Excavations to renew and re-lay a gas pipe across the southern portion of Verulamium, Roman St Albans, has unearthed another pottery kiln – see http://popular-archaeology.com/issue/spring-2017/article/a-new-discovery… … four pottery kilns were unearthed in the 1980s and it seems the pipeline excavation has unearthed a fifth kiln. This makes sense as there is a Roman period clay pit on the other side of the river Ver, within reach of the southern side of the Roman town. You would not want to transport clay by wagon too far – and the route is downhill all the way. Better for horses to pull a wagon uphill when empty rather than fully laden. The gas pipe excavation cut right through the kiln – so it has not been preserved. The news was released by St Albans city and district council. The archaeological recording was done by an archaeologist in the employ of the contractors but the actual excavation was carried out by a local group of enthusiasts under the umbrella of the local council. Verulamium, Roman St Albans, has unearthed another pottery kiln – see http://popular-archaeology.com/issue/spring-2017/article/a-new-discovery… … four pottery kilns were unearthed in the 1980s and it seems the pipeline excavation has unearthed a fifth kiln. This makes sense as there is a Roman period clay pit on the other side of the river Ver, within reach of the southern side of the Roman town. You would not want to transport clay by wagon too far – and the route is downhill all the way. Better for horses to pull a wagon uphill when empty rather than fully laden. The gas pipe excavation cut right through the kiln – so it has not been preserved. The news was released by St Albans city and district council. The archaeological recording was done by an archaeologist in the employ of the contractors but the actual excavation was carried out by a local group of enthusiasts under the umbrella of the local council.
For information on a geosurvey of the Roman town that has been taking place over several summers go to http://hertsgeosurvey.wordpress.com