Iron Age olives and pampered pets

Ongoing excavations at Silchester, Hamps. (CA 250) have uncovered the first evidence that Britain’s inhabitants were enlivening their meals with Mediterranean flavours before the Roman conquest – including Britain’s first Iron Age olive. Previously it was believed that only liquids such as olive oil and wine were imported across the Channel in the Iron Age. But now University of Reading archaeologists have found celery and coriander seeds – used as seasoning – and an olive stone at the bottom of a late Iron Age well, all pre-dating AD 43.