During the installation of an underground substation in the center of Exeter, archaeologists found Roman pottery and human remains, shedding new light on Exeter's historical legacy.
The project involved excavation to a depth of almost three meters, allowing archaeologists to comb through strata that had been undisturbed for centuries.
"We found Roman pottery representing the legacy of the former regional capital city, Isca Dumnoniorum, and an early medieval fired clay weight," said Simon Hughes, an archaeologist involved in the excavations, according to BBC News.
"The recovery of some dislocated human bone is hoped to represent the remains of Exeter's early medieval citizens," said Hughes. "These are currently being analyzed to provide a radiocarbon date. The results from these are eagerly awaited and are hoped to fit into the fascinating narrative of Exeter's medieval development," he added.
"In this location, it would have been adjacent to an evocative backdrop that included the ruins of Roman townhouses, the establishment of an Anglo-Saxon monastery in the 7th century, and latterly a late 9th or early 10th century minster church, now replaced by the current cathedral," said Hughes.
"It was an interesting and challenging project which took a year to plan," said Matt Orr, the project leader, according to ITV News.
"It has not only added extra capacity to the local network but has made it more resilient for customers with new fault-finding technology installed to trace problems quickly and restore power faster," said Orr, as reported by BBC News. The engineering work is expected to benefit about 300 customers.
This article was written in collaboration with generative AI company Alchemiq