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Arbeia Roman Fort and Museum (Tyne & Wear Museums)
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Arbeia Roman Fort and Museum
Baring Street
South Shields
NE33 2BB
Tyne & Wear
England
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Roman soldiers at Arbeia Roman Fort (Photo: Tyne & Wear Museums)
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Collection details
Archaeology, Coins and Medals, Costume and Textiles, Decorative and Applied Art, Weapons and War
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Contact details
General information (Tel)
:
0191 456 1369
General information (Fax)
:
0191 427 6862
E-mail
:
info@twmuseums.org.uk
Website
:
www.twmuseums.org.uk/arbeia
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Open
Easter-End September
Mon-Sat 1000 - 1730
Sun 1300-1700
October-Easter
Mon-Sat 1000-1600
Closed Sun
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Closed
Closed Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day
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Admission charges
Free entry
Admission charges apply to Timequest: £1.50 adults, 80p children / concesssions
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Description
Four miles east of the end of Hadrian's Wall at South Shields, Arbeia Roman Fort guarded the entrance to the River Tyne. Built around AD160 the stone fort played an essential role in the mighty frontier system. Originally built to house a garrison, Arbeia soon became the military supply base for the 17 forts along the Wall. Today, the excavated remains, stunning reconstructions of original buildings and finds discovered at the Fort combine to give a unique insight into life in Roman Britain.
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Collections description
The Roman excavations at Arbeia have their origins in the 1870s. The finds recovered by the Victorian excavators form the nucleus of the present collection which is one of the largest and most important from Hadrian's Wall. The collection includes coins, engraved gem stones, jet ornaments, seal boxes, imperial sealings, military equipment, including a hoard of swords, brooches, pins and ear-rings. There is also a large collection of pottery ranging from cooking wares to highly decorated tablewares. A rich collection of inscribed stones, altars and graffiti refers to individual people and places as diverse as France, Spain, Iraq and Syria as well as Southern Britain. At Arbeia, modern excavations of the interior of the Fort have taken place but considerable research has also been undertaken in the civilian settlement vicus. This has given us a broad and balanced picture of life at Arbeia during the Roman occupation of the site. Some of the most impressive finds include: Complete Ringmail Suit: This is the best preserved ringmail suit in the country, recovered from a barrack building destroyed in a large fire. Those with sharp eyesight will not only see the individual 7mm links, but also the small 1mm rivets closing the links! Regina tombstone: This shows Regina sitting in a wicker chair with her jewellery box and basket of wool beside her. Regina came from southern Britain and was the slave, and later wife, of Barates from Syria. Victor Tombstone: This shows Victor reclining on a highly decorated couch being served a drink by a slave. Victor came from North Africa and was the slave of a soldier from Spain. Lead Sealings: The Fort has one of the largest collections of lead seals in the country. Some of them show the heads of the Emperor Septimius Severus and his two sons, who almost certainly visited Arbeia when they came to Britain. The sealings were used on official military supplies, perhaps in a similar way to modern customs sealings. Jet Objects: Arbeia has one of the finest collections of Roman jet in the country. The collection includes finger rings, bracelets, beads, an animal head and spindlewhorls.
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Articles
Ancient Roman Pan Offers Valuable Insights At Arbeia Roman Fort
Bidding Hots Up For Top Lots Heritage eBay Auction
Museums And Heritage Sites Auction Off 'Experiences' On eBay With TopLots
Archaeologists Unearth New Finds At Arbeia Roman Fort
Imagine That! Tyne And Wear Collections Go Online
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Trails
Roman Britain Beyond The British Museum's Hadrian Exhibition
The Northernmost Frontier of the Roman Empire
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General Information
Brochure or leaflet available with directions to museum
Pre-booking service for groups
Information point provided
Guided tours
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Collections
General guide to collections available
Specialist publications on collections available
Object identification and/or written enquiry service
Object study facilities available (enquire in advance)
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Disability Access
Events/teaching/resources for people with disabilities
Induction loops in exhibition spaces
Large print information and/or interpretation
Toilets for disabled
Wheelchair access to some public areas
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Children and Families
Activities for pre-school children
Events and resources for children and families
Gardens open to public
Picnic area
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General Education
Academic publications and resources available
Adult lectures and courses held
Education facilities available
Loan service
Member of staff available with responsibility for education
Reception and lunch facilities for educational groups
Teaching/resources available for HE/FE students
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Schools Education
Direct teaching services for schools
Primary school education service available
Printed/audio-visual information available for schools
Secondary school education service available
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Facilities
Gardens open to public
Object study facilities available (enquire in advance)
Picnic area
Research facilities for academics
Shop
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Copyright © 24 Hour Museum
Information published here was believed to be correct at the time it was prepared. Welsh language pages developed with CYMAL: Museums Archives and Libraries Wales, funded by the Welsh Assembly Government.
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