Fferm Llwydfaen, Dyffryn Conwy 2 Olion: Palu am Hanes
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Transcript
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-Subtitles | 0:00:00 | 0:00:00 | |
-Subtitles - -Subtitles | 0:00:00 | 0:00:02 | |
-My name's Dr Iestyn Jones. Some -of you might know me as an actor. | 0:00:06 | 0:00:10 | |
-I'm passionate -about archaeology and history... | 0:00:10 | 0:00:14 | |
-..which led me -to obtain a doctorate in the field. | 0:00:14 | 0:00:17 | |
-For more than 10 years, I've worked -as a professional archaeologist. | 0:00:18 | 0:00:22 | |
-Throughout this series, I'll visit -sites up and down the country... | 0:00:22 | 0:00:27 | |
-..that have never been excavated -before, to uncover Wales' history. | 0:00:27 | 0:00:32 | |
-In the previous episode, -we travelled to the Conwy Valley... | 0:00:36 | 0:00:40 | |
-..to try and uncover -our lost history. | 0:00:40 | 0:00:43 | |
-This part of Wales, -which is steeped in history... | 0:00:43 | 0:00:47 | |
-..has witnessed ferocious battles -over the centuries. | 0:00:47 | 0:00:51 | |
-The River Conwy -has been a natural border... | 0:00:51 | 0:00:54 | |
-..separating languages, religion, -culture and power over the years. | 0:00:54 | 0:00:59 | |
-It is the starting place -for our story. | 0:00:59 | 0:01:01 | |
-We came here, to Llwydfaen Farm... | 0:01:05 | 0:01:08 | |
-..some two miles from the sea, -on the banks of the River Conwy. | 0:01:08 | 0:01:12 | |
-Why excavate this field? | 0:01:15 | 0:01:17 | |
-There's nothing to see here - -not yet, at least. | 0:01:18 | 0:01:21 | |
-But in 2006, -bald patches appeared... | 0:01:21 | 0:01:24 | |
-..where the sun had scorched -and discoloured the grass. | 0:01:24 | 0:01:28 | |
-Most of the markings -were amorphous... | 0:01:28 | 0:01:31 | |
-..making it hard -to decipher the shapes. | 0:01:31 | 0:01:34 | |
-But one of the shapes -proved very interesting. | 0:01:34 | 0:01:39 | |
-You don't need a degree -to know that this outline... | 0:01:39 | 0:01:43 | |
-..resembles a small church. | 0:01:43 | 0:01:46 | |
-But who built it? | 0:01:46 | 0:01:49 | |
-And why isn't there a record of it? | 0:01:50 | 0:01:52 | |
-One theory is that the Normans -sought to establish a church... | 0:01:52 | 0:01:57 | |
-..on the western banks -of the River Conwy. | 0:01:57 | 0:02:00 | |
-It's believed the Welsh -burnt the church to the ground... | 0:02:00 | 0:02:05 | |
-..before the Normans completed it. | 0:02:05 | 0:02:08 | |
-Careful excavation -has revealed many vital clues. | 0:02:08 | 0:02:12 | |
-A possible Roman object. | 0:02:14 | 0:02:16 | |
-Many iron nails -that have badly rusted. | 0:02:16 | 0:02:19 | |
-A coin... | 0:02:19 | 0:02:22 | |
-..with a clear face. | 0:02:23 | 0:02:24 | |
-But at the end of the fourth day... | 0:02:24 | 0:02:27 | |
-..it all changed when we unearthed -Samian pottery from the Roman era. | 0:02:27 | 0:02:32 | |
-This is the crossing point -of the River Conwy. | 0:02:33 | 0:02:36 | |
-We're at a crossroads -in terms of the dig too. | 0:02:37 | 0:02:40 | |
-We came here, expecting to find -an early medieval church... | 0:02:41 | 0:02:44 | |
-..yet Roman artefacts are being -unearthed from the two trenches. | 0:02:45 | 0:02:49 | |
-It's prompted us to reconsider. | 0:02:49 | 0:02:51 | |
-Could this be -a Roman building at Llwydfaen? | 0:02:52 | 0:02:55 | |
-It's going to be hard work -explaining this remarkable site. | 0:03:02 | 0:03:06 | |
-Thank goodness the local volunteers -are enthusiastic, hard-working... | 0:03:06 | 0:03:11 | |
