Summary

Column impost of red sandstone, roughly finished, with a relief carving of a boar, from the Roman site at Newstead, Roxburghshire, 80 - 180 AD

Accession Number

X.FRA 1604

Other references

Original description

NEWSTEAD COLLECTION. Block of red sandstone 2 1/2 ft x 1'7" x 1 1/4 ft. roughly chamfered (? impost), diamond dressing, lewis hole, and boar in relief sides. (Pit I). p. 144 and 48. [Scran caption] CAPITAL (DETAIL) FROM NEWSTEAD, ROXBURGHSHIRE Ref: X.FRA 1604. INTRODUCTION - A capital is the top of a column. This is a detail of a carving on a sandstone capital supporting an arch, found at the site of the Roman fort at Newstead in Roxburghshire. It dates from between 80 and 180 AD. DESCRIPTION - A boar has been carved in relief on the roughly finished capital. The boar was the emblem of the 20th Legion which was stationed at Newstead. BACKGROUND - Most buildings within Roman forts were built of timber with wattle and daub walls. Stone was used, however, for important buildings and the bath house. The Roman army also introduced a range of new materials such as plaster, mortar and cement. DETAILS - Date: Between 80 and 180 AD. Material: Stone (sandstone). Dimensions: Length of capital: 67.0 cm. REFERENCES - Curle, J. A Roman frontier post and its people: the fort of Newstead. Glasgow: MacLehose, 1911, 144.

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

Not recorded

Acquisition source (i.e. name of donor)

Unknown

Acquisition source role (e.g. donor)

Not recorded

Image