Summary

Circular leather strengthening patch from a tent, from the Roman site at Newstead, 80 - 180 AD

Accession Number

X.FRA 42

Other references

Original description

NEWSTEAD COLLECTION. Circular patch of leather, 3.5 cm. dia., pierced with two holes. SD note, July 1999: Edited from SCRAN full data set. [Scran caption] This leather tent patch was found during excavations at the site of the Roman fort at Newstead in Roxburghshire. It was used to patch and strengthen a tent sometime between 80 and 180 AD. Some of the stitching made to attach the patch to the tent still survives. The Roman army was based in barracks in permanent forts, but on the march soldiers built temporary fortifications each night and slept in leather tents. Many tents were required: men slept eight to a tent, and the army in Scotland was some 15,000 strong. Date: Between 80 and 180 AD. Material: Leather. Dimensions: Diameter: 35 mm.

Associated person/people (e.g. excavator/former collection)

Newstead Collection

Discovery / field collection

Date of discovery

1905

Method (e.g. excavation)

Excavated

Place (i.e. location of discovery)

Newstead, Roxburghshire, Scotland, Northern Europe

Grid reference

Not recorded

Acquisition

Acquisition date

1914

Acquisition source (i.e. name of donor)

Unknown

Acquisition source role (e.g. donor)

Not recorded

Image