-..and more importantly, back! | 0:03:11 | 0:03:13 | |
-Having discovered the Samian pottery -and Roman coins... | 0:03:15 | 0:03:19 | |
-..our focus has now shifted. | 0:03:19 | 0:03:21 | |
-It's possible that this building is -much older than a medieval church. | 0:03:21 | 0:03:26 | |
-Instead of digging -for a 12th-century church... | 0:03:27 | 0:03:30 | |
-..we might be uncovering -a building dating back to 200-400AD. | 0:03:30 | 0:03:34 | |
-Despite it being a huge -responsibility, it's very exciting. | 0:03:35 | 0:03:38 | |
-Perhaps the clues are hiding -in the foundations themselves... | 0:03:41 | 0:03:45 | |
-..as well as the artefacts? | 0:03:45 | 0:03:47 | |
-Studying the method used to lay -the foundations may provide clues. | 0:03:47 | 0:03:52 | |
-The mortar and the bonding -are significant. | 0:03:52 | 0:03:55 | |
-I've asked Rhys Mwyn to move from -the first trench to the second. | 0:03:58 | 0:04:03 | |
-He seems to be having fun. | 0:04:03 | 0:04:06 | |
-What we've found here -are iron nails... | 0:04:06 | 0:04:12 | |
-..that have badly rusted. | 0:04:14 | 0:04:16 | |
-What we have here... | 0:04:17 | 0:04:21 | |
-..is a line of burnt clay. | 0:04:21 | 0:04:23 | |
-You can see the orange hue. | 0:04:23 | 0:04:26 | |
-I wonder if this wall -is part of the building? | 0:04:26 | 0:04:31 | |
-That's a question -that needs to be answered. | 0:04:31 | 0:04:34 | |
-We're going to -clean this area carefully... | 0:04:34 | 0:04:38 | |
-..to try and remove this -orange layer that has been burnt. | 0:04:38 | 0:04:42 | |
-The earth will be stored in a bucket -so that it can be analysed. | 0:04:42 | 0:04:47 | |
-Rhys discusses the site with Bill... | 0:04:49 | 0:04:52 | |
-..who has a keen interest -in North Wales slate. | 0:04:52 | 0:04:56 | |
-Now then, Bill... | 0:04:56 | 0:04:58 | |
-..we expected to find a -Norman church when we arrived here. | 0:04:58 | 0:05:02 | |
-An incomplete church -dating back to the 12th century. | 0:05:02 | 0:05:06 | |
-Since we've been here, -we've discovered coins... | 0:05:06 | 0:05:11 | |
-..Roman pottery, and plenty -of these, which are roof slates. | 0:05:11 | 0:05:16 | |
-I'd like to ask your advice. | 0:05:16 | 0:05:20 | |
-Is it possible -that these are Roman roof tiles? | 0:05:20 | 0:05:23 | |
-In my opinion, there's no doubt -that these are Roman slates. | 0:05:24 | 0:05:29 | |
-Some 400 of them -were discovered in Tremadog. | 0:05:30 | 0:05:35 | |
-My wife and I cleaned them. | 0:05:35 | 0:05:38 | |
-A blacksmith -bore a hole for a square nail. | 0:05:38 | 0:05:43 | |
-You're holding some nails there. | 0:05:44 | 0:05:46 | |
-Yes, we found these recently. | 0:05:46 | 0:05:48 | |
-That one looks old, -but the other is in good condition. | 0:05:48 | 0:05:52 | |
-Would that be Roman too? | 0:05:52 | 0:05:54 | |
-Yes. -The blacksmith made square nails. | 0:05:54 | 0:05:58 | |
-We find -small fragments of them during digs. | 0:05:58 | 0:06:01 | |
-When crushed, -you can tell they're square. | 0:06:01 | 0:06:04 | |
-The hole has been bored -underneath the slate and upwards. | 0:06:04 | 0:06:09 | |
-The bored hole is there and -a wooden peg is inserted into it... | 0:06:09 | 0:06:14 | |
-..so that another slate -can lay on top of it. | 0:06:14 | 0:06:17 | |
-But the hole on a Roman slate -has been bored from the top down. | 0:06:17 | 0:06:22 | |
-So they had something to learn. | 0:06:22 | 0:06:24 | |
-Yes, they've learnt a lot from us! | 0:06:24 | 0:06:27 | |
-It changes things if this is -a Roman building with a roof. | 0:06:27 | 0:06:31 | |
