The 2.6ha Roman fort at Hod Hill dates to c AD 44-52. It reused the N and W ramparts of the hillfort and was defended on its S and E sides by a rampart and 3 ditches

Excavations in 1951-8 revealed much of the internal structure

#HillfortsWednesday
It was thought the Roman army built a fort on Hod Hill after laying siege to the Iron Age hillfort (as shown in this excellent reconstruction painting © Nick Skelton @nationaltrust)

Now it seems the hillfort was abandoned a good century before the Romans

#HillfortsWednesday
Excavations at Hod Hill found iron projectiles from a Roman ballista. Ian Richmond thought these had been fired into the hillfort during a siege. It seems more likely they were fired from the Roman fort during catapult practice

Ballistae © Mariusz Kozik

#HillfortsWednesday
The most striking features on our geofiz of Hod Hill are the 10-15m diameter Iron Age roundhouses which are so densely packed that they often overlap

Some are set within enclosures. All cluster alongside a road system that branches out from the NE gate https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="😍" title="Lächelndes Gesicht mit herzförmigen Augen" aria-label="Emoji: Lächelndes Gesicht mit herzförmigen Augen">

#HillfortsWednesday
The so-called chieftain’s hut at Hod Hill #Dorset which was thought had been the target of a Roman artillery attack, was not the largest enclosed house built inside the hillfort as the geophysical survey shows

Sometimes we spend hours looking at this plot https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="😊" title="Lächelndes Gesicht mit lächelnden Augen" aria-label="Emoji: Lächelndes Gesicht mit lächelnden Augen">

#HillfortsWednesday
Tantalising close ups of our geophysical survey inside Hod Hill

An Iron Age roundhouse with gulley, internal post ring, storage pits, hearth and SE facing entrance

A section of road bordered by rows of 4 post structures - (possibly granaries)

#HillfortsWednesday #LoveGeofiz
Hod Hill #Dorset for #HillfortsWednesday:

The view to the North of the Iron Age ramparts to the Iwerne Valley and the view NW to the River Stour

Proper lovely https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="😍" title="Lächelndes Gesicht mit herzförmigen Augen" aria-label="Emoji: Lächelndes Gesicht mit herzförmigen Augen">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="😍" title="Lächelndes Gesicht mit herzförmigen Augen" aria-label="Emoji: Lächelndes Gesicht mit herzförmigen Augen">
More of Hod Hill #Dorset for #HillfortsWednesday https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🤩" title="Vom Star geblendet" aria-label="Emoji: Vom Star geblendet">:

the northern bivallate ramparts of the hillfort looking East;

the Eastern circuit of the Roman fort where it intersects with the Iron Age earthworks;

the Southern inner scarp with quarry pits
Gates that pierce the circuit of Iron Age ramparts on Hod Hill in #Dorset:

the Steepleton Gate (Iron Age) in the NE;

the Water Gate (Roman) in the NW;

the Home Gate (medieval) in the SE

Happy #HillfortsWednesday everyone !
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