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The three Roman lead ingots or ‘pigs' from Regis House
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Two of the ingots are inscribed 'IMP VESPASIAN AUG' which means they were
the property of the Emperor Vespasian (AD69-79). On the side, the
inscription 'BRIT EX ARG VEB' means they have come from the British lead-
silver mines. The ingots were probably mined, smelted and cast into moulds
in the Mendip hills.
Any metal found in any province of the Roman empire was the property of the
state. These lead ingots are the first to be found in Londinium and suggest
that lead may have been exported from here. However, archaeologists are
unsure why these heavy ingots were buried under a warehouse floor.
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