Update! A Roman Trackway in Calshot
05/07/2018 | Therese Kearns
CITiZAN SW have teamed up with archaeologists and volunteers from the New Forest National Park Authority, the Maritime Archaeology Trust and the University of Southampton to investigate what we think may be a trackway dating from the Roman period at Calshot, Hampshire.
Work on the site has now begun in earnest with members of the Maritime Archaeology Trust along with students from the Centre for Maritime Archaeology, University of Southampton conducting a 4-day diving campaign to excavate the site. The aim of the excavation is to understand the exact nature of the site and to confirm its purpose if possible – was it indeed a trackway? The divers will also try to establish the full extent of the feature, only parts of which are visible during very low tides.
The team have also started to examine the surrounding intertidal zone and today carried out an auger survey with the aim of understanding and reconstructing the environment in which the ‘trackway’ feature was originally situated. The auger work proved to be a little tricky as the site remained inundated even at low water. However the team persevered and with the help of an amazing group of volunteers several cores were taken and examined. Further auger work will be conducted when the water levels are lower.
Work will continue for the next two days and over the coming weeks the results will be analysed so watch this space…!
Read more about the initial discovery of the trackway here.