-You wouldn't find slates -in an unfinished building. | 0:06:31 | 0:06:35 | |
-It's hardly likely slates would -be added to an incomplete church. | 0:06:35 | 0:06:39 | |
-Without a roof, there's no shelter. | 0:06:39 | 0:06:42 | |
-No, it's an incomplete. | 0:06:42 | 0:06:44 | |
-I'm pleased that Bill -is working with us today. | 0:06:47 | 0:06:50 | |
-It reinforces what we all believe. | 0:06:51 | 0:06:54 | |
-This building had a roof. | 0:06:54 | 0:06:56 | |
-There's no definite proof that -the building had been burnt down... | 0:06:56 | 0:07:01 | |
-..though geophysics suggests that. | 0:07:01 | 0:07:03 | |
-The roof tiles prove -that the structure was complete. | 0:07:03 | 0:07:07 | |
-The way the tiles -had been bored and shaped... | 0:07:07 | 0:07:10 | |
-..allows us to date the building. | 0:07:10 | 0:07:13 | |
-It's very possible -that this is a Roman building. | 0:07:13 | 0:07:16 | |
-Further down the river, there is -more evidence of Roman occupation. | 0:07:20 | 0:07:24 | |
-I've walked a mile south -from our site in Llwydfaen. | 0:07:31 | 0:07:35 | |
-This is Caer Rhun... | 0:07:35 | 0:07:38 | |
-..the ancient Roman fort -of Canovium... | 0:07:38 | 0:07:41 | |
-..that was home to 500 warriors. | 0:07:41 | 0:07:43 | |
-In that direction is Segontium... | 0:07:44 | 0:07:46 | |
-..the principal fort -of Northwest Wales. | 0:07:47 | 0:07:50 | |
-Across the River Conwy -in that direction is Deva, Chester. | 0:07:50 | 0:07:54 | |
-The location of this fort -is situated between the two. | 0:07:55 | 0:07:58 | |
-The building of this fort -began in 75AD. | 0:08:03 | 0:08:06 | |
-Later, at the turn of the second -century, the site was fortified... | 0:08:06 | 0:08:11 | |
-..following a fire. | 0:08:11 | 0:08:13 | |
-It was built from stone, with -sturdy walls and defensive towers. | 0:08:14 | 0:08:18 | |
-The fortification was capable -of withstanding attacks. | 0:08:18 | 0:08:22 | |
-During the 13th century, this church -was built in the corner of the fort. | 0:08:34 | 0:08:38 | |
-Integrated into the wall near -the entrance is a prominent stone. | 0:08:39 | 0:08:43 | |
-Sandstone, carved by hand... | 0:08:43 | 0:08:47 | |
-..bearing the signs of hard labour. | 0:08:47 | 0:08:50 | |
-It's believed that this stone -was originally used in Canovium... | 0:08:50 | 0:08:55 | |
-..and recycled. | 0:08:55 | 0:08:57 | |
-There's a similarity -between this stone... | 0:08:57 | 0:09:00 | |
-..and the stone that was unearthed -in our trench in Llwydfaen. | 0:09:01 | 0:09:05 | |
-I'm leaving Caer Rhun -from the northern gate. | 0:09:05 | 0:09:08 | |
-The Roman road -carries straight on ahead... | 0:09:08 | 0:09:11 | |
-..while the modern path -takes me in this direction. | 0:09:11 | 0:09:15 | |
-The Gwynedd Archaeological Trust -conducted a geophysics study here... | 0:09:15 | 0:09:19 | |
-..showing various buildings -on each side of the road... | 0:09:20 | 0:09:24 | |
-..that were probably -shops and taverns. | 0:09:24 | 0:09:27 | |
-No-one knows for certain -what was here. | 0:09:27 | 0:09:29 | |
-But there was certainly -a neighbourhood here... | 0:09:30 | 0:09:33 | |
-..which archaeologists -refer to as the vicus. | 0:09:33 | 0:09:36 | |
-Along this path, further down -the river and through the vicus... | 0:09:39 | 0:09:43 | |
-..is Llwydfaen. | 0:09:43 | 0:09:45 | |
-But why is our Roman building -outside the fort's walls? | 0:09:46 | 0:09:49 | |
-Why, to all intents and purposes, -does it stand alone? | 0:09:50 | 0:09:53 | |
-I'm here -at the museum in Llandudno... | 0:09:56 | 0:09:58 | |
