ARCHAEOLOGISTS excavating

Ipplepen’s multi-period settlement

site have made a series of

startling and exciting discoveries.

The team from Exeter University

have been hard at work digging away

with their trowels again this year –

following successful digs over the

last few years.

It was originally thought that people

only lived on the site during the Roman

period – but now the archaeologists

have discovered the settlement was

founded in 4th century BC – 400 years

before the Roman invasion.

The revelation came through radiocarbon

dating analysis which was of

burials and charcoals discovered by the

archeologists back in 2015 and 2016.

While excavating two wells filled

with domestic rubbish the team

unearthed some exotic pottery.

The pottery indicates the people who

occupied the site had a taste for the

finer things in life.

The type of pottery unearthed was

apparently used for storing some

Mediterranean delights including olive

oil and wine.

Also discovered in the well was a

shard of glazed Roman pottery –

believed to be part of a cup made in the

London area.

Never before in the West Country

has a piece of this particular pottery

been found.

A granary was also found during the

excavation, suggesting the people who

lived on the site were into farming,

along with evidence of metal works,

showing industrial work may have

taken place.

The site where the excavations have

been taking place was discovered by

two metal detectorists 10 years ago.