, potentially including a Roman villa, following the discovery of rare cavalry swords in the Cotswolds.
The excavation near a Cotswolds village was prompted by the find of two iron Roman cavalry swords, possibly still bearing traces of their scabbards, two years ago.
Metal detectorist Glenn Manning discovered the rare artefacts during a rally near Willersey. They were subsequently donated to the Corinium Museum in Cirencester, Gloucestershire.
“Finding two swords in the same spot was amazing,” Mr Manning said.
“The morning before the rally, I had a feeling I would find something special.
“This was only my second time metal detecting. I’m excited to find out more about them.”
Following this discovery, Historic England conducted geophysical surveys of the area where the swords were found, which revealed the possibility of extensive prehistoric and Romano-British remains.
Excavations earlier this year found evidence of settlements spanning several centuries.
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These include three or four Iron Age ring ditches, a substantial rectangular enclosure, and remains of Roman limestone buildings, which could be a winged villa.
More archaeological work is required, and Historic England could then recommend to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) that the site be protected as a scheduled monument.
It is believed the long swords or “spatha” were used by the Romans on horseback from early in the second century AD through to the third century AD.
They are contemporary with the villa, but it is not known how they came to be there.
Ian Barnes, senior archaeologist at Historic England, said: “This excavation provides valuable insights into the nature of settlement patterns from the Early Iron Age through to the Roman period in Gloucestershire.
“This new evidence will help us to understand more about what happened around the period of the Roman Conquest, which must have been a tumultuous time.”
Peter Busby, from Cotswold Archaeology, said: “I am very proud of how much our team of volunteers, professional archaeologists, and metal detectorists achieved in 15 days, despite the heavy January rain.
“We turned a ploughed field, the swords, and geophysical anomalies into the story of a settlement spanning hundreds of years – the first stage in telling the history of these fields and their cavalry swords.”
Emma Stuart, director of the Corinium Museum, added: “It’s a privilege to acquire such rare artefacts.
“This valuable addition of Roman weaponry at the museum broadens the story of life in the Cotswolds during the mid to late Roman period.
“Wiltshire Conservation has identified the scabbard remnants and this adds another dimension to this discovery.”
The swords will be on display for public viewing at the Corinium Museum from August 2.
