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The Aldborough collection has been developed since the 17th century when antiquarian interest in the Roman site began. We now have over 4,000 objects registered in the collection.
The finds range in date from prehistory to post-medieval, with the majority being Roman, dating from the 1st to the 4th centuries AD. They include rare and unique coins, ceramics, glass vessels, animal bone, mosaics, architectural stonework and stone sculpture.
Use the gallery below to browse some of the highlights of the collection.
Andrew Lawson, who owned much of Aldborough in the 19th century, established its first museum, initially in his house, then in a purpose-built building on the site in 1863. His descendant Lady Lawson-Tancred gifted the museum and its contents to the nation in the 1950s. Since then, the collection has expanded with additions from further excavations and chance finds. A selection of the finds can be viewed at the on-site museum when you visit Aldborough.
Pendant
Pendant
Date: 100 BC to AD 80
Material: Copper alloy
Place Made/Found: North defences, from rubbish overlying the rampart bank, 1938
This late Iron Age fob dangler was used on a horse harness, possibly once holding a gem or enamel decoration. It is typical of those used by the Brigantes, and would have been in use in the earliest period of Roman occupation at Aldborough. Aspects of technology and design were already advanced before Roman rule.
Stylus
Stylus
Date: 1st to 3rd century AD
Material: Iron and copper alloy
Place Made/Found: Antiquarian find
This iron stylus is pointed at one end, for writing, and has a spatula at the other end for erasing on a wax tablet. It would have been used by the Romans for administrative uses such as accounting and correspondence to help govern Aldborough. The stylus is decorated with narrow and broad copper alloy bands.
Bath Flask
Bath Flask
Date: 1st to 3rd century AD
Type: Bottle
Material: Glass
Place Made/Found: Antiquarian find
The neck and handles of a blue-green glass bath flask used to contain oils for bathing. A cord or chain would have originally been attached to the handles. Flasks like this are fairly common finds in Britain, often recovered from the drains at bath houses, but this is the only example from Aldborough.
Surgical Tool
Surgical Tool
Date: 2nd to 4th century AD
Type: Medical implement
Material: Copper alloy and iron
Place Made/Found: Antiquarian find
This multi-use instrument has a central squared handle and a leaf-shaped blunt dissecting tool at one end and the remains of an iron scalpel blade for cutting. It shows that surgery was practised at Aldborough.
Gaming Board and Counters
Gaming Board and Counters
Date: 2nd to 4th century AD
Material: Stone
Place Made/Found: Antiquarian find
A fragment of a stone gridded gaming board with two of the many gaming counters found at Aldborough. Different materials ranging from stone to ceramic, glass, bone and ivory were used to make counters.
Intaglio
Intaglio
Date: 2nd century AD
Type: Gemstone
Material: Jasper
Place Made/Found: Town walls, filling of south-east Angle Tower, 1937
This gemstone would originally have been set into a finger ring. It shows a mouse driving a chariot pulled by a cockerel, and is perhaps lightly mocking chariot races.
Altar
Altar
Date: 2nd to 4th century AD
Material: Stone
Place Made/Found: Antiquarian find
This would have formed the upper part of an altar, probably from a private shrine. The bolsters on either side at the top of the altar are stylised faggots (usually a bundle of wood used to kindle and feed the ritual fire), therefore representing a ritual hearth.
It is inscribed ‘I(ovi) O(ptimo) M(aximo) et Matrib(us) V’, meaning ‘to Jupiter the best and greatest and to the mother goddesses.’
Cremation Vessel
Cremation Vessel
Date: Late 2nd to mid 3rd century AD
Material: Ceramic, human remains, metal
Place Made/Found: Antiquarian find
This black burnished tankard has been re-purposed as a funerary vessel to hold cremated remains. The vessel appears to have been deliberately damaged by puncturing a hole on one side to alter its status, enabling it to be re-used. It is fire damaged, and the remains have compacted. Antiquarian attempts to examine it have also left a damaged area. X-rays have revealed some metalwork.
