Centuries old flower heads from a Roman vessel.
Photo Steven Baker at Historic England.
Precious archaeobotanical finds preserved inside eight Roman pots
Surviving organic matter from the Anglo Saxon period is rare, but these fragile remains of flowers and heads of bracken are 1,500 years old.
They were discovered in 2014 inside a hoard of eight Roman bronze pots dating to the very earliest part of the post-Roman / early Anglo Saxon period, and whoever buried the hoard had done so carefully, either to keep the bronze bowls safe or perhaps as a votive offering.
For packing they used common knapweed, bracken and other plants as we might use bubble wrap to safeguard a parcel today.
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