An Analysis of Insects from Roman Vindolanda
MLitt Researcher: Katie Wyse Jackson
Supervisor Dr Rob Sands
Abstract:
Archaeoentomology, or insect analysis, offers valuable insights into the living conditions of people in the past. Insect remains that have been preserved, often through anaerobic waterlogging, can inform on factors such as food sources, waste disposal, hygiene, storage, trade, and the surrounding environment. The Roman site of Vindolanda, just south of Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland, has been the focus of extensive excavation and research. A considerable amount of the archaeological material within the site’s successive forts is anoxically waterlogged, resulting in the preservation of organic materials such as wood and leather. These conditions make Vindolanda an ideal site for insect analysis.
This project outlines an archaeoentomological analysis of samples from a small room within the Period III fort at Vindolanda (AD 100 to 105). The space was extensively sampled for insect extraction, identification, and analysis to understand better the use of the room within the early fort, and the conditions under which people lived during this time. Insects extracted include beetles (order Coleoptera), flies (order Diptera), fleas (order Siphonaptera), and true bugs (order Hemiptera). Through identification and statistical analysis of the species extracted from the samples, information about the living conditions at Vindolanda will be ascertained. Additionally, by examining imported species and pests of various products found in the material, the place of Vindolanda within the wider trade and movement networks of Roman Britain can be explored. Without archaeoentomological analysis, this easily overlooked form of biological evidence would be lost, along with the crucial insights the remains provide into the daily lives of Vindolanda’s inhabitants.