The lead pig in situ [Credit: Wrexham Council]
Posted on 06/28/2020 3:51:42 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
The object found was a large lead ingot or 'pig' (about half a metre long, weighing 63 kilograms). The 'writing' reported by Mr Jones was a cast Latin inscription confirming that it was Roman and about 2,000 years old... The exploitation of Britain's natural resources was one of the reasons cited by Roman authors for the invasion of Britain by the Emperor Claudius in AD 43... Lead ore or galena contains silver as well as lead, and both were valuable commodities for the Romans. Less than a hundred lead ingots of this type are known from the mines of Roman Britain... The rare find is particularly significant for archaeologists and historians because of its potentially early date, the location of the find spot, and because of its unique inscription... Lead was mined and processed in several areas of the new province including in north-east Wales where lead processing sites have been excavated near Flint, presumably smelting ores extracted from the nearby Halkyn Mountain... The inscription appears to mention one Marcus Trebellius Maximus, who was the governor of the province of Britannia under the Emperor Nero from AD 63-69.
(Excerpt) Read more at archaeologynewsnetwork.blogspot.com ...
The lead pig in situ [Credit: Wrexham Council]
Was probably destined to carry drinking water.
A great book by Lindsey Davis about the lead and silver mines in England during the Vespasian-era Roman Empire, and smuggling stolen mined silver by disguising it as lead pigs ...
Re; Oak Island, they traced the lead cross lead back to France (1200 to 1600 AD)
Thanks, looks like something I'd got on audiobook.
Smacked that horse on the ass with his last dying gasp. That’s how the ingot got inlost lost.
I’m rather curious how the bar didn’t oxidize and maintained the outer markings. That’s rather remarkable, like that other bar that was found which had perfect markings on it too, oddly enough.
Agree
I’ve seen a few lead bars, relatively young, gray and oxidized.
Tin in the alloy will help, though.
This pig was so heavy, it didn’t fly.
“I’m rather curious how the bar didn’t oxidize and maintained the outer markings. That’s rather remarkable, like that other bar that was found which had perfect markings on it too, oddly enough.”
I was wondering that too. Especially in Wales. Kind of wet there.
If I understand the theory right, silver in the bars would supposedly act like tin, but even that will oxidize quickly in terms of being underground for 2,000 years. Found in farmland too; I’ve pulled up a lot of minie balls and round ball from farmland, ain’t never came across an example that’d hold such a pattern.
Lead hardened with Linotype also oxidizes over time.
Please remove me from this list
I will guess lead glaze. The Romans lead glazed their pottery.
Fake discovery.
Maybe the silver content, plus the moisture.
Historically, that also happened in the medieval Scandinavian city of Dah. That's why there was always a Hog in Dah.
I love that one guy's hat.
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