-..where there's an exhibition of -artefacts unearthed at Caer Rhun... | 0:09:59 | 0:10:03 | |
-..or Canovium. | 0:10:04 | 0:10:05 | |
-1,800 years ago... | 0:10:07 | 0:10:09 | |
-..many of these items were junk. | 0:10:09 | 0:10:12 | |
-Everyday items that had broken. | 0:10:12 | 0:10:14 | |
-Amphora, which were vessels -to hold wine and oil. | 0:10:14 | 0:10:18 | |
-This is an oil lamp -in prime condition. | 0:10:18 | 0:10:21 | |
-There are countless coins. | 0:10:21 | 0:10:24 | |
-Even this piece of glass -has survived. | 0:10:24 | 0:10:27 | |
-This is the pottery -we unearthed at Llwydfaen. | 0:10:28 | 0:10:31 | |
-This is a bowl from Canovium, -which is incredibly similar. | 0:10:33 | 0:10:37 | |
-These simple items belonged -to people who walked these streets. | 0:10:37 | 0:10:42 | |
-They have since become -archaeological treasures. | 0:10:42 | 0:10:46 | |
-Caer Rhun, Canovium... | 0:10:49 | 0:10:51 | |
-..is the only Roman site -in the Conwy Valley. | 0:10:52 | 0:10:55 | |
-Until now. | 0:10:59 | 0:11:01 | |
-. | 0:11:05 | 0:11:05 | |
-Subtitles | 0:11:08 | 0:11:08 | |
-Subtitles - -Subtitles | 0:11:08 | 0:11:10 | |
-Welcome back to Llwydfaen. I'm happy -to welcome a very important visitor. | 0:11:10 | 0:11:15 | |
-Joining me is Dr Toby Driver -from the Royal Commission. | 0:11:16 | 0:11:20 | |
-Toby, you found the site. -Tell me how you found it. | 0:11:20 | 0:11:23 | |
-Every dry summer, and we don't get -that many of them in Wales... | 0:11:23 | 0:11:28 | |
-..we're up in a light aircraft, -looking for new discoveries... | 0:11:28 | 0:11:32 | |
-..as the drought -starts to bite around Wales. | 0:11:32 | 0:11:35 | |
-We came to North Wales -in early July. | 0:11:36 | 0:11:38 | |
-The silage crops -had come off the field... | 0:11:38 | 0:11:41 | |
-..and we were hoping to see -some new discoveries... | 0:11:42 | 0:11:45 | |
-..but not in the Conwy Valley. | 0:11:45 | 0:11:47 | |
-We weren't expecting -anything north of the Roman fort. | 0:11:48 | 0:11:51 | |
-We saw this building perfectly -marked out in the field. | 0:11:51 | 0:11:55 | |
-Extraordinary. The pattern of -a church, the footprint of a church. | 0:11:55 | 0:11:59 | |
-There's a lot of excitement -in the aircraft. | 0:11:59 | 0:12:02 | |
-The pilot gets excited, you get -excited, and you have to focus. | 0:12:02 | 0:12:06 | |
-But big stone buildings coming up -like that in a drought year... | 0:12:07 | 0:12:11 | |
-..are still very rare. | 0:12:11 | 0:12:13 | |
-Occasionally we'll get -a new Roman fort or a Roman villa... | 0:12:13 | 0:12:17 | |
-..but we've never had a lost church. | 0:12:18 | 0:12:22 | |
-I agree with you in terms of the -apse and it looking like a church. | 0:12:22 | 0:12:26 | |
-Now we've excavated it -and all the materials coming out... | 0:12:26 | 0:12:31 | |
-..seem to be of a Roman date, -how do you feel? | 0:12:31 | 0:12:34 | |
-I was planning to come up here... | 0:12:34 | 0:12:37 | |
-..to visit the excavation -of a medieval church... | 0:12:37 | 0:12:40 | |
-..but that story's changed, so I -won't say anything about it now... | 0:12:40 | 0:12:44 | |
-..until we see what the finds say. | 0:12:45 | 0:12:47 | |
-But how interesting... | 0:12:47 | 0:12:49 | |
-..for the people who built this -all those years ago... | 0:12:49 | 0:12:53 | |
-..and did all the engineering -and built this special place. | 0:12:53 | 0:12:58 | |
-It would've been -highly important in its day. | 0:12:58 | 0:13:01 | |
-Now we've got cows grazing over it. | 0:13:01 | 0:13:03 | |
