Roman industrial site discovered on the banks of the River Wear
Archaeologists have found evidence of a Roman industrial hub on the banks of the River Wear, close to the present-day site of the Nissan car plant.
Archaeologists from Durham University say they've found evidence of a major Roman industrial site on the banks of the River Wear - near the current site of the Nissan plant.
More than 800 whetstones - used to sharpen blades - have been found at the site at Offerton near Sunderland, as well as 11 stone anchors.
Analysis of sediment by Durham University archaeologists has confirmed the site on the Wear dates back to the Roman period.
The site was discovered by volunteers from the Vedra Hylton Community Association.
Experts say the find is important as it shows the north east of England had an important industrial role within Roman Britain - long before the successive eras of coalmining, shipbuilding and car manufacturing.
Whetstones were vital to Roman life and were used to keep tools sharp, making them crucial for all aspects of commerce, agriculture, the military, medicine and domestic use.
The number found, as well as an outcrop of sandstone on the other bank of the Wear, indicate this was a major production hub.
The examples found in the riverbed were likely to have been discarded after being found not to confirm to the Romans' high standards.
Councillor Michael Mordey, leader of Sunderland City Council, said: "Ships, coal, pottery, glass and cars have all been made on the banks of the River Wear over the years by generations of Sunderland families and, thanks to the results of research and analysis carried out by experts at Durham University, this work has revealed yet another generation of makers who have shaped the industrious city we are today."
Gary Bankhead, who is president of the Vedra Hylton Community Association and an honorary fellow of Durham University's Archaeology Department, said: "Here, we see compelling evidence of one of Sunderland's earliest known industries.
"It is another extraordinary chapter from a river that continues to rewrite history."