BBC2's Digging for Britain Series to Feature Arne Archaeology dig
January 2025
Wessex Archaeology have announced that discoveries made at the Arne Archaeology Dig of a Roman pottery production site will feature in the latest series of BBC Two’s Digging for Britain presented by Professor Alice Roberts.
Arne Archaeology Dig
The episode explores the results of excavations of our excavations for The Moors at Arne project near Poole Harbour. This compensatory habitat scheme is being delivered by Kier on behalf of the Environment Agency and its project partners, RSPB and Natural England.
Throughout 2024, more than 17,000 fragments of pottery, two kilns and the remains of buildings, were discovered all relating to the manufacture of a particular type of Roman pottery called Black Burnished ware.
As the name suggests, Black Burnished ware is a dark, charcoal colour. Jars, bowls and dishes were all made on this site and widely traded across the whole of Roman Britain. Several of the pots discovered within the kilns were found in a near complete state but interestingly many are orange rather than black because the necessary chemical reaction in the clay that would have created the darker colour went wrong during the firing process.
Watch Digging for Britiain to see how Roman Black Burnished Ware was made
The process would have been carried out by skilled potters, but there are still many questions around exactly how they made them. Professor Stuart Prior from Digging for Britain joined experts from Wessex Archaeology and Dorset potter, Bill Crumbleholme at the Ancient Technology Centre in Dorset to build a kiln inspired by those found on site and make Black Burnished ware-like pots to try to answer these questions. This process and the results will feature in the Digging for Britain episode.
Arne discoveries give us a 'fantastic insight' into Roman Pottery Production
Phil Trim, Fieldwork Supervisor from Wessex Archaeology who has been excavating the site said:
We’re gaining fantastic insight into the inner workings of a Roman pottery production site, operating on a significant scale on The Moors at Arne. From the sheer number and variety of the fragments we’ve uncovered and the kilns themselves we’re able to start understanding the processes and the challenges they might have faced achieving that specific Black Burnished ware finish.
Greg Chuter, the Environment Agency Archaeologist leading the programme added:
“This pottery was incredibly popular with the Roman Army and eventually made its way into everyday use and we are looking forward to exploring this site’s role in supplying Roman Britain. As we know from recent experimental archaeology work with the Digging for Britain team, it is a very technical process that highlights the level of skill and control of fire the potters must have had.”
Further research into the pottery, kilns, buildings and the environment will increase understanding of the production of Black Burnished ware in Dorset.
Read our feature a 3000 year old Bronze Age wooden spade discovered at Arne, one of the earliest wooden tools uncovered in the UK!
What is the Moors at Arne Project?
The Moors for Arne project is a major project which hopes to protect the diverse wildlife along the Dorset Coastline from rising sea levels. The project is on 150 hectares of land and will adapt low-lying grasslands into diverse wetlands. The site is home to many rare species of plants and animals and once the project is complete there will be new walking paths to allow visitors to explore the site and enjoy the wildlife.
Read more about the Moors at Arne project at the Dorset Coast Forum website.
