Poster Session – Expo room

LIMES Congress Posters Session – Expo room

NOTE: The poster session can be visited on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Authors of the Posters will be present at 17.30-18.00 hours for questions and presentation. Please follow this link for the poster guidelines in PDF format.

1. Author: Nick Hannon, Historic Environment Scotland

Abstract of Poster: Historic Environment Scotland have undertaken a programme of geophysical survey at 10 locations along the frontier, the poster aims to report some of the highlights from this work and discuss the implications of these results.

2. Author: John Salvatore, JPS Heritage Services

Co-Author: Stephen Kaye

Abstract of Poster: Relative Sea Level change since the mid-1st century AD places limits on the locations of Roman ports on the River Exe. Supplies from Northern Gaul, destined for the Neronian legionary fortress at Exeter and its dependent civilian sites, can be demonstrated to have been unloaded downriver from the fortress location

3. Author: Igor Vukmanić, The Archaeological Museum in Osijek

Co-Author: Branko Mušič, GeArh d.o.o.

Abstract of Poster: Inbetween 2018-2020 archaeogeophysical surveys were conducted in Popovac, Croatia. On site, GPR and Magnetometry research revealed the plan of an early 4th C. Roman locality. Curtain wall with a number of towers, gate and buildings in the interior could be recognized. However, interpretation of the site remains speculative. Was it a Fortification, a Palace, an Imperial Estate or else?

4. Author: Thomas Edward Birch, Archaeological Science and Conservation, Moesgaard Museum

Co-Author: Michelle Taube, Environmental Archaeology and Materials Science, The National Museum of Denmark
Co-Author: Mads Leen Jensen, Museum Sønderjylland
Co-Author: Thomas Grane, Research, Collections and Conservation, The National Museum of Denmark

Abstract of Poster: Materialising Roman Diplomacy – Using archeometallurgy to identify long-distance contacts or close encounters at the time of Augustus.
The arrival of Roman objects in Jutland and neighbouring islands marks the beginning of the Roman Iron Age in Denmark. They attest to the first interactions with the Roman world, an important moment, the transition from prehistory to history. The nature of this contact, however, remains to be fully understood. Some objects could have found their way to Denmark indirectly via various exchange routes. However, there is reason to believe that the first items arrived as the result of direct interactions with Roman groups. Using Roman bronze vessels as a proxy for contact, this project provides a means to test the nature of these earliest interactions with the Roman world, demonstrating whether some might be the result of direct contacts. Chemical and isotopic analyses will be used to determine whether this group of objects, including one prestigious iconic type (Eggers 92) found in multiple burials, are materially related (or indeed the same). Should the results confirm these bronzes to be identical, they may bring to life in material form a single diplomatic gift event as part of the first historical Roman naval expedition to Jutland instigated by General Tiberius in AD 4/5, who shortly after became Emperor of the Roman Empire.

5. Author: Kira Lappé, University of Vienna

Co-Author: Michael Wagreich, University of Vienna

Abstract of Poster: This new project investigates the urban transformation from the Roman legionary camp of Carnuntum to Vienna’s peri-urban areas. Combining archaeological, historical, geological and GIS-methods, the research focuses on the contrasting development of the two sites and their manifold relations over time, based on the classification, thickness, distribution and growth of anthropogenic layers.

6. Author: Monica Dütting, Fish Remains and other stories

Abstract of Poster: Roman era funeral gifts included food, such as meat from bovines, pig and chicken. Fish were rare, and mainly known from burials in the heart of the Empire. This research looks into evidence from the Limes, specifically the Netherlands. Were fish used as part of burial rites for the deceased?

7. Author: Hana Ivezić, Archaeological Museum in Zagreb

Co-Author: Jana Kopackova, Archaeological Museum in Zagreb

Abstract of Poster: The ongoing revision of old AMZ collections allowed us to (re)discover finds from the Danube limes which are currently being catalogued as a first step towards publication. This poster aims to fill a research gap by providing a preliminary overview of hundreds of unpublished finds from Rittium (Surduk).

