Arbeia Roman Fort volunteers unearth ancient artefacts

The ring had a key attached for a lady's jewellery box

Ancient Roman artefacts have been unearthed by volunteers carrying out a dig at a Roman fort in South Shields.

A ring, a complete Roman pot and a soldier's boot sole were found near the south-west corner of Arbeia Roman Fort as part of a community project.

The team, which was excavating the site as part of the WallQuest project, also unearthed a 7m (23ft) wide defensive ditch close to the fort's wall.

Project manager Nick Hodgson said the finds provide "priceless information".

The Arbeia pot, which is patterned with scales, is believed to have been made near Peterborough in the 3rd Century AD.

Mr Hodgson said it would have been a "prized part" of a Roman dinner service until it broke and was thrown into a ditch as "rubbish" in about AD 250.