Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

During excavations at the Bingo Hall site in 1976 a broken Box-voussoir tile was recovered from within an area of Roman and later material which had been re-deposited in the Anglo Saxon period. The tile was clearly inscribed before firing and it depicts a charging bull with the letters TAVRI above. (location accurate to the nearest 10m based on available information).

Monument Types

• FINDSPOT (incsribed box-voussoir tile, Roman - 117 AD? to 210 AD?)

Associated Finds

• TILE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)

Full description

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(summarised from publications)

During excavations at the Bingo Hall site in 1976 a broken Box-voussoir tile was recovered from within an area of Roman and later material which had been re-deposited in the Anglo Saxon period. The tile was clearly inscribed before firing and it depicts a charging bull with the letters TAVRI above. The image and the inscription correspond with the latter describing the former, either this is a reference to bull or bulls, or more likely a cognomen TAURUS. It is highly likely that it would have formed part of the hypocaust situated beneath the floors of the Roman mansio or Painted House complex. (1-2)

<1> Brian Philp, The Discovery and Excavation of the Roman Shore Fort at Dover, Kent (Monograph). SKE32061.

<2> Wendy Williams, 1976, Kent Archaeological Review: The Inscribed Bull. Vol 45 (Article in serial). SKE31823.

Sources and further reading

Related records