The Enigma of the Dark Earth

Dark Earth is a horizon often as much as 2 - 3 ft thick which covers Roman remains in London and other Roman Cities. The strata (Archaeology) underlying the dark earth is often of a date varying from the 2nd to the 5th Century, and the strata overlying is often, in the city of London, 9th Century. The Dark Earth has little evidence of any structural activity in it or even of horizons, although tip lines are sometimes seen.

The material is not particularly organic, it has bits of brick and tile in it. It probably represents vacant lots on the edge of urban centres and in London is evidence of the decline of Londinium's population.

However, some people, the minority I believe, think it is reworked urban stratigraphy, maybe timber and earth floors reworked by worm action. They would argue that Cemetaries around London do not show a population decline compared with early London.

A bibliography on the subject was compiled by Pete Clark and circulated on Britarch on the 13 October 2006.

It can be seen here

http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?A2=ind0610&L=britarch&D=1&T=0&O=D&F=P&P=41976

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