Fig.62 OXSH fragments by period (weight and grams per fragment)
Publication of The National Roman Fabric Reference Collection, abbreviated NRFRC (Tomber and Dore 1998), and a major survey of Roman Pottery in Britain by Tyers (1996), obviate the need to describe the major imported and widely traded Romano-British wares in detail. The descriptions of the colour of the fabrics refer to the Munsell Soil Color Charts (1975), a widely adopted commerical table of colours, used to achieve accurate and standardised colour descrptions.
RC Rough-cast,
miscellaneous rough-cast beakers.
A possible five vessels, of which three could be from the Nene Valley, while
another might be atypical KOLN, and the last,
no.3, is from an unknown source,
in a hard slightly grey-cored light cream-brown fabric, with occasional cream
streaks and inclusions. All rough-cast is composed of clay particles.
KOLN Cologne
colour-coated ware (NRFRC = KOLNCC; Tyers
1996, 146-8).
Only beaker sherds were found, all with rough-cast decoration.
CGBL Central Gaul
black slipped ware (NRFRC = CNGBS; Tyers
1996, 137-8).
Apart from one cup, all sherds were from beakers, as Greene
1978, types 5, 6 and 9. Illustrated:
Nos.1-2.
NVCC Nene Valley
colour-coated (NRFRC = LNVCC).
Illustrated: Nos.4-19.
CC Colour-coated
wares, unknown sources.
The six sherds, all tiny chips, could not be definitely identified, although
two rough-cast chips are likely to be from Cologne (KOLN).
One sherd came from a cup of the CGBL type, but the fabric was atypical
for that source. A base from a closed form had a pink-brown fabric, not of
local manufacture.
YOPA Ebor
red-painted wares (Monaghan 1997,
877-80).
Six sherds probably represent four separate bowls, all probably of the
hemispherical bowl type of no.20, while a single sherd may be from a less common closed
form. The earliest stratified sherd came from Period 4, Trench 3, Group 6.14.
Illustrated: No.20.
BROX Brough oxidized, local oxidized wares.
BRCC Brough colour-coated, local colour-coated wares.
BRWS Brough oxidized with white slip.
Since the evidence for the above fabrics came from production waste, over- and under-fired, clear definition of the fabric is problematical. The oxidized colour varies from light red (10R 6/8) and (2.5YR 6/6) to reddish-yellow (5YR 7/6). Some vessels are lighter shades nearer 5YR 7/4. The colour-slips vary enormously, the intended colour probably being a darker red, near 2.5YR 5/6, although several of the sherds are notably much darker. Many of the sherds have a dark grey core. The fabric is normally very fine, slightly laminar and its most obvious inclusions are dark red iron ore particles, and occasional small quartz grains; some have a higher proportion of inclusions, and the bowl no.53 has an occasional calcareous inclusion. It is not a distinctive fabric, and is hard to differentiate from similar oxidized fine fabrics. This is discussed elsewhere (4.5: Brough Local Production). Illustrated: Nos.21-66.
NGCR
North Gaulish cream wares, (NRFRC = NOGWH).
None of the sherds were of the classic North Gaul grey ware fabric (Tyers
1996, 154), but fabrics and forms were
identical to the cream beakers found at Caister-on-Sea (Darling
1993, 161, 166), and were from beakers
of the pentice-moulded type. It appears that the main North Gaulish ware found
in York is the grey ware (Perrin 1990b,
268, fig.125, 1405 being a cream beaker; no.1407 NGGW ; Monaghan
1993, 717; 1997, 889); Monaghan also
notes a scatter of cream beaker sherds. The earliest stratified sherds came
from Trench 1 Period 5 Groups 11.2 and 12, and from Trench 2 Period 5 Groups
7.1 and 8.8, all deposited from the mid 3rd century onwards. This ware appears
to be distributed along coastal shipping routes (Richardson and Tyers,
1984). Illustrated: No.67.
VRW Verulamium
region white wares (NRFRC = VERWH; Tyers
1996, 199-201).
Just two body sherds probably from a flagon from Trench 2 Period 7 Group 18.1.
PARC Parchment
wares.
Probably only two vessels are represented, a flagon with painted stripes from
Trench 1 Period 6 Groups 12.6-7, and a closed vessel with painted stripes
and dots from Trench 2, residual in a post-medieval deposit, Period 9 Group
19.1. The source is unknown, although vessels from the Mancetter-Hartshill
industry are known to have been traded into Yorkshire (Monaghan
1997, 885); alternatively these may
have been travelling with NVCC.
CR Cream,
miscellaneous cream wares.
