Caerleon 2011 - hypocaust revealed

Think they're bessalis size. Yay!

Binchester/Vinovia

With a site boasting the best Roman baths remains in the country (probably), Binchester is a must for the tile fan. In this case, a tile fan without her camera (the pic above is from Stanford Univ's website), but I shall return to the site in one guise or another and will take my best camera with me.

Meanwhile, a bit of information about the site:

This is the Durham County Council website, with visiting details:

http://www.durham.gov.uk/Pages/Service.aspx?ServiceId=6646


There's an excavation taking place there until 2014, and here's the associated blog, which details the finds, both artefact and site specific:

http://binchester.blogspot.com/

A couple of recent publications are now in discerning bookshops:

Vinovia by Iain Ferris

and

The Beautiful Rooms are Empty: Excavations at Binchester Roman Fort, 1976-1981 and 1986-1991 by Iain Ferris

Frankly, I don't think the beautiful rooms are empty, because they are full of tile! btw, some of the tile from the site can be seen in Bowes Museum, and I have some photos of those somewhere ...

Dura-Europos: Crossroads of Antiquity

Looks like some or one of these tiles may now be on show at Mount Scopos in Israel, but previously to that, there were tiles on show at the Dura-Europos: Crossroads of Antiquity exhibition in the US. See the article here: http://www.bc.edu/offices/pubaf/news/2011/duraeuropos01272011.html

And here's a tile (which is clay with a layer of alabaster) from the ceiling of a 3rd century building :


It shows Heliodoros, an actuarius, Dura-Europos, L7, House of Scribes.

West Offices, York

West Offices is a site currently (July 2011) being dug in the centre of York. Of interest to this blog are the tile finds, including 9th Hispana tiles and circular pila tiles. Here's a few pix, courtesy of Duncan Stirk's flickr album:

9th Hispana tile stamp:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dstirk/5884302627/

The almost regulation hobnail imprint tile:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dstirk/5877933554/

Circular pila tile:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dstirk/5860056121/

And here's a brief news report on the dig's open day in June:

http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/9107142.Roman_findings_go_on_show/

And a bit more information about the site over time:

http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/features/features/6336299.City_of_York_Council_s_new_HQ_at_West_Offices/

Housestead Roman fort - the grandest station

Housesteads, a major fort on Hadrian's Wall has recently been published and is available as a 2 volume free download here:

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/publications/housesteads-roman-fort/

Volume two has a brick and tile report, so it's well worth a look for brick fans :) It can be found on pages 358 to 362.

The Rise and Decline of Guilds

A facinating document from the Worshipful Company of Tylers and Bricklayers, about the history of guilds, with particular reference to tilers and bricklayers:

The Rise and Decline of Guilds .. by Tom Hoffman

The Pevensey Bricks

A great article by Miles Russell about the fake HON AVG ANDRIA tile stamps, amongst other fakes by Charles Dawson (yes, he of Piltdown Man fame!). The stamp can be seen on the tile at the bottom left of this picture from Miles' site.

http://www.bournemouth.ac.uk/caah/landscapeandtownscapearchaeology/piltdown_man_k.html