A recent study by Dr. Ellen Green, published in the International Journal of Paleopathology, has revealed new insights into one of the most significant discoveries of ritual animal deposits in Roman Britain. The excavation at the former Animal Husbandry Center of Nescot College in Ewell, Surrey, produced evidence of an ancient Roman quarry pit that had been repurposed as a ritual shaft. The site contained a staggering 5,436 dog remains, at least 140 individual canines, and is considered one of the biggest dog assemblages ever excavated from the Romano-British period.
It raises interesting questions about how the dogs were valued spiritually and religiously in ancient Britain. Dogs were significant in both Roman and Romano-British life as hunting companions, livestock guardians, and faithful companions. Roman Britain was renowned for its hunting dogs to the extent that they were noted by the Greek geographer Strabo as among Britannia’s valuable exports. But beyond their practical uses, dogs also held symbolic and religious significance. They were associated with deities such as Pluto, the god of the underworld, and Hecate, the goddess of witchcraft and the moon, and were typically depicted as spectral hounds guiding souls to the underworld.
The Nescot site, excavated in 2015 by Pre-Construct Archaeology, revealed a 4-meter-deep oval shaft from the late first and early second centuries CE. The shaft consisted of three phases of use. The first two phases contained the majority of the faunal remains, human remains, coins, pottery sherds, and gaming tokens, reflecting a significant ritualistic component. The third phase showed a decline in deposits and further evidence of butchery, which suggests a shift from ritual use to consumption.
Analysis of the bones by Dr. Green suggests that the dogs were well-cared-for companions and not stray ones. A few of them bore evidence of old age, including spondylosis deformans (a spinal degenerative condition) and ossified costal cartilage (the hardening of rib cartilage). This suggests that they lived very long lives before burial in the shaft. Some of the dogs suffered from chondrodysplasia, a genetic disorder causing short limbs, similar to modern corgis. Possession of smaller companion-type dogs aligns with historical evidence of Romans having pet dogs similar to modern Maltese.
“The Romans had specific guidelines regarding which types, colors, ages, and sexes of animals were appropriate for sacrifice to different deities,” Dr. Green explained in her paper. “It is highly plausible that these dogs were chosen based on such ritualistic criteria.”
The discovery of human remains within the shaft, alongside the dog burials, adds further mystery. Human sacrifice in Roman Britain is still debated, but the combination of faunal and human deposits suggests the site held deep religious meaning.
The similarities to other Romano-British ritual shafts suggest that animal offerings were part of religious activities, but the volume of dogs recovered at Nescot sets it apart. Over time, the role of the shaft shifted. By the early second century CE, it was abandoned, suggesting a shift in religious or cultural practice.
Dr. Green’s research presents a compelling story of ritual, respect, and the close connection between humans and animals in ancient Britain.