Sherds attributed to a fabric group rather than a discrete fabric and, except
for a single segmental bowl (no.75), all identifiable sherds came from flagons (one
with typical grey interior surface) or closed forms, including a jar or beaker
and a jar. The fabrics varied in the quantity of inclusions (mainly quartz),
and also in colour, some being pinkish, and some with grey cores. A single
micaceous sherd occurred (Period 4, Group 6.8, context 1132). Illustrated:
Nos.72-5
OXWS Oxidized
white-slipped.
The code covers a variety of oxidized fabrics, all with external white-slip,
most of the sherds coming from flagons (ringed type, nos.68 and
69) or other closed forms, but
also including an unusually tiny tazza (no.71) and a segmental bowl (no.70). The earliest stratified sherds occur in Period 3,
Group 4.5, make-up for road structure. Illustrated: Nos.68-71.
OX Oxidized,
miscellaneous oxidized wares.
This code comprises all miscellaneous oxidized sherds, usually in varying
red-brown shades and degrees of grittiness, for which no significant fabric
groupings are evident. Both open and closed forms occur. Forms include a fine
copy of the samian form 30 in a fine fairly micaceous fabric, perhaps from
York, no.80. A rouletted
foot-ring, no.81, may be from a
similar type, but the fabric appears to differ. There are also two examples of
a bowl common in North Lincolnshire (nos.83 and 84)
as at Dragonby, Roxby, Winterton and Lincoln, and also at Brough in earlier
excavations, also found in reduced fabrics. Closed forms occur as the
occasional beaker (nos.78 and
79), a curved rim jar (no.76) and a lid-seated jar (no.77). Two bowls, nos.82 and
87 may be related to the local
production of fine wares (4.5: Brough Local
Production). Illustrated: Nos.76-87.
BB1 BB1, Black-Burnished ware category 1 (NRFRC = DORBB1; Farrar 1973; Tyers 1996, 182-186). Possibly only nos.90 and 91 are vessels from Dorset. Illustrated: Nos.90 and 91.
BB1G BB1 grey
copies.
Wheel-made local copies of BB types appear almost immediately after the
occurrence of vessels from Dorset. Some have the same sandy fabric as used for
BB1, and try to imitate the hand-made character. Hand-made BB1 was certainly
produced at Doncaster (Buckland et al. 1980), and sherds at Brough may derive
from that source. Illustrated: Nos.88-9, 92-4.
BB2 BB2,
Black-Burnished ware category 2, from the Thames Estuary, Kent and Essex area
(NRFRC: COLBB2 - Colchester; MUCBB2 - Mucking; CLIBB2 -
Cliffe; COOBB2 - Cooling; Tyers 1996, 186-7).
BB2 was made at Colchester (Williams 1977), sites around the Thames Estuary
(Farrar 1973) and Kent (Monaghan
1987). Distribution to the north
indicates a coastal trade. The fabric of the Brough sherds is dark grey with
brown-grey cortex and dark grey to black surfaces, with glossy burnished
surfaces. The matrix is silty with sparse quartz. A number of sherds had
laminated extremely badly due to the fineness of the fabric. A precise source
has not been determined. Illustrated: Nos.95-101.
PART Parisian type
fabrics (Elsdon 1982).
This comprises a range of fabrics; the majority are fine with a different
coloured cortex giving a 'sandwich' effect. With plain bodysherds, it
is impossible to differentiate between Parisian stamped vessels, London-type
ware or fine 'poppy-head' beakers so the category may include some of
these. There is limited evidence for production of Parisian ware at Rossington
Bridge, Doncaster, and Market Rasen, but other sources are probable. The
principal characteristics are a fine fabric, often slightly laminar, with a
silty matrix with sparse mica; colour ranges from dark to mid-grey, the cortex
being lighter, and the exterior is, when well preserved, polished and decorated
with stamps or rouletting. Of the sherds which can be classified as Parisian
ware on the basis of their stamped decoration, only nos.102,
103,
104 and
105 have the classic fine
sandwich type fabric, while nos.106, 107
and 108 are in coarser, but
relatively fine, grey fabrics.
Only one sherd was possibly from a bowl, with three zones of rouletting, and all other sherds came from either beakers or other closed forms. The fern-leaf stamp on the sherd in classic fabric no.103 (from Period 7, Trench 2 Group 18.1) is from a different die to that used for the coarser sherds, nos.107 and 108. Sherds from closed forms include the less common curvilinear decoration as no.105 and comb-stamps. The decoration on no.104 is unusual with burnished lines on either side of single comb stamps, arranged in a V motif. The stamps (the block stamp B1 and rosette) on no.106 have been recorded before, at Dragonby (Elsdon 1982, fig.7, 63 and 66; shown together fig.10, 59). The stamp S.63 is also known from Old Winteringham and Thealby. The earliest sherd was stratified in Period 3 Group 23.1. Illustrated: Nos.102-8.
