PLANT REMAINS FROM CHURCH CHARE, CHESTER-LE-STREET, 1990-91 (CC90)

Bulk samples were taken from excavations inside the officers' quarters of the Roman fort of Congangis at Chester-Le-Street, County Durham. Strategic problems with adverse weather led to poor flotation on-site and possible loss of information. Few plant remains were recovered although this is not thought to be primarily a result of those strategic problems. Wheat and barley were used by the Romans but there was no evidence of cereal chaff. The weed seeds were primarily from ruderal species and were considered to represent locally growing vegetation. Waterlogged preservation occurred only in one pit, dated to the 17th century although with some residual Roman pottery. Its assemblage indicated some faecal material but also general deposition of rubbish and possibly, also, a pit that was in the open. This site is compared with others from the same town and found to be very similar.