Romans at Rame

Following on from a previous posting on Roman occupation in the area, I was interested to read in the paper on 24th July about a gold Roman artefact that was found in a field at Rame. Maker means 'old ruin' and this has always been taken to mean that a Roman villa or other building once stood in the area at an unknown location. If this is the case, then there will be many other Roman artefacts still unfound remaining in the area. The article referred to metal detectorist, Craig Budding, who was digging in a field on the Rame Peninsula. The item found was a gold pestle which may have hung around the owner's neck as a sign of fertility. It is thought to date somewhere between the first and fourth century. Anna Tyacke, the Royal Cornwall Museum Finds Liaison Officer, suggested, 'The pestle could have been used with a mortar to grind cosmetics which would have been smeared on the body as an aid to fertility.' It's a very interesting item and there must be many more such items like this to be found. If you're taking a walk around the Rame Peninsula, especially if you're crossing any ploughed fields, then keep your eyes open. You never know what you might find!