8. Author: Paul Kitching, Durham University

Abstract of Poster: Raising Terror: Deterrence and the Building of Hadrian’s Wall. This new research project examines a deterrence reading of Hadrian’s Wall, alongside well-known interpretations. A hypothesis-testing methodology will systematically explore the construction of the archaeological evidence and its relationship with multiple working hypotheses, highlighting inconsistencies and generating new avenues for research.

9. Author: Silke Lange, BIAX Consult

Co-Author: Esther Jansma, Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed

Abstract of Poster: In recent years, more and more knowledge has been gained about the road and waterworks that formed the basis of military transport of troops and goods. Without wood, the construction of roads, bridges, quays and revetments would not have been possible. Research into construction timber has produced data that sheds light on the logistics of timber exploitation, the distribution of timber and the organisation of construction sites.

10. Author: Katie Mountain, Pre-Construct Archaeology

Co-Author: Marta Alberti, Vindolanda Trust

Abstract of Poster: To be published in May 2022 in print and as a free Open Access download, our co-edited volume aims to project the World Heritage Site (WHS) of Hadrian’s Wall into the future by providing a unique ‘forward-looking’ approach and encouraging a more open, inclusive debate on the Cultural Resource Management of Hadrian’s Wall. The papers discuss critical new issues such as the impact of environmental changes and the innovative technologies used in monitoring and managing the Wall.

This volume highlights not only the ways in which Hadrian’s Wall can be protected for future generations, but also the ways in which it affects the identities of those who work and travel along it. Authors include prominent frontier scholars and excavators, early career researchers, museum curators, living history practitioners, tour guides and business owners – all of whom are vital in the management of the future of Hadrian’s Wall.

11. Author: Ján Rajtár, Archaeological Institute of Slovak Academy of Sciences

Co-Author: Margaréta Musilová, Municipal Monument Preservation Institute, Bratislava

Abstract of Poster: Geophysical prospection of the Iža fort (Slovakia), bridgehead of the Pannonian Brigetio (Hungary). After the Marcomannic Wars, a stone fort in Iža was built, as a bridgehead of Brigetio. Rescue excavations were concentrated on the fortification. The inner build up area was known only from the excavation before the WWI. The georadar prospection brought informations about its structure. Recent sonar surveys in the Danube indicate a Roman bridge construction.

12. Author: Balázs Komoróczy, Institute of Archaeology Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno

Co-Author: Pavla Růžičková, Institute of Archaeology Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno
Co-Author: Marek Vlach, Institute of Archaeology Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno

Abstract of Poster: Mušov – Gateway to the Roman Empire. The poster presents the new Visitor Center at the most important Roman site on the Marcomannian settlement territory, at Mušov-Burgstall, and the current state of presentations of the Roman army on the territory of today’s South Moravia.

13. Author: Jagoba Hidalgo-Masa, Universidad del País Vasco/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea (UPV/EHU)

Abstract of Poster: The Roman conquest of Hispania (218-19 BC) ended with the Cantabrian Wars, between the Cantabrians and the Romans, in which the Basque Country (Iberian Peninsula) played the role of the eastern rearguard, which the empire had to secure, but how did the empire control and organise this rearguard?

14. Author: Piotr Zakrzewski, Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology University of Warsaw

Co-Author: Paweł Lech, Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology University of Warsaw

Abstract of Poster: The poster presents benefits of the re-evaluation of old documentation by applying interdisciplinary methods in multi-layer GIS study of Novae archaeological site. The study resulted in comprehensive recognition of the site’s landscape and helped to determine the sources of changes and possible threats.