Triple Case Vase
Triple Case Vase
Date: Early 2nd century AD
Type: Vessel
Material: Ceramic
Place Made/Found: From building south of the east gate, in rubble, 1961
These three vases are connected to each other by the main body of each vase. Each is pierced to allow liquid to flow from the first to the last vase. The ceramic has a burnished finish and lattice decoration, and the base of one of the vases has an incised cross. They may have been used as part of a religious ceremony. Few examples of triple vases have ever been found.
Beaker
Beaker
Date: 2nd to 4th century AD
Type: Drinking vessel
Material: Ceramic
Place Made/Found: Made in Nene Valley/Antiquarian find
This small drinking cup, indented and decorated with a scale pattern, was probably used for wine or mead. It was produced in the Nene Valley area (Cambridgeshire), a popular supplier to residents at Aldborough.
Amphora
Amphora
Date: Late 1st century to early 2nd century AD
Type: Vessel
Material: Ceramic
Place Made/Found: Made in Spain/Found on east side of the square, 1852
An amphora is a type of container with a pointed base used for transporting various products. This is one of the most complete amphoras found at Aldborough. It was made in southern Spain and is of a type used principally for transporting fish sauce, a popular food condiment. There are hundreds of fragments of amphora found discarded at Aldborough representing trade in wine, oil and foods from all over the Mediterranean.
Hair Pin
Hair Pin
Date: 4th century AD
Type: Dress accessory
Material: Animal bone
Place Made/Found: Antiquarian find
This bone hair pin features a bird decorated head. It is an extremely rare example of its kind and imitates more expensive metal versions.
Coin
Coin
Date: c.AD 30
Material: Copper alloy
Place Made/Found: Antiquarian find
This is a stater (ancient coin) of the Dubonni tribe from south-west Britain, who were contemporaries of the Brigantes. This coin is a contemporary forgery of a gold coin and shows that there was contact and trade between the pre-Roman tribes.
Coin
Coin
Date: c.AD 286–90
Material: Copper alloy
Place Made/Found: Antiquarian find
This is a pre-reform (also known as antoninianus) radiate coin of Carausius, a military commander who declared himself Emperor of Britain and northern Gaul in AD 286. Pre-reform refers to Roman coins issued before Emperor Diocletian’s currency reforms of AD 293–310.
Carausius’s portrait is depicted on the obverse of the coin, and RESTITV[TOR BRI] TAN on the reverse. It is a rare, possibly unique coin. Carausius minted his own coins and brought their value into line with Roman issues as well as acknowledging and honouring the Emperors Maximian and Diocletian. He appears to have appealed to native British dissatisfaction with Roman rule.
Wall Plaster
Wall Plaster
Date: 2nd to 4th century AD
Place Made/Found: Discoveries made across the site
Sections of painted wall plaster have been recovered from the remains of domestic and public buildings across Aldborough. Painted wall plaster was a hallmark of Roman civilisation. Schemes were largely plain or featured geometric patterns but the fragments also indicate a number of elaborate murals with panel schemes incorporating floral motifs and scenes.
Mortarium
Mortarium
Date: AD 100–140
Type: Kiln waste
Material: Ceramic
Place Made/Found: Made at Aldborough/Found east of the east gate
Mortaria were a type of Roman mixing bowl. They were generally used to grind herbs and spices on the coarse grit that is embedded into bottom of the internal surface. This is one of many fragments of pot which would have been discarded by the potter as wasters. The potter working at his kiln site to the east of the town made seven main types of vessels including bowls, jars and lids to serve the Aldborough population who required Roman style vessels. He stamped the mortaria he made with his name, Nator.
Face Pot
Face Pot
Date: 4th century AD
Type: Vessel
Material: Ceramic
Place Made/Found: Antiquarian find
Decorative tableware included vessels with applied faces, sometimes as an integral part of the form of the pot. Some face pots may have been used as part of religious ceremonies.
Face Pot
Face Pot
Date: 4th century AD
Type: Vessel
Material: Ceramic
Place Made/Found: Antiquarian find
Decorative tableware included vessels with applied faces, sometimes as an integral part of the form of the pot. Some face pots may have been used as part of religious ceremonies.
