Latest news with #Henderson-Schwartz
Yahoo
24-02-2025
- Yahoo
Ancient Roman Landmark Found Under London Office Building
London's origins as a city date back to the days of the Roman Empire, after the invaders arrived to Great Britain and established the town of Londinium. Nearly two millennia later, remnants of the Romans' presence are still being found in the U.K. capital. Developers were preparing to demolish an office building from the 1930s in the heart of London when archaeologists at the site unearthed parts of the city's first Roman basilica in the basement of the building. It was built around 80 C.E., nearly four decades after the Romans invaded Great Britain, and functioned as a forum and town hall for the ancient city of Londinium where officials often made major political, judicial, and commercial decisions. "There could be political discussions happening. It could have been business transactions and big business deals," Andrew Henderson-Schwartz, communications head for Museum of London Archaeology, which led the excavation, told NBC News. "Essentially, it's like shooting forward 2,000 years in time and finding the speaker chair to the House of Commons."The discovery was made near London Bridge and the Tower of London, placing the ancient multipurpose government building smack dab in the middle of Londinium. "It really is the heart of Roman London, where the big decisions that were made impacted the rest of London and also the wider Roman world in Britain," Henderson-Schwartz said. "We knew that this was potentially the site of the first Roman basilica, but what we didn't know was how well these remains had survived."Luckily, if you're interested in experiencing the ancient building for yourself, you don't have to wait until the pieces are installed behind glass in a museum. The MOLA team is now working with architectural firm Woods Bagot to fully excavate the Roman treasured and incorporate them into new office building plans. "It's part of a new plan to celebrate these amazing discoveries and put them on public display," Historic England archaeology adviser Helen Hawkins said. Henderson-Schwartz added that guests will be able to travel back in time themselves in the future. "They will really experience what it was like to stand on the stage of Roman London,' he the meantime, you can check out the British Museum for extensive collections pertaining to Roman London.
Yahoo
14-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Archaeologists discover London's first Roman basilica under office building
An office building from the 1930s in the heart of London was about to be demolished and redeveloped by its owners — until archaeologists unearthed remnants of the city's first Roman basilica in the basement. Built around 80 AD, a few decades after the Romans invaded Britain, the ancient basilica was part of a wider forum and served as a town hall for Londinium, the city's ancient Roman name. There, magistrates and officials presided over major political, judicial, and commercial decisions, according to Andrew Henderson-Schwartz from the Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA), which led the excavation. 'There could be political discussions happening. It could have been business transactions and big business deals,' Henderson-Schwartz told NBC News. 'Essentially, it's like shooting forward 2,000 years in time and finding the speaker chair to the House of Commons,' he said. The discovery, which was made at 85 Gracechurch Street next to Leadenhall Market, is one of the most substantial pieces of Roman architecture in Britain. 'It really is the heart of Roman London, where the big decisions that were made impacted the rest of London and also the wider Roman world in Britain,' Henderson-Schwartz added. Hannah Platts, a lecturer in ancient history and material culture at the University of London, said that the basilica's discovery was 'hugely significant' because it also revealed how the province of Britannia was integrated into the broader Roman Empire. 'What the discovery demonstrates is that the Romans were quick to instill in Britannia similar methods of governing that they used elsewhere in the Roman world,' she said. Archeologists and historians had long suspected the approximate location of the 2,000-year-old building through earlier investigations. But the full extent of what was hidden beneath the concrete floor was only uncovered when the building's owners, Hertshten Properties, approached MOLA to launch a new investigation. 'We knew that this was potentially the site of the first Roman Basilica, but what we didn't know was how well these remains had survived,' said Henderson-Schwartz. From there, the team undertook several small test pits, or open areas of excavation, to see what was hidden beneath the concrete floor. What they found were large sections of the Roman basilica still intact — walls 32 feet long and 13 feet deep made of flint and limestone transported from Kent. Among other artifacts, archaeologists uncovered bits of Roman pottery, brick, and tiles, including one roof tile with the name 'London' stamped into it and fingerprints of the Roman tile maker. 'You can literally put your fingers in their finger marks on the tile, so it's really a tangible connection to the early origins of the city,' Henderson-Schwartz added. The team will now work with the architectural firm Wood Bagot to fully excavate the Roman remains and incorporate them into the new office building plans before being opened to the public. Helen Hawkins, an archaeology adviser at Historic England, which set the planning conditions for the new development, said the site would 'make a really great exhibition' as part of an initiative by the City of London Corporation. 'It's part of a new plan to celebrate these amazing discoveries and put them on public display,' she said. Once opened, visitors can expect to have an immersive experience from the basement of the building. 'They will really experience what it was like to stand on the stage of Roman London,' Henderson-Schwartz added. This article was originally published on
NBC News
14-02-2025
- Science
- NBC News
Archeologists discover London's first Roman basilica under office building
'It really is the heart of Roman London, where the big decisions that were made impacted the rest of London and also the wider Roman world in Britain,' Henderson-Schwartz added. Hannah Platts, a lecturer in ancient history and material culture at the University of London, said that the basilica's discovery was 'hugely significant' because it also revealed how the province of Britannia was integrated into the broader Roman Empire. 'What the discovery demonstrates is that the Romans were quick to instill in Britannia similar methods of governing that they used elsewhere in the Roman world,' she said. Archeologists and historians had long suspected the approximate location of the 2,000-year-old building through earlier investigations. But the full extent of what was hidden beneath the concrete floor was only uncovered when the building's owners, Hertshten Properties, approached MOLA to launch a new investigation. 'We knew that this was potentially the site of the first Roman Basilica, but what we didn't know was how well these remains had survived,' said Henderson-Schwartz. From there, the team undertook several small test pits, or open areas of excavation, to see what was hidden beneath the concrete floor. What they found were large sections of the Roman basilica still intact — walls 32 feet long and 13 feet deep made of flint and limestone transported from Kent. Among other artifacts, archaeologists uncovered bits of Roman pottery, brick, and tiles, including one roof tile with the name 'London' stamped into it and fingerprints of the Roman tile maker. 'You can literally put your fingers in their finger marks on the tile, so it's really a tangible connection to the early origins of the city,' Henderson-Schwartz added.
