At Tintagel, archaeologists unearth a stone containing an inscription in Roman Latin and local dialect believed to be for a local monument, suggesting a literate society.
TRANSCRIPT
In dramatic contrast to the traditional view of the Dark Ages, trade in the West does not collapse after the Romans leave.
The connections to the continent remain, and they continue to influence every aspect of life.
Evidence for this influence is found on the very last day of the Tintagel dig.
Jacky Novakowski'''s team makes the most exciting discovery of all.
It'''s a stone, used to make a windowsill in Building 94.
And someone'''s been writing on it.
There'''s at least three lines.
It'''s either an A, with a hat on.
I think it'''s OK actually.
I'''ll wrap it up first.
It'''s very heavy, yeah.
The stone is transported to the labs at Fort Cumberland for closer study.
James Gossip gives Alice access to this rare find.
So this is it?
This is it.
It'''s really clear.
That'''s amazing.
The letters were scratched with a sharp tool.
Roughly, as if for practice.
It'''s not in its original position.
Probably only ever a trial piece anyway.
Just somebody practicing their inscription.
So presumably, once this was created as a trial piece it wasn'''t that important anymore and it was incorporated into this wall where we found it.
It'''s one of only a handful of inscriptions from this period ever found.