Milestone
Milestone
Date: Mid 3rd century AD
Type: Sculpture
Material: Stone
Place Made/Found: Found at Duel Cross, 3 miles north of the Roman road to Catterick, 1776
This milestone was found at Duel Cross, about 2 miles from Aldborough. The last line XX C (20 miles from C) was probably from the original inscription.
The milestone was then re-used AD 249–51 and given a later inscription: IMP CAES G MESSIVS Q DECI TRA PO FELICI AVG (To the Emperor, Caesar Caius Messius Quintus Trajanus Decius, the good, happy and great from…). We do not know why it was re-used and whether it retained its use as a milestone or was used as a dedication stone.
Smith Pot
Smith Pot
Date: AD 140–200
Type: Vessel
Material: Ceramic
Place Made/Found: Blacksmith’s workshop, north of north gate, 2019
This is a section of a grey-ware jar which is decorated with a hammer, anvil and tongs. The pot was probably used by the blacksmith to place offerings to a god such as Vulcan to protect him, his house and workshop from the danger of fire. Similar pots are known to have been made in the areas of Norton and Malton.
Die
Die
Date: 1st to 4th century AD
Type: Gaming piece
Material: Bone
Place Made/Found: Found north of the north gate, 2019
This large die is drilled with rings and dots to denote the values. It would have been used alongside the gaming boards and counters for gambling.
Tile
Tile
Date: Early 2nd century AD
Type: Building material
Material: Ceramic
Place Made/Found: Antiquarian find
This tile formed part of a pillar used to support a hypocaust. It is stamped with LEG IX HISP, the 9th Spanish legion, a military unit who were stationed in York c.AD 107–8. Builders in Aldborough may have been supplied from the 9th legion tilery in York rather than this being evidence that the unit was based in Aldborough.
Baldric Fitting
Baldric Fitting
Date: 3rd century AD
Type: Belt fitting
Material: Copper alloy
Place Made/Found: Antiquarian find
Lender: Eagle on loan from JB Harrison
A fine sword belt fitting worn by auxiliary unit soldiers. It incorporates the eagle of Jupiter and a prayer, ‘optime maxime con serva numerum omnium militantium’, asking Jupiter to protect all warriors.
Genii
Genii
Date: 3rd century AD
Type: Sculpture
Material: Stone
Place Made/Found: Antiquarian find
This fragment of a genii cucullati figure is one of three on the original sculpture. It possibly symbolises fertility, prosperity or wisdom.
Helicon Mosaic
Helicon Mosaic
Date: c.AD 300
Material: Stone, ceramic, glass, mortar
Place Made/Found: Found in apsidal-ended Basilica, south-west of the ‘Star mosaic’ house, 1846
This mosaic is from a town house dining room floor. It was first discovered in 1846 and was re-excavated and lifted in 1975 having suffered some loss. This is a border section and shows the lower part of a standing female in a tunic. She holds a mask and has a scroll across her body. She has been identified as either Melpomene, the Muse of Tragedy, or Thalia, the Muse of Comedy. Beneath her left elbow is an inscription in rare blue glass tiles, reading, in Greek lettering, ‘Helikon’. The complete mosaic probably included nine figures and an image of Mount Helicon.
Decorated Bowl
Decorated Bowl
Date: Early 2nd to late 3rd century AD
Type: Vessel
Material: Ceramic
Place Made/Found: Made in Lezoux, France/Antiquarian find
This fragment of a wide shallow Samian bowl is decorated with a gladiator on the left wearing a helmet, bearing a square shield and sword drawn across the body. In the centre is a palm tree. On the right is Victory holding a laurel leaf crown in her outstretched left hand and a palm leaf in her right hand.
Hunt Cup
Hunt Cup
Date: Early 2nd to 4th century AD
Type: Vessel
Material: Ceramic
Place Made/Found: Made in Nene Valley/Antiquarian find
A drinking cup decorated with a scene of hunting dogs.
