'Entire streets' of Roman London uncovered in the City
An archaeological dig in the heart of the City "will transform our understanding" of Roman London, experts claim.
About 10,000 finds have been discovered, including writing tablets and good luck charms. The area has been dubbed the "Pompeii of the north" due to the perfect preservation of organic artefacts such as leather and wood. One expert said: "This is the site that we have been dreaming of for 20 years." Archaeologists expect the finds, at the three-acre site, to provide the earliest foundation date for Roman London, currently AD 47.
The site will house media corporation Bloomberg's European headquarters. It contains the bed of the Walbrook, one of the "lost" rivers of London, and features built-up soil waterfronts and timber structures, including a complex Roman drainage system used to discharge waste from industrial buildings. Organic materials such as leather and wood were preserved in an anaerobic environment, due to the bed being waterlogged.