Los arqueólogos encontraron 11.500 fragmentos de vasijas de barro, un centenar de monedas y numerosas joyas, entre ellas un brazalete de oro de la Edad de Bronce, además de tumbas con restos humanos y una calzada de la época romana.

Fuente: EFE, Londres | La Razón.es, 17 de noviembre de 2010

Todos esos objetos, en su mayoría de casi dos milenios de antigüedad, estaban sepultados a sólo medio metro por debajo de la superficie del terreno.

Uno de los veteranos del equipo de arqueólogos, Jo Lyon, dijo que habían tenido mucha suerte de descubrir tantos restos arqueológicos a tan poca profundidad.

Esos objetos son un valioso y raro documento de la vida diaria en una aldea agrícola en las afueras de Londinium, nombre por el que se conocía a esta capital en la época romana.

Las excavaciones comenzaron en 2008, pero hasta ahora no se han dado a conocer esos descubrimientos.


Por ese lugar pasaba además una de las más importantes calzadas romanas: la que unía a Londinium con la ciudad de Silchester y con un antiguo afluente del Támesis.

El duque de Northumberland, cuya familia reside en el parque de Syon desde hace más de cuatrocientos años, comentó sobre el hallazgo arqueológico que ese parque ocupa "un lugar destacado" en la antigua historia británica.

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Archaeologists find Roman settlement in west London

Roman burial sites, coins and jewellery found at listed site in Syon Park

By Press Association | guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 17 November 2010 08.04 GMT

A Roman settlement brimming with ancient artefacts and human remains has been unearthed on a building site in west London, it was revealed today.

Archaeologists excavating the listed site in Syon Park made the discovery of more than 11,000 Roman items just half a metre below the surface.

They were digging on the plot of land ahead of the construction of a hotel which will open on the outskirts of the historic Syon Park estate in 2011.

Around 11,500 fragments of pottery, 100 coins and jewellery were uncovered by the experts from the Museum of London Archaeology, along with burial sites containing human remains and a Roman road.

Jo Lyon, a senior archaeologist at the museum, said: "We were extremely fortunate to discover such a comprehensive repertoire of Roman finds and features so close to the surface. They tell us a great deal about how the people of this village lived, worked and died.

"The archaeology at Syon Park has given us a valuable, rare insight into the daily life of an agricultural village on the outskirts of Londinium [London] that would have supplied the Roman city and provided shelter for travellers passing through.

"It helps us build a picture of the Roman landscape and shows how the busy metropolis of Londinium connected with the rest of Roman Britain."

The excavations at the Grade I listed site near Brentford were conducted in 2008, but the discoveries have only now been revealed.

Archaeologists said the Roman settlement had remained remarkably undisturbed for almost 2,000 years and was of local and national significance.

The site revealed a section of one of Roman Britain's most important roads, linking Londinium with the Roman town of Silchester and an ancient tributary of the Thames.

The artefacts found included two shale armlets, fragments of a lava quernstone and a late bronze age (1000-700BC) gold bracelet.

Waldorf Astoria, which is building the new hotel, hopes to display some of the historic finds there.

The Duke of Northumberland, whose family has held residence at Syon Park for more than 400 years, said it had a rich and remarkable history.

"The Roman findings are an incredible addition to this legacy and emphasise Syon Park's place as a prominent landmark in ancient British history," he said.