Iron Age and Roman Trade in Poole
Poole Harbour was an important port during the Iron Age. The remains of two jetties
have been excavated, which must have been used by a large trading and manufacturing
site in the Green Island/Cleavel point area.
Pottery, iron goods and shale jewellery, (particularly bracelets made on a pole lathe,
Kimmeridge shale was a widely distributed material within Britain), would have been
exported to Gaul (France) and possibly the Mediterranean. Goods from Gaul and the
continent would have been imported through this staging area.
Once Gaul had been take over by the Romans there was more intensive trade taking
place over greater distances, with a greater choice of goods too.
Coins from Gaul are good evidence of early cross channel trading. The first coins to be
made in Britain are copies of a coin originally made by the Ambiani, who lived in
Northern Gaul. These early coins were of a large denomination and may not have been
used to pay for goods but perhaps for political or social use. These coins could have
been used as dowries, for example.
Wine from Italy was imported, there have been many amphorae found from the wine
producing areas of Italy. Many of these amphorae have been found at Hengistbury Head
and Green Island in Poole Harbour. Fish sauce and olive oil would have also been
transported in the amphorae. Hengistbury Head was probably a major port of trade in
the earlier first century BC; the earliest fragments of amphorae have been found there,
alongside early metal drinking vessels.
By the time the Romans came to Poole in 43AD, the rising water levels made it difficult
to use the port already established and so the trading area was moved across to
Hamworthy, which had better access. Weymouth was also a Roman Harbour, the site
itself at Radipole Lake, boats being sailed up the river to the lake.
Excavations at Hamworthy have produced Blackware pottery and salt making containers
(briquetage). This may suggest that salt was being made for export and was an
important industry in Roman times. A quern or grinding mill was also excavated. This
was made from a hard rock found from the Rhineland in Germany. It may have been
used by the Roman army, likewise the two coins of the Emperor Claudius and pieces of
red Samian pottery that were also found. Perhaps Hamworthy was used as a supply
base for the Roman fort at Lake, near Wimborne. The roads first set up to move the
Roman army quickly across country became major trade routes – right up to Hadrian’s
Wall. A piece of burnished Blackware from the Durotrigian potters was found on
Hadrian’s Wall. Recognising where a piece of pottery comes from can be done by
examining thin sections of it under a microscope and identifying the minerals etc present
in the original clay. One of the pieces of burnished black ware found on Hadrian’s Wall
was identified in this way – one of the first pieces of pottery to be identified using this
technique when it was in its infancy.