-How does it fall out of memory? -It's an interesting bit of history. | 0:13:04 | 0:13:08 | |
-History right beneath our feet. | 0:13:08 | 0:13:10 | |
-One of the most exciting features -of the site is this pit... | 0:13:11 | 0:13:15 | |
-..outside the building. | 0:13:15 | 0:13:17 | |
-I call it a pit because no-one knows -what it is. Could it be a well? | 0:13:17 | 0:13:22 | |
-This stone, like many others in -the pit, has been cut with a sickle. | 0:13:22 | 0:13:27 | |
-We know the stone -was transported from Cheshire... | 0:13:27 | 0:13:31 | |
-..so this building -would've been very important. | 0:13:31 | 0:13:35 | |
-It has a clay ridge -stretching to the bottom. | 0:13:37 | 0:13:40 | |
-As we dug deeper, more and more -fragments of pottery emerged. | 0:13:40 | 0:13:44 | |
-Some were a considerable size. | 0:13:45 | 0:13:47 | |
-They were -certainly pieces of Roman pots. | 0:13:47 | 0:13:51 | |
-The volunteers were in their -element during the excavation. | 0:13:54 | 0:13:59 | |
-This fragment is a piece -of black decorative pottery... | 0:13:59 | 0:14:03 | |
-..known as black burnished ware. | 0:14:04 | 0:14:06 | |
-It's unequivocal proof -of our building's Roman character. | 0:14:06 | 0:14:10 | |
-Unlike the Samian ware pottery -from France... | 0:14:14 | 0:14:17 | |
-..this black pottery -came from Britain. | 0:14:17 | 0:14:21 | |
-Dorset, more than likely. It's -commonly found on Roman sites. | 0:14:21 | 0:14:25 | |
-Anita Daimond from -Gwynedd Archaeological Trust... | 0:14:28 | 0:14:31 | |
-..has come to visit us today. | 0:14:32 | 0:14:34 | |
-What I find odd... | 0:14:34 | 0:14:37 | |
-..is that -this building stands alone. | 0:14:38 | 0:14:40 | |
-There's nothing obvious -to see around here. | 0:14:41 | 0:14:44 | |
-Yes, that's what's interesting -about this site. | 0:14:44 | 0:14:47 | |
-We know -there are Roman remains in the area. | 0:14:48 | 0:14:51 | |
-We have our own historical record... | 0:14:51 | 0:14:53 | |
-..and within that, -we have spots on the map... | 0:14:53 | 0:14:56 | |
-..showing a Roman fort... | 0:14:57 | 0:14:59 | |
-..situated two miles down the road. | 0:14:59 | 0:15:02 | |
-We also know there are -Roman roads in the vicinity. | 0:15:02 | 0:15:06 | |
-We know they lead from -the north of the fort. | 0:15:06 | 0:15:10 | |
-There's another road -on the other side of the river. | 0:15:10 | 0:15:14 | |
-We think there are Roman roads -in this area... | 0:15:14 | 0:15:17 | |
-..although we haven't yet -discovered them on the ground. | 0:15:17 | 0:15:22 | |
-If you uncover the roads, then -there might be other remains too. | 0:15:22 | 0:15:26 | |
-Finding this building -is a small part of that story... | 0:15:26 | 0:15:30 | |
-..which helps us understand -what went on in this area. | 0:15:30 | 0:15:34 | |
-It's like a jigsaw, -putting all the pieces together. | 0:15:34 | 0:15:38 | |
-Everything we find -will be archived... | 0:15:38 | 0:15:41 | |
-..and it will be available -for everyone to see in the future. | 0:15:41 | 0:15:45 | |
-For centuries, this picturesque area -has witnessed many bloody battles. | 0:15:45 | 0:15:50 | |
-Before Roman occupation, natives had -to build defensive fortifications... | 0:15:50 | 0:15:55 | |
-..to safeguard their territory, -property and families. | 0:15:56 | 0:16:00 | |
-History has taught us that the -Romans never shied away from battle. | 0:16:01 | 0:16:05 | |
-Not by a long way. | 0:16:06 | 0:16:08 | |
-Everyone in this area -would've realized... | 0:16:08 | 0:16:11 | |
-..that the Romans -would try to seize their land. | 0:16:11 | 0:16:15 | |
