On this day...30th July

We begin today with a find from Trench 6 in 2008. It is a section of a single-sided composite comb. The teeth of such combs were typically shaped from antler as this material was stronger and more flexible than the bone used to form the rest of the comb. This fragment is made up from several pieces including two side-plates and two tooth-plates. The pieces are held together by three iron rivets, which still survive although now corroded. The side-plates have been decorated on one side with incised parallel transverse lines. This type of comb is commonly dated to the 7th-8th century.

Dom found this brooch on this day in 2012. It is a copper-alloy domed disc brooch with a fine quality intricate interlacing design. Similar brooches have been attributed to the 10th century.

We finish today with a coin found on this day in 2014 by Pete Taylor whilst excavating Trench 18. It is a copper-alloy sestertius of Antoninus Pius (AD138-161). The obverse shows the right facing Emperor. The reverse shows a woman holding a military standard in each hand representing ‘Fides Militum’, the loyalty given to the emperor by his troops. This sestertius is an impressively large, thick coin weighing almost 24 g.