Living In Roman London

Apart from the gems, the pit contained a small group of pottery, including an almost complete pottery jar. It is thought that the deposition of the gems and the occupation of the buildings occurred between about AD50-55 and prior to the Boudican revolt of AD60/61. The suggestion is that this was perhaps the shop of a jeweller who had hidden some of his stock before the arrival of Boudica.

The life of another building, this time at Poultry (ONE94), was also cut short in AD60. The merchant’s premises was a long strip building with the shop fronting onto the road, two further rooms behind and a corridor running from the front to the back on the eastern side. There was no sill at the front of the building, indicating that there may have been removable wooden shutters that opened the shop to customers.

The building was well constructed and functional, performing the task of providing working, trading and living space for a population newly established in this Roman town.

The shop and central storeroom had been stocked with glossy red samian and olive-green glazed vessels imported from France. Fire had caused the shop’s wooden shelves to collapse, and wooden and bone spoons were found on the floor mixed with wooden beads and imported spices. The nature of his stock indicates that this was a merchant wealthy enough to finance trade in these expensive commodities.