WCIT MONITOR Issue 68 May 2016 | Page 8
MONITOR
FELLOWSHIP
Mithras talk
Museum
of London Archeology Talk
Recent finds at the Temple of Mithras site
in Walbrook, London
Contributed by Liveryman Tim Rhodes, Secretary to the Events Panel
A
well-attended presentation at the WCIT
Hall in February 2016 was given by
Sophie Jackson, a Project Manager at
Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA).
Since 2010 she has been coordinating
archaeological work associated with the new
Bloomberg London development.
©mola.org.uk
Sophie gave a fascinating and often amusing
talk about London in AD 240 (illustrated with
both slides and some examples of finds), and
about the original temple of Mithras discovery,
the proposals for a new reconstruction of the
temple on the site and the wonderful finds from
the 2012 excavation.
She also described how IT is increasingly key
in archaeological recording and analysis and is
revolutionizing how the past is recorded.
As part of the educational work of MOLA the donations of
£135, kindly donated from the attendees of the evening,
have been granted to MOLA by the WCIT Charity towards
the purchase of a tablet to demonstrate digital analysis and
recording in archaeology, as part of the mobile education lab
“Time Truck” - to be taken to schools and communities. A
wonderful bonus of the evening and thank you to all those
who donated.
The Bloomberg London site is hugely important for the
history of London; in 2012, in advance of construction for the
new Bloomberg building, MOLA was allowed to work on the
site to excavate and record archaeological deposits
alongside remains of the lost Walbrook River. The wet
ground created perfect conditions for the survival of
archaeological material and some 10,000 finds were made.
This included objects and structures made of wood and
leather, which rarely stand the test of time, leading
archaeologists to dub it ‘the Pompeii of the north’. The result
is an extraordinary glimpse into life in bustling Roman
Londinium.
Top: Photo [©Mola] - The original Temple of Mithras dig in 1954 and
below this is Sophie Jackson showcasing some of the artefacts found at
the site.
Thanks are due to WCIT Freeman Maggie Berry who organised
the Presentation and to the Hall staff for providing support.
For more information about the Temple of Mithras at the
Bloomberg London site please visit the MOLA website at:
www.mola.org.uk/
Save the Date!!....
20th July
WCIT Charity Golf Day
Page 8
4th May 2017
WCIT 25th Anniversary
Dinner at Guildhall