-We're high above our site -in the Conwy Valley. | 0:16:15 | 0:16:18 | |
-The River Conwy is behind me. | 0:16:19 | 0:16:21 | |
-This is Pen-y-Gaer hillfort. | 0:16:21 | 0:16:23 | |
-During the Iron Age, people lived -here before the Romans arrived. | 0:16:24 | 0:16:28 | |
-It's an -incredibly defensive location. | 0:16:28 | 0:16:31 | |
-There are -obvious ditches and hedgerows. | 0:16:31 | 0:16:35 | |
-A hedge-like structure made of stone -encircles the entire site. | 0:16:36 | 0:16:41 | |
-White quartz stone has been used. | 0:16:42 | 0:16:44 | |
-This hillfort -could be seen from afar. | 0:16:45 | 0:16:47 | |
-At the entrance, -there are chevaux-de-frise... | 0:16:47 | 0:16:51 | |
-..ground defences -of upright, pointed stones... | 0:16:51 | 0:16:55 | |
-..designed to stall those -who attempted to attack the site. | 0:16:55 | 0:16:59 | |
-It's a formidable location. | 0:16:59 | 0:17:02 | |
-The Romans -must have attacked this site. | 0:17:02 | 0:17:06 | |
-A Roman road, which -connects Canovium, Caer Rhun... | 0:17:06 | 0:17:09 | |
-..with Segontium, Caernarfon, -runs past this hillfort... | 0:17:10 | 0:17:14 | |
-..through Bwlch y Ddwy Faen, -where, many years ago... | 0:17:14 | 0:17:19 | |
-..they uncovered a milestone -with 'Canovium' inscribed on it. | 0:17:19 | 0:17:23 | |
-It's now housed -in the Museum of London. | 0:17:24 | 0:17:26 | |
-It's an excellent example -of a Roman milestone. | 0:17:27 | 0:17:30 | |
-Unfortunately, time is against us. | 0:17:30 | 0:17:33 | |
-We must turn our attention -to recording the data. | 0:17:33 | 0:17:38 | |
-Within 24 hours, this site -will be buried once again. | 0:17:38 | 0:17:42 | |
-Though the excavation -has unearthed this building... | 0:17:42 | 0:17:46 | |
-..it must now -be buried for posterity. | 0:17:46 | 0:17:49 | |
-If we were to leave it -exposed to the elements... | 0:17:49 | 0:17:53 | |
-..any evidence found here -would vanish forever. | 0:17:53 | 0:17:56 | |
-Having carefully logged the data... | 0:17:56 | 0:17:59 | |
-..the site will be safeguarded -for future generations... | 0:17:59 | 0:18:04 | |
-..who might come here to excavate. | 0:18:04 | 0:18:07 | |
-We must take photographs, measure -and record every stone, nail... | 0:18:07 | 0:18:11 | |
-..coin and pottery fragment. | 0:18:11 | 0:18:14 | |
-Darryl and Sam, -our geophysics team... | 0:18:14 | 0:18:18 | |
-..must measure the depth of every -ditch and plot their location. | 0:18:18 | 0:18:23 | |
-Some of the finds -will have to be cleaned. | 0:18:23 | 0:18:26 | |
-I'll take -some of the artefacts to experts... | 0:18:26 | 0:18:29 | |
-..in order to date this site. | 0:18:30 | 0:18:32 | |
-I've already sent photographs -of the clearest coin we found... | 0:18:32 | 0:18:37 | |
-..to an expert in Cardiff, and the -response has been very interesting. | 0:18:37 | 0:18:42 | |
-This is the face -of the young emperor Elagabalus... | 0:18:44 | 0:18:47 | |
-..or Marcus Aurelius -Antonius Augustus. | 0:18:47 | 0:18:50 | |
-He died at the tender age of 18. | 0:18:50 | 0:18:53 | |
-At 14, he became emperor of -one of the most powerful empires... | 0:18:53 | 0:18:57 | |
-..the world has ever seen, -in the year 218. | 0:18:57 | 0:19:01 | |
-He reigned for a mere four years. | 0:19:01 | 0:19:03 | |
-Of course, he didn't have a beard -at 14 years of age... | 0:19:04 | 0:19:08 | |
-..but once he matured... | 0:19:08 | 0:19:10 | |
-..the coins were adapted -to depict his maturing face. | 0:19:10 | 0:19:14 | |
