#ThrowbackThursday Garrison Area A1

As part of the Garrison Area A1 excavations undertaken in 2010-2011, CAT excavated eleven separate sites (Site A-K). This #ThrowbackThursday we will be remembering Site A, which was based at the former Hyderabad Barracks.

At Site A, a cemetery of 14 cremation burials and 70 inhumation burials was identified. This was in use in the mid Roman period, and then (as is suggested by the grave goods) continued in use, or was re-used, in the late 6th century or early 7th century.

Eight inhumation burials were uncovered in ring-ditches, and five contained grave-goods including Anglo-Saxon shield-bosses, spearheads, knives and beads

The cremations contained finds spanning the 1st-4th centuries, but may focus on the 2nd/3rd centuries. Two Roman burials (a cremation and a female inhumation) were underneath what appeared to be a robbed-out mausoleum, and a robbed-out tomb-base respectively

Two substantial ditches and one smaller section are part of a previously-unknown fortlet and laager constructed in the Civil War Siege of Colchester in 1648, to the north of Fort Needham.