Yahoo
14-02-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Archaeologists unearth ruins of nearly 2,000-year-old Roman basilica in London
Archaeologists excavating the site of a planned 32-story skyscraper in London uncovered the ruins of a nearly 2,000-year-old Roman basilica. The ancient basilica, constructed between 78 and 84 A.D., once stood at the heart of the city, which was known at the time as Londinium, according to The Associated Press. While exploring the basement of a building slated to be demolished for the upcoming office tower, the scientists unearthed the remains of what once served as the foundation of a two-story building, nearly as large as an Olympic swimming pool. They uncovered flint, brick and ragstone walls and foundations 13 feet deep and more than three feet wide, AP reported. Ancient Roman Helmet Turns Up In Unusual Location: 'Exceptionally Rare' The finding marks "one of the most significant discoveries" in years in the City of London, the square-mile financial district that is London's oldest quarter, according to Sophie Jackson of Museum of London Archaeology. Read On The Fox News App Archaeologists Uncover Earliest Known Evidence Of Christianity North Of The Alps: 'Unusual For This Time' In Roman London, the basilica was part of the forum, a place where people shopped, mingled and heard the latest from politicians, AP reported. "This is the heart of Rome in London, where all the decisions were made," said Andrew Henderson-Schwartz, head of public impact at Museum of London Archaeology. The ruins are also believed to have formed part of the tribunal, an area of the forum where officials made decisions about the governance of the city. Ancient Treasure, Largest Of Its Kind In Israel, Found Buried In 2,100-Year-old Kitchen "We're talking about the early stages of London here, but it's a real sign of investment in the city, even in its early infancy," added Henderson-Schwartz. Further excavation could answer questions about the original forum and why it was replaced with a larger one after only 20 years of use. It could also offer glimpses into the lives of Roman Londoners, according to AP. The owner of the site, developer Hertshten Properties, has agreed to display the ruins in a visitor center of the planned office tower, AP reported. Property developers in Britain have to consult archaeologists in their planning process. "We do have these little windows into Roman London that are all over the city," Henderson-Schwartz said. "But this is really in some ways the site that connects them all together." The Associated Press contributed to this article source: Archaeologists unearth ruins of nearly 2,000-year-old Roman basilica in London
Fox News
14-02-2025
- Business
- Fox News
Archaeologists unearth ruins of nearly 2,000-year-old Roman basilica in London
Archaeologists excavating the site of a planned 32-story skyscraper in London uncovered the ruins of a nearly 2,000-year-old Roman basilica. The ancient basilica, constructed between 78 and 84 A.D., once stood at the heart of the city, which was known at the time as Londinium, according to The Associated Press. While exploring the basement of a building slated to be demolished for the upcoming office tower, the scientists unearthed the remains of what once served as the foundation of a two-story building, nearly as large as an Olympic swimming pool. They uncovered flint, brick and ragstone walls and foundations 13 feet deep and more than three feet wide, AP reported. The finding marks "one of the most significant discoveries" in years in the City of London, the square-mile financial district that is London's oldest quarter, according to Sophie Jackson of Museum of London Archaeology. In Roman London, the basilica was part of the forum, a place where people shopped, mingled and heard the latest from politicians, AP reported. "This is the heart of Rome in London, where all the decisions were made," said Andrew Henderson-Schwartz, head of public impact at Museum of London Archaeology. The ruins are also believed to have formed part of the tribunal, an area of the forum where officials made decisions about the governance of the city. "We're talking about the early stages of London here, but it's a real sign of investment in the city, even in its early infancy," added Henderson-Schwartz. Further excavation could answer questions about the original forum and why it was replaced with a larger one after only 20 years of use. It could also offer glimpses into the lives of Roman Londoners, according to AP. The owner of the site, developer Hertshten Properties, has agreed to display the ruins in a visitor center of the planned office tower, AP reported. Property developers in Britain have to consult archaeologists in their planning process. "We do have these little windows into Roman London that are all over the city," Henderson-Schwartz said. "But this is really in some ways the site that connects them all together."