15. Author: Sandra Schröer-Spang, Römisch-Germanische Kommission des Deutschen Archäologischen Instituts

Co-Author: Constanze Berbüsse, Römisch-Germanisches Zentralmuseum

Abstract of Poster: On the traces of former scholars– The biographical Informationssystem Propylaeum-VITAE. Propylaeum-VITAE records biographical data, research interests and personal networks of people who have contributed to archaeology and the ancient sciences. The online-database also provides information on archival records as for example records of the Reichs-Limes-Kommission which give insights into the cooperation between various actors at the Limes. Using the example of archaeologists at the Limes, the functions and benefits of this online platform are presented.

16. Author: Tamara Vernimmen, ADC Archeoprojecten

Co-Author: Stephan Mols, Radboud University
Co-Author: Jeroen Loopik, ADC Archeoprojecten

Abstract of Poster: (Em)bedding the Romans. Analizing fragments of a north-western style Roman bed in the vicus of Weerdkampen, Valkenburg North Holland (The Netherlands). Among the well-preserved wooden finds from Weerdkampen (124-315 A.D.), a vicus located near the Limes at Valkenburg North Holland, two pieces really stand out: fragments in oak and boxwood of a bed or couch, made on a lathe. Although the wood may be imported, the style does not breathe ‘Rome’.

17. Author: Brahim M’Barek, Eveha / HALMA-UMR 8164 research centre, France

Co-Author: Nicolas Beaudry, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Canada
Co-Author: Dominic Moreau, Université de Lille / HALMA-UMR 8164 research centre, France

Abstract of Poster: The covered cistern of Zaldapa (Bulgaria): the extramural water supply of a late antique fortress. Excavation on the ramparts of Zaldapa revealed in 2021 a postern and stairs that appear to provide a protected access to an outer cistern below. This poster discusses this extramural water supply in the light of the few examples known from late antiquity.

18. Author: Silvia Bekavac, University of Zadar, Department of Art History

Co-Author: Željko Miletić, University of Zadar, Department of Archaeology

Abstract of Poster: Testimonies of the Legio VIII Augusta in Burnum. The stationing of LEG VIII Augusta vexillatio in Burnum on the Delmatian Limes was logistical preparation for Emperor Trajan’s journey into the 2nd Dacian War. A stationing in Burnum was confirmed by episodes on Trajan’s Column, tombstones and stamps on tegulae.

19. Author: Petya Andreeva, Austrian Archaeological Institute of the Austrian Academy of Sciences

Abstract of Poster: The completed rescue excavation project provides one of the few opportunities to obtain information on the structure, stratigraphic sequence and chronological phases of a large open-air settlement in the hinterland of Novae, bringing to light thought-provoking questions about development of the settlement pattern and its connection with the legionary fortress.

20. Author: Ştefania Dogărel, “Babeş-Bolyai” University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania

Abstract of Poster: Wives, daughters, mothers, mothers-in-law or nieces, all appear in Dacian epigraphy, providing us with a glimpse into the family relations of the soldiers. They mostly lived anonymous lives, usually in the shadow of men; however, their presence is undeniable and proves once more that the army was not isolated from social relations.

21. Author: Rebecca Jones, Historic Environment Scotland

Co-Author: Scott Heron, James Cook University, Australia
Co-Author: Jon Day, James Cook University, Australia
Co-Author: Ewan Hyslop, Historic Environment Scotland

Abstract of Poster: The Antonine Wall: World Heritage Climate Vulnerability.
Climate Change is the biggest threat to World Heritage globally. This will present the results of a Climate Vulnerability Index workshop on the Antonine Wall looking at:

22. Author: Ivana Ozanic Roguljic, Institute of archaeology, Zagreb, Croatia

Co-Author: Angelina Raickovic Savic, Institute of archaeology, Zagreb, Croatia

Abstract of Poster: Vessels with the handle above the opening from Lower Pannonia and Upper Moesia.
In this paper, we will try to determine the function of the specific vessels that have a handle above the opening. Such containers are found in several sites on limes, e.g. Teutoburgium and Viminacium, and in urban and rural sites. During the research of Viminacium, pots with handles that cross the upper side of the rim are found at several locations. In addition to the settlement layers, they are most numerous in the amphitheatre. We distinguish three types of such pots. All are made of medium refined clay in grey or red color. Their outer surface is polished, in the case of grey specimens, and in the case of red ones, it is coated with tones of red slip. Two vessels are found in a well of a rural site (Liskovac near Cibalae). The context of the finds in Viminacium date to 2/3 of the 3rd century, while the context from Liskovac is dated to the end of 1st CE to the beginning of the 2nd CE. The origin of the form can be found in the prehistoric and Hellenistic world, but its function is jet to be established.. The most interesting thing about them is that a great number of them were found in wells, which could mean to us that they could be used to extract water. Using the experiment, data from the excavations, literary sources and ethnographic data, we are going to try to propose the function of those vessels.

23. Author: Amy Baker, Newcastle University

Co-Author: Angelina Raickovic Savic, Institute of archaeology, Zagreb, Croatia

Abstract of Poster: The status of metalsmiths in the Roman provincial army is underconceptualised. This research

Casting the smith in a new light: situating the evidence for smithing in first and second century Roman Scotland in its social context. The evidence for the role and status of metalsmiths in the Roman provincial army is underconceptualised. An analysis of the position of metalworkers in military communities in Roman Scotland in the first and second centuries through the processes of metalworking, the craftsman’s physical space in military settlements, the tools used, and the debris created aimed to correct this.
Prehistoric and early medieval archaeology have embraced social theories of technology, making considerable effort to place the practice of craft, including metalworking, in their social context. These avenues of exploration are underused in Roman archaeology, however, where there tends to be a focus on utilitarian descriptions of craft, and assumptions made about what status and skills those participating in it might have. Critically examining the socio-cultural significance of metalsmiths within military communities in Roman Scotland through the lens of smithing in the early medieval period in northern Europe therefore develops a new theoretical understanding of the position and identity of this figure.
A comprehensive finds database from published excavation reports and basic mapping find that smiths may have different experiences and status within their communities depending on the metals they worked and the spaces in which they operated. These could potentially confer differing levels of control both by and of the smith, and influence, both formal and informal, through public and private spheres. Evidence for ritual dimensions to the role and work of the smith were also potentially identified through space and activity. Although the study is of a limited time span and geographic area, it provides some thoughts for future examination of a figure underrepresented in discussions of the Roman army to date.

24. Author: Esperanza Martin Hernandez, Dolabra,

Co Authors: Felix Teichner, Florian Hermann

Remote sensing and excavation in Villamontán camps

One of the many new areas of the Iberian Peninsula in which Roman military sites have been documented is the camp complex of Villamontán de la Valduerna, where at least seven enclosures of different sizes and orientations have been identified. All of them are next to the Roman via that goes from Asturica Augusta to Bracara Augusta following the Tera River.

The study and understanding of this new type of archaeological sites cannot be addressed by a singular research effort, so a work plan was proposed, which involved the formation of a multidisciplinary team that carried out a series of coordinated studies involving remote sensing, field surveys and archaeological excavations, among others, with the intention of filling the gaps in our current knowledge about this particular Roman site. The work carried out during the 2020 and 2021 campaigns is the logical continuation of other research projects that have studied the Roman conquest of the north of the Iberian Peninsula.

We focus this research on the implementation of several remote sensing protocols, which include surveys through ground-penetrating radar and electromagnetic equipment, the study of LiDAR data, as well as infrared and multispectral imagery and the execution of at least 20 flights through the year to document the differential growth of the vegetation in the area.

Finally, this study ends with several archaeological excavations at various points in the identified enclosures, with the intention of documenting any potential chronological or typological differences, and to collect enough finds of material culture to correctly define these sites and their function in the surrounding area of a major Roman road.

With this communication we intend to assess the scientific contribution of this very specific case, which incorporates modern studies and technologies to the study of an archaeological site from the start, in contrast with a more traditional approach based exclusively on field surveys and excavations.