The ''Hunted Out'' Roman Field - Day 10 - Finished on a HIGH!!!

[CRUSADER]

All we really hoped for today was any Silver coin so that we had at least 1 Silver on every outing to this field & we did it, 10 for 10! But not just any coin this time...
Before we started I looked at the acres we had left to grid & I was sure it would take 2 days, instead we covered the whole lot in 5 hours 45 minutes. With finds from nearly every period, this field has been super kind to us, in what we would normally call the low season.

1 Roman Coin
17th C Button
19th C Military Button
Livery Button
Neolithic Flints (I picked up a lot of wasters & these 2 were the best of a bad bunch)
Late 17th C - early 18th C Buckle
4 x 17th C Leather Mounts (3 types I need)
Roman Fibula - 1st C AD
19th C Medicine Weight
Royal Farthing
Jetton
Folded over Hammered Halfpenny
Henry II 'Tealby' Penny circa 1160 - Only the 2nd complete example I have found (Its not clipped, its an irregular shaped flan)
1st C BC-1st C AD Iron Age (Celtic) Woad Grinder - Rare find, you can just imagine the last Druid to use after a ritual activity or to paint the warriors faces blue before the battles - Cool piece of history.

 

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[BLK HOLE]

Cru, you always amaze me with the variety of finds! I just cannot fathom holding such history in my hand!

 

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[Professor of Engineering]

Wonderful finds, congrats!

 

[Whyme]

Yeap, edited.
It's mostly theory as far as I'm aware their have been no strong scientific evidence that it was Woad that produced the blue pigment, so its best guess. They are thought to have ground down the woad leaves & used semen as a kind of applicator. There is a strong connection with 'Bulls' as the ancient cult of mithras came across in the Iron Age to Britain & many of the Woad Grinder bases have the heads of bulls. It's hard to get into their 'minds' when they wrote nothing down & all we have is what the Roman wrote. So tough one to answer. Theories are;
Ritual activities
Before they went into battle (they were described by the Romans as 'painted blue')
Cultural identity, a little like tattooing.

They are referred to as 'Woad Grinders', but maybe a better term in cosmetic grinder. This then starts to imply make-up which is really not doing it justice, as they would have seen it as somewhat magical or significant.

History's mystery's! Pretty cool. I wonder why semen was used? Or is that a theory also?

 

[Aureus]

Great bunch of historical finds! Congratulations!

 

[CRUSADER]

History's mystery's! Pretty cool. I wonder why semen was used? Or is that a theory also?

Potency & male/bull strength & protection, like the Roman's wearing phallus necklaces;
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fascinus
Its the 'magic' of it, something we probably will never understand.

 

[Westfront]

That was really a great finish of the season. You had a chance to extend a couple weeks compared to us here. Take the off time to go fishing, mapping finds and rebuild for summer! Thanks for that post Cru!

 

[CRUSADER]

That was really a great finish of the season. You had a chance to extend a couple weeks compared to us here. Take the off time to go fishing, mapping finds and rebuild for summer! Thanks for that post Cru!

We are trying some grassland tomorrow, I have a good feeling about it, but its a blind option with no intel.

 

[CRUSADER]

That was really a great finish of the season. You had a chance to extend a couple weeks compared to us here. Take the off time to go fishing, mapping finds and rebuild for summer! Thanks for that post Cru!

It's closed season on the River for fishing until the middle of June, I don't pay £800 a year to do lakes, but I hope to do a sea trip soon....

 

[Hawks88]

Another amazing hunt with fantastic finds and a great story. Congrats Cru.

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

..nice finds as usual.

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

Anybody that purposely grows Dyer's Woad should be publically tortured in some manner.
Just my opinion.

Exteremly invasive and transforms the landscape forever.

 

[Switchblade]

Good stuff!!