Medieval treasures uncovered – from the sludge of a London cesspit

A Mola archaeologist records the medieval cesspit uncovered in 

the basement of the Courtauld. 

Photograph: Mola

Forks, pendants and wine jugs shine a light on city life in the Middle Ages

It is said that one person’s trash is another’s treasure. The discovery by archaeologists of a huge cesspit containing medieval artefacts under one of London’s finest historic buildings is proving the case.

Up to 100 objects, largely dating from the 14th and 15th centuries, have been retrieved from sticky, greenish sludge in a four-metre-deep pit beneath the Courtauld Institute of Art at Somerset House.

The haul includes pottery drinking vessels and tableware, along with a rare Penn floor tile – a favoured decorating material for palaces and monastic sites – and a range of metalwork pieces, including an iron spur, a finger ring, a belt buckle, a bone-handled fork and a pendant. There is also a thick chain, which might once have been attached to a candlestick. Although discarded, many of these objects are virtually intact.

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