Analysis of a Roman roadside settlement along the VCA

The "Institut für Archäologien, dep. Klassische und Provinzialrömische Archäologie" of Innsbruck University excavated parts of a recently discovered Roman settlement in the course of longterm research along the Roman state road Via Claudia Augusta, which led from the Adriatic Sea across the alps to the Danube. The site is located in Tyrol in the Gurgltal Valley at Strad (municipal district of Tarrenz) 7 kilometres northeast of Imst (ancient Humiste). In Roman times this region was part of the province Raetia. Since the settlement lies directly beside the road, the function must be connected with transportation itself. According to the current state of research the interpretation of the settlement as a coaching inn belonging to the cursus publicus, as villa rustica, rural vicus or mining settlement is unlikely because of topographical and economic reasons. The most obvious explanation of the Roman site`s construction appears as a privately managed guest inn. This site proves to be of significant interest, because on the one hand the principal purpose is evident and assigned to transportation and on the other hand privately managed guest inns are a desideratum in research. Both the thesis and the site will gain in significance considering that no comparable place in the mountainous East Alpine region is known to date. The site at Strad is of particular importance again, because it`s the only Roman excavated settlement (except the site of Biberwier) within a radius of 50 to 100 kilometres. Important results may be expected from the analysis of ceramics, because the spectrum shows an overwhelming und unusual percentage of fine wares and especially Samian ware. In the course of the project we aspire to explore the chronological development of the settlement. The analyses of archaeozoological and paleobotanical relics will be essential for details of supply and alimentation (producers or consumers of food, practices of harvesting). The examination of charcoal-samples shall give information about practices of wood selection for firing. Additional to archaeozoological and paleozoological research the analysis of the small finds, the definition of the site`s outline dimension and building constructions may give information about the inhabitants` socio-economic background. The planned research provides an opportunity to highlight transportation in Roman times in the Tyrolean mountains and the expected results may give new advice concerning Roman transportation and road infrastructure, which will be essential for further investigations in the field.

In 2007-2008 and 2010-2011 there were arranged archaeological excavations in Gurgltal (Strad) in the district of Imst, which examined the remains of a Roman settlement along the Via Claudia Augusta in Tyrol , which provided many new insights into the infrastructure on the Roman road . The archaeological structures (postholes and foundation beams, an oven and a hearth), extending on both sides of the ancient road, belong to small roadside settlement. The material includes numerous fragments of cups and plates, coming from many parts of the Roman Empire (for example Germania, Central Gaul, Northern Italy and Switzerland) in relatively large amounts. The position of the structures directly on the Roman road, the oven and the hearth and the preponderance of eating and drinking utensils allow an interpretation of the site as a guest house, which was organizes privately. The results of the investigations of the plant and bones can confirm this. The time frame of the settlement is to be discovered through the ceramics and the coins from about 150 to about 235 AD. The researches in Strad were of great scientific relevance, because this kind of a Roman inn is not well known throughout the Roman Empire yet.