ID
14646
Permalink
Hoard name
ICKHAM 1973-4
Data type
Hoard
Date of discovery (from)
1 Jan 1973
(to)
31 Dec 1974
Total number of coins
0
Summary
Large-scale rescue excavation in advance of extraction at Ickham in 1973-4 yielded 4,610 Roman coins, a remarkably high number, and over 3000 other objects. Over half of these were surface finds recovered from metal-detector and the remainder were from lower stratified areas, but not all of these could be assigned to contexts beyond that of a broad area of the excavation. Potential hoards within these groups are suggested in the coin report by Ian Riddler (Bennett et al 2010, 73-84). He writes: "Whether or not hoards are contained within these deposits, a votive element is not precluded, but appears unlikely, since such activity is normally betrayed by the presence of obsolete or undesirable coin rather than the coherent assemblages presented here. Rather, we appear to have evidence for substantial numbers of day-to-day transactions occurring over a considerable area of the site throughout the late third and fourth centuries" (ibid., 79-80). More information on the contents of individual contexts, including finds, is provided in the ceramic report by M. Lyne (pp.84-140)Possible hoards from the site are listed in general terms by Riddler:1. Possible Valentinianic scattered hoard suggested by Riddler (2010, 79) from within pit 115 of area 1.2. "Yet another hoard may be visible in the finds from Context 408 and Pit 407" (Riddler 2010, 79) in area 4. This is due to an over-representation of Magnentian coinage. Elsewhere (p.110) 12 coins of the House of Valentiniain are mentioned as coming from the primary fill (along with iron and copper alloy artefacts) and 56 contemporary and earlier fourth century coins from the upper layers. Amongst 40 small finds, context 408 also contained unusual lead pendants also found in Channel C.Other deposits are mentioned from the excavated areas:3. Coins from pits 107 and 115 cutting Channel C (initially interpreted as scour pits in the mill-race up and downstream from Mill and 3):Context 107: 15 coins including 13 late Roman coins to Gratian. Also contained many quern or millstone fragments.Context 115: 435 coins (363 legible) up to AD 402. This also contained a fragment of a lead tank and about 50 other small finds in its primary fill, with late Roman and early Saxon material in the layers above this. It is suggested (p.70) that the features were intended for disposal of material from other areas of the site. Lyne (p. 103) suggests that the pits contained residual material from Channel C fills despite being post-Roman in origin. He dates the deposition of the third to fourth century 'rubbish' in these fills to after AD 350. It is suggested (p.341) that the large number of coins indicates a hoard originally hidden in the mill structure of mill 3 then redeposited.These are both thought by Riddler (ibid 83) to have been re-deposited from contexts and come from part of a "common pool of coinage" from the entire period of use of Mills 2 and 3 (AD 260-402).4. A timber-lined well or tank 701 in area 7 contained 23 coins. The presence of early coins in this Theodosian deposit (tpq AD 388-395) is thought by Riddler to indicate votive deposition (ibid. 83-4). It contained pottery, leather shoes, iron items and glass sherds (p.33).5. The watercourse referred to as Channel A (feature 310) contained a wooden figurine (similar to those found on continental shrine sites) a coin of Marcus Aurelius, lead weights, bronze scrap and "fourth century coins". The scrap and coins were 15m away from the figure (p.28).6. Feature 335 was initially thought to be a shrine on the basis of what were erroneously thought to be articulated animal remains but was later interpreted as another timber-lined pit or tank. It contained lead alloy waste, pottery, hammer scale and other copper alloy, iron and bone artefacts but apparently no coins (p.33). Lyne (p.110) considers the deposits residual.7. A large pit or hollow pit 116 south of Channel C in area 1 contained 6 Valentinianic coins, glass sherds and quern fragments (p.35)A further hoard identified by K. Elks and listed in Robertson 2000 from this preliminary report is entered in record IARCH-39A58B and derives from the metal-detected surface material.It is likely that there were further such hoards. Riddler writes (2010, 78) "Large numbers of coins of the AD 330s and 340s may be identified within the Area 4 finds, indicated by similarity of type and condition as well as by consecutive small find numbers, which should perhaps be regarded as 'purse hoards' of everyday coinage, accidentally lost and subsequently scattered over a wider area".
