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The Rubbish Dump
Why is a rubbish dump interesting?
There are several ways that objects get into the ground for archaeologists to find much later. People might have
- accidentally dropped and lost them, or
- deliberately buried them, or
- put them in the bin to get taken to the dump.
In Roman Castleford, just like now, not many things were accidentally lost or deliberately buried. But the rubbish dump (or midden) produced many finds.
When was the rubbish dump used?
The dump was next to a workshop. It contained rubbish from the workshops. It was also used when the army prepared to leave the fort in AD 85. They threw away damaged and unwanted items that they didn’t want to take with them. The finds included military objects, domestic objects and craft tools.
Why were there so many unusual and well-preserved finds?
The clay soil under the rubbish dump did not drain well so the rubbish dump stayed wet. Wet soils tend to preserve organic materials such as wood and leather very well. This was the only part of the fort to produce large quantities of organic finds.
Timeline:
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