KDK Archaeology Ltd

23/10/2024

The remains of a small prefabricated oven structure were found at a Roman site in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire.

The oven was found amongst a number of 2nd century deposits, and close by several other, and much larger kilns. This feature was small and it can be reasonably assumed that it was geared to local or domestic food production, rather than anything on an industrial scale.
The oven comprised a ‘beehive’ shaped dome with an oval opening. The superstructure would have been approximately 0.96mm in diameter, stood at a height of around 95cm and it would have likely have had an arched door and a removable chimney to control airflow and allow smoke to escape if needed.

Reports of similar ovens recovered from Worcester and Chester concluded that these ovens were used to provide street food to the general public and could cook a number of foodstuffs including bread rolls and small amounts of meat.

Here is a technical drawing of the oven and a water colour of what the oven may have looked like. Both drawings were produced by Frances Saxton (Freelance).

17/10/2024

Lunch time at KDK 😋

10/10/2024

Our brilliant osteologist, Laura, is doing a talk on 'What human remains can tell us about archaeology.'

The talk will be held this evening at 7.30 for approximately an hour.

You can register with the link below if you would like to listen. The talk is completely free and done via Zoom.

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16/08/2024

Here is part of a Roman ceramic cheese press. Cheese curds would have been placed within the press and pressure would be applied to exude liquid whey. The liquid would drain out of the small holes in the ridges of the press, then the curds would come together to form a solid cheese. This object was found in the upper layer of a 2nd century ditch from a site in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire.

15/06/2024

A mid to late Roman micaceous greyware bottle found within a pit at a Roman cemetery in St Albans.
The bottle is c.10cm in diameter and the vessel is decorated with grooves at the shoulder and girth and a cordon at the base of the neck.

14/06/2024

The photo shows a Neolithic polished axe head found during ground reduction within a c.1340s former open hall house in Oxfordshire. The axe head is in excellent condition and shows no signs of use indicating the possibility of decorative or ritual use rather than a functional one.

During the medieval period people would find these objects and sometimes bury them within the thresholds of their houses, or hide them within the roof voids as they were believed to have protective and healing powers.

Objects such as this one as were referred to as 'Thunderstones' as it was believed that they had been created by lightning strikes.

13/06/2024

Keep an eye out on our page for more interesting finds.
Have a question about any of our finds? Just ask in the comments section 😎 👍

13/06/2024

A 2nd century Roman jar which has been used to inter the cremated remains of a single adult individual. Radiocarbon dating of the bone produced a date of 7-131calAD (91.4% probability). The urn was recovered from a Strip, Map and Sample investigation in St Albans

30/05/2024

Yesterday we had questions about whether the crotal bell rang and what note it played. Here it is in its full glory and it plays the note F.

29/05/2024

Our historic building assistant is coming on apace!

29/05/2024

After the devastating fire in December 2019, St John’s church in Royston has been completely transformed, with archaeological input from KDK.

29/05/2024

Despite the weather our archaeologists have been hard at work. Found on an excavation in a deserted medieval village in Hertfordshire – a lovely crotal bell with the clapper still attached. It would have been attached to either a horse fitting or the cart or carriage it was pulling to let people know it was coming.