LOND
'London ' ware (Tyers 1996, 170).
A single compass-scribed body sherd came from the topsoil of Trench 1. This
fine grey or black fabric, decorated with incised or compass-scribed lines
together with stabbed, stamped and rouletted decoration, was made at a number
of sites, including London (Marsh 1978,
124), Oxford and the Upchurch Marshes of Kent (Rodwell
1978, 228), and there is a strong
likelihood that it was also produced in the Nene Valley (Perrin
1990a). It is normally a hard silty
fabric, virtually without inclusions, dark grey to black in colour with lighter
grey margins giving a 'sandwich' effect; the exterior has been slipped and
burnished. Not illustrated.
GFIN Grey, fine
fabrics.
This coding is used for reduced fabrics lying between the common quartz-gritted
GREY used for most jars and bowls, and the much finer
fabrics used for London-type ware and Parisian ware. Apart from a flanged bowl
(no.185) and a fragment from a
carinated bowl, virtually all sherds were from closed vessels, most, on the
basis of wall thickness and bases, apparently beakers, and certainly including
at least one 'poppy-head' beaker, and a folded beaker. A fragment
from an open form with a very light grey fabric and finely burnished surfaces,
perhaps from a London type bowl, and a further body sherd was probably from a
bowl or jar of the type of no.172. Exterior surfaces were often burnished, and
decoration confined to rouletting, occasionally very fine, and close-set
vertical scored lines on one vessel. A single sherd was exceptionally thin,
verging on eggshell ware. Illustrated: No.185.
GREY Grey,
undifferentiated quartz-gritted grey fabrics, hard wares with sparse to common
quartz inclusions.
The grey wares appear to derive from a variety of sources, some certainly from
Lincolnshire and others from kilns in Yorkshire. The fabrics generally lack
distinctive inclusions to aid identification and typology is often the most
useful guide. Earlier vessels appear more likely to have come either from kilns
in North Lincolnshire or from unknown kilns within the vicinity of Brough,
while later pottery probably came from Yorkshire kilns, such as those on
Holme-on-Spalding Moor (Corder 1930; Hicks and
Wilson 1975) or Norton (Corder
1950), although the occasional vessel
from south of the Humber is still likely.
While there are certainly several vessels which tie in with the products of the Roxby kilns (Rigby and Stead 1976), the characteristic lid-seated jars with their scored or stabbed decoration of Types A and B do not occur. On the other hand, the small jar no.133 is similar to the Roxby type C, also seen at Dragonby (Gregory 1996, 520). The wide-mouthed bowls may be from kilns on Holme-on-Spalding Moor (Hicks and Wilson 1975, fig.8, nos.12-14, fig.9, 15) or from Lincolnshire where similar types occur. But the carinated bowls nos.174, 175, 176, 177 and 178 are typical products of kilns at Holme-on-Spalding Moor (Hasholme and Throlam; ibid., fig.9, nos.22-3) as well as Norton, and many of the everted-rimmed jars could derive from such sources. The use of groups of burnished vertical or diagonal lines on jars appears to be a Yorkshire style, alongside the wavy line on bowls and dishes, the forms of which were ultimately derived from BB types. Many of the undecorated bowls and dishes with small flanges are typical of the Yorkshire kilns (as at Hasholme; Hicks and Wilson 1975, fig.10). No certain evidence of vessels from the Rossington kilns occurred, although some of the BB1 types could be from that source. Although rusticated jars were made at Roxby, it is just as likely that more local kilns supplied the jars at Brough (all in closely similar fabric), alongside several other vessels of earlier type. Vessels with applied ornament, as nos.115, 116, 117, 118 and 119, are reminiscent of jars from the Norton kilns, including Smith God types (Corder 1950, pl VIb). Illustrated: Nos.109-57, 164-84, 186-255.
GYMS Grey with
minimal shell inclusions.
This small group of coarse fabrics is only differentiated from other
shell-gritted wares on the basis of the very minimal shell inclusions, and
consisted of probably five hand-made lids, all of the same type as in shell and
calcite-gritted fabrics, and two dishes (nos.257 and
258) from Trench 1 Group 12,
and a jar with curved rim (no.256) from Trench 1 Group 21.3. Illustrated:
Nos.256-8.
IAGR Iron Age
tradition wares.
IAGR grit-tempered ware consists of a variety of fabrics, some of which are
reminiscent of the coarse pimply fabric which has been described as Trent
Valley Ware. These are coarse fabrics deriving from late Iron Age potting
traditions, of varying colour, the main inclusions being ill-sorted quartz,
iron-ore and occasional clay pellets or grog. The sherds included rims of jars
or bowls of Iron Age type (as nos.160, 161,
162 and
163), although one was a more
everted type. No.159 contained
more grog inclusions, and no.158 had occasional calcite inclusions. Most appeared to
be wheel-thrown or wheel-finished; none were certainly hand-made. Marginally
more came from Trench 2; the earliest stratified sherd came from Period 3,
Trench I, fill of 76. Illustrated: Nos.158-63.