-At 18 years of age, Elagabalus -was killed by the Roman army... | 0:19:14 | 0:19:19 | |
-..in a plot -orchestrated by his own grandmother. | 0:19:19 | 0:19:23 | |
-But what about the building itself? | 0:19:26 | 0:19:28 | |
-We've unearthed -its stone foundations. | 0:19:29 | 0:19:32 | |
-We also retrieved -the remains of a slate roof. | 0:19:32 | 0:19:36 | |
-It has an apse, found only -in some Romanesque buildings. | 0:19:36 | 0:19:40 | |
-But what's confusing is that there's -no other building in the vicinity. | 0:19:40 | 0:19:45 | |
-Perhaps this building's secret -can be found further away? | 0:19:57 | 0:20:01 | |
-In Italy, in the stronghold -of this powerful empire... | 0:20:09 | 0:20:13 | |
-..which ruled over vast areas -of Europe, Africa and Asia. | 0:20:14 | 0:20:18 | |
-Rome. | 0:20:18 | 0:20:20 | |
-Housed in a museum -in Vatican City... | 0:20:32 | 0:20:34 | |
-..is a sculpture -of Mithras slaying the bull. | 0:20:35 | 0:20:38 | |
-Mithras was a god worshipped solely -by males in the Roman army. | 0:20:39 | 0:20:43 | |
-The apse is a feature -in many Roman temples. | 0:20:43 | 0:20:47 | |
-Archaeologists discovered Mithraeum -in Segontium, Caernarfon... | 0:20:47 | 0:20:52 | |
-..but nowhere else in Wales. | 0:20:52 | 0:20:54 | |
-Is it a mere coincidence -that our building... | 0:20:55 | 0:20:58 | |
-..is situated a stone's throw -from a fort housing 500 warriors? | 0:20:58 | 0:21:02 | |
-Could Llwydfaen -be the site of a Roman temple... | 0:21:02 | 0:21:05 | |
-..that has been concealed -for more than 1,500 years? | 0:21:06 | 0:21:09 | |
-Or is it -another type of Roman building... | 0:21:10 | 0:21:12 | |
-..that is -completely unique in Wales? | 0:21:13 | 0:21:15 | |
-We came here in search of a -Norman church from the Middle Ages. | 0:21:16 | 0:21:20 | |
-But after all the excavation work... | 0:21:21 | 0:21:24 | |
-..it's evident -that it's a unique Roman building. | 0:21:24 | 0:21:28 | |
-It changes -the history of this area forever. | 0:21:28 | 0:21:32 | |
-But why is it there? | 0:21:32 | 0:21:34 | |
-Why does it stand alone -in the centre of a field? | 0:21:35 | 0:21:38 | |
-There is only one reason for this. | 0:21:39 | 0:21:42 | |
-The river. | 0:21:42 | 0:21:44 | |
-The River Conway holds the key -to Llwydfaen Farm's ancient history. | 0:21:49 | 0:21:55 | |
-From the Roman era -until relatively recently... | 0:21:55 | 0:21:58 | |
-..boats sailed along the river, -past our site, to Canovium fort. | 0:21:58 | 0:22:03 | |
-It's possible there was a harbour -near the Llwydfaen estate. | 0:22:03 | 0:22:07 | |
-Goods were transported along the -river. It was a source of commerce. | 0:22:07 | 0:22:12 | |
-Canovium is situated -next to the only place... | 0:22:13 | 0:22:16 | |
-..where it's possible to cross the -river and rule all access routes. | 0:22:16 | 0:22:20 | |
-If this is a Roman temple... | 0:22:21 | 0:22:22 | |
-..it's consistent -with other examples in Britain... | 0:22:23 | 0:22:26 | |
-..that have been built on -the banks of very important rivers. | 0:22:26 | 0:22:31 | |
-But why does it stand alone? | 0:22:31 | 0:22:33 | |
-Perhaps the river offers a solution. | 0:22:35 | 0:22:38 | |
-Over the years, the river -has flooded its banks many times... | 0:22:38 | 0:22:43 | |
-..to create the river -that exists here today. | 0:22:44 | 0:22:47 | |
-But underneath the metres of earth, -sand and mud on its banks... | 0:22:47 | 0:22:51 | |
-..is the river -still concealing one big secret? | 0:22:52 | 0:22:55 | |
-S4C Subtitles by Adnod Cyf. | 0:23:16 | 0:23:18 | |
-. | 0:23:18 | 0:23:18 |