Home / Science / French Wine Seals Rewrite London's Social History
French Wine Seals Rewrite London's Social History
22 Jan
Summary
- Luxury items like French wine seals found in historically poor East London.
- Excavations revealed artifacts from Victorian children, including marbles and a slate.
- Discoveries challenge the notion that Wapping was always a uniformly poor area.
Recent excavations in East London's Wapping neighborhood have uncovered surprising evidence of luxury, contradicting its long-held reputation as a poor area. Archaeologists discovered a seal from a prestigious French wine bottle, once favored by notable historical figures, alongside foundations of terrace houses and chapel remnants. These findings suggest a more complex social history for the area during the 1700s and 1800s.
The dig, conducted ahead of a new industrial development, also revealed numerous artifacts from Victorian children. These include a slate tablet covered in scribbles and ceramic marbles, known as "alleys," likely lost during a game. The site was previously known to have hosted alms houses providing housing and stipends from the 1550s to the late 19th century.
These discoveries, including wine glasses, push back against the historical perception of Wapping as uniformly impoverished. Experts are continuing to analyze the age and specifics of the unearthed artifacts, noting that child-related items are less frequently found than those associated with adults. The findings paint a picture of a diverse area, much like East London is today.