NAT
Native wares, just seven sherds of coarse hand-made fabrics, not readily
allocated to other wares; most appear to be fragments from lids, while one
could be from a jar of the type already seen at Brough (Wacher
1969, no.266). No sherds were stratified
prior to groups dated to the mid 3rd century.
COAR Coarse fabric. A single body sherd, of coarse fabric, with rounded quartz inclusions and a light-brown exterior, came from a grave fill in Trench 3, Period 2 Group 3.2.
DWSH Dales ware,
shell-gritted (NRFRC = DALSH; Tyers 1996, 190).
All sherds were from jars except for two dishes (nos.263 and
264), and a cheese-press
no.265. The jar no.262 and the
dishes have notably sparser shell inclusions than normal. Apart from intrusive
sherds in Period 0, the earliest sherds were from Period 3, Groups 3.1 and
21.6, and it becomes more common in Period 4. Illustrated: Nos.259-65.
CASH Calcite-gritted wares. These vary considerably from vessel to vessel in terms of the proportion and size of inclusions, including shell in some cases, and few can be grouped. Of the 879 sherds, 256 mostly smaller sherds are not identified for manufacture type; of the identified records, 53-4% are hand-made on both count and weight.
Examination of the forms, based on 380 records (adjusted for multiple-vessel records, being the total vessel count to 404), suggests that 23% are open forms, bowls and dishes (mostly dishes), 20% are lids, and the remainder are from closed forms, jars. All sherds identified as open forms are noted in the database. The quantity of lids seemed relatively high. Diameters give no clear evidence of which form the lids were used with, but the absence of lid seatings on the jars, the sooting and steam-holes on the lids, and the coincidence of the percentages of lids and open forms (not normally seen where Dales ware jars are the normal jar of this type, as at Lincoln) suggest the lids are for bowls and dishes.
Two distinctive jars are nos.267 and 268, both hand-made but wheel-finished. There are a number of hand-made oxidized jars (nos.271, 272 and 273), although their fabrics vary in detail. A larger group of wheel-made jars in similar fabrics consists of nos.274, 277, 278, 279 and 280, although the quantity of inclusions varies, while nos.275 and 276 are in identical fabric. The dishes and bowls are invariably burnished and undecorated. The only decoration consists of scored lines (jar no.281, and two body sherds with scored wavy line decoration), and slight traces of similar linear decoration on the lid no.309. Most of the types are those seen elsewhere (as at Malton) in 2nd to 3rd century contexts; no lug-handled jars occurred. There are no Huntcliff types. Illustrated: Nos.267-311.
SHEL Shell-gritted wares, unsourced. This category includes jar fragments, one of a type derived from Iron Age tradition cooking pots, fragments of lids and the unusual dish, probably a tripod form, no.266. The fabric is close to that used for some Dales ware jars. A similar dish was found at Malton (Bidwell and Croom 1997, fig.30, no.237 from a context dated to the 3rd or 4th century). Illustrated: No.266 .
OXSH Oxidized coarse shell fabrics, used for thick hand-made ?vessels. These occurred predominantly as thick fragments with little or no curvature, but do not resemble tiles. The fabric is coarse poorly mixed clay with quantities of coarse shell. Illustrated: No.328.
The phased distribution of these peculiar coarse shell-gritted fragments and the average weight per fragment is shown on Fig.62.
Fig.62 OXSH fragments by period (weight and grams per fragment)
A single fragment occurred in a Period 2 context (Phase 1 Group 24.4), but the main concentration is in Period 4 with the highest average fragment weight of 76g (the largest quantity from Phase 7, Group 9.17 backfill/packing), tailing off to 23-24g in Periods 5 and 6. A quantity was used in Period 5 in Trench 2 as the make-up for a path structure (Phase 1, Group 10.2). Only a further 12 fragments occurred after Period 6.
The occasional fragment had a pre-fired hole, and sometimes there appeared to be evidence of turning-marks, although these are more likely to be smoothing. The identification of the only fragment possible to illustrate, no.328, as an open base fragment is tentative; the diameter is not measurable. There are no surface deposits or evidence for burning. What these fragments come from is unknown, and some form of industrial use seems possible. Fragments are known from other sites north of the Humber and these may hold the clue to identifying the function.
They are reminiscent of what has been termed 'tile-pots' in Lincoln, although the Lincoln fragments in tile fabrics do appear to form large containers. Again the evidence