In 1992 one of the largest urban digs in the capital revealed the site of the ancient Roman amphitheatre lying underneath the yard of the medieval Guildhall in the City of London.
The exceptional site also uncovered thousands of finds, revealing insight into life and entertainment in Roman London and occupation through to the post-medieval period. Today the outline of the amphitheatre is marked with a black circle on the paving of the courtyard in front of the Gallery and thousands flock to see the remains that are preserved and beautifully interpreted in the basement of the Guildhall Art Gallery.
Some 2340 boxes and tens of thousands of bags of small finds were filled during the excavation. These are now stored at the London Archaeological Archive and Research Centre (LAARC), across 157 shelves and over 4 bays. A selection of the items is on display in the Guildhall and in the Museum of London’s Roman Gallery.
