Monument record TR 36 NW 1432 - Four groups of Roman burials - Shottendane Road

Four groups of Roman burials with a total of 24 inhumations and three cremations were recorded during investigations at Shottendane road near Margate. These were located in close proximity to a possible roman routeway. Of these, the burials in Burial Groups 3 and 4 are very well dated to the Early Roman period on the basis of associated grave goods (pottery vessels and/or metalwork). The burials belonging to Burial Groups 1 and 2, however, are less well-dated, with only one inhumation accompanied by a copper alloy bracelet date and several other graves containing iron ails probably deriving from coffins. On this basis it is thought likely that they date to the Late Iron Age to Roman periods, albeit with intercutting graves suggesting they may derive from a fairly lengthy period of funerary activity.
Burial Group 1 consisted of nine graves, laid out on various alignments and including several which were intercutting. Associated human remains were generally fairly poorly preserved, and two of the graves (6910 and 6894) were entirely devoid of bone. In one case however, one of these ‘empty’ graves was cut by a later burial (grave 6912) which produced the remains of two individuals (skeletons 6913 and 6914), one of which is likely to represent the disturbed/redeposited remains of the individual originally interred in the earlier grave. Similarly, grave 6896 contained the remains of two individuals – the partial remains of an individual clearly laid out in the grave (skeleton 6897) and the cranium of a second individual which seems very likely to derive from an earlier grave (6907) cut by this feature (making this cranium – skeleton 6898 - equivalent to/the same individual as skeleton 6908 in grave6907). Where bone was preserved, all of the the burials were laid out in extended supine positions and initial osteological assessment suggests all the individuals represented were adults. Associated artefacts were limited to 22 nails from grave 6896 and two nails and fragment of iron fitting from grave 6891, presumably relating to coffins.
Burial Group 2 was located less than 10m to the north-east of Burial Group 1, and given similarities in the layout and burial rites of these two groups they almost certainly represent the remains of a single cemetery. Burial group 2 consisted of four graves, two of which intercut, all associated with the (generally poorly preserved) remains of individual laid out in an extended supine position. Three of these individuals have been identified as adults and one (skeleton 6924, grave 6922) as a juvenile. One skeleton (6794, grave 6793) was interred wearing a copper alloy bracelet and a second burial (grave 6922) produced two nails and a fragment of iron strip.
Burial Group 3 to the east of Burial Groups 1 and 2, two further inhumation burials and the probable remains of a cremation burial were recorded (Burial Group 3). The two graves were both associated with poorly preserved older juvenile individuals, laid out in extended supine positions. The individual in grave 6900 was accompanied by a pottery vessel dated to the later 1st century AD and four nails were recovered from the grave’s fill. Possible cremation burial 6710 consisted of a shallow, heavily truncated, pit containing the remains of three early Roman pottery vessels. Although no cremated bone was recovered from this disturbed feature, its similarity to the cremation burials in Burial Group 4 (see below) suggest it is very likely to have represented an equivalent interment.
Burial Group 4 In contrast to the mixed alignment and frequent intercutting of the graves in Burial Groups 1 and 2, Burial Group 4 took the form of nine inhumation burials laid out in regularly spaced graves sharing a north-east to south-west alignment. These were accompanied by two cremation burials held in small pits immediately to the south of the inhumation burials. All of the graves held the (variably preserved) remains of single adult individuals, laid out in extended supine positions (Plate 8). Sven of these individuals were accompanied by one or more pottery vessels of Early Roman date and three were associated with Late Iron Age to Early Roman brooches (see Table 2). The two cremation burials each consisted of a pits associated with a pottery urn holding cremated remains, accompanied by other accessory vessels (Plate 9).

(information summarised from source)(1)

<1> Oxford Archaeology, 2026, Shottendane Road, Margate, Kent - Post Excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design (Unpublished document). SKE58858.