ANTINOUS THE GAY GOD

THOUSANDS OF ROMAN ARTIFACTS

UNEARTHED IN THE HEART OF LONDON

BRITISH archaeologists at a soggy dig site in the heart of London have unearthed 10,000 objects from Roman times ... including writing tablets ... Baltic amber amulets ... a well with ritual deposits of pewter, coins and cow skulls ... thousands of pieces of pottery ... and the largest collection of lucky charms in the shape of phalluses ever found at a single site.

Sophie Jackson, of Museum of London Archaeology, told The Guardian newspaper: 

"The waterlogged conditions left by the Wallbrook stream have given us layer upon layer of Roman timber buildings, fences and yards, all beautifully preserved and containing amazing personal items, clothes and even documents – all of which will transform our understanding of the people of Roman London."

Amazingly, the boggy-soggy conditions resulted in startlingly good preservation of timber – including massive foundations for buildings, fencing still standing to shoulder height, and remains of a complex Roman drainage system.

Also, the site produced the largest collection of leather from any London Roman site, bone and even a straw basket, which would all have crumbled into dust centuries ago on a drier site, The Guardian reported.

The most puzzling object is an elaborately worked piece of leather, padded and stitched with an image of a gladiator fighting mythical creatures. The archaeologists believe it may have come from a chariot, but are only guessing since nothing like it has ever been found.

Other finds include an amber charm in the shape of a gladiator's helmet, which may have been a good luck charm for an actual gladiator; a horse harness ornament combining two lucky symbols, a fist and a phallus, plus clappers to make a jingling sound as the horse moved; and a set of fine-quality pewter bowls and cups, which were deliberately thrown into a deep well.

The site at Great Queen Street was at the heart of the Roman city of London. It is now being redeveloped as a new headquarters for Bloomberg.

But after World War II, when Victorian buildings were cleared for an office building, it became internationally famous when a buried Temple of Mithras was found. Crowds formed around the block to see the remains, which were preserved after a public outcry led to questions in parliament over the threat of their destruction.

The temple was reconstructed on top of a car parking lot, but as part of the present project is being moved back to its original site, where it and many of the finds will eventually be on display to the public.

Up to 60 archaeologists from Museum of London Archaeology worked on the site, digging by hand through 3,500 tons of soil. The site, which includes the longest surviving stretch of the Wallbrook, covers the entire period of Roman London, from very soon after the invasion to the 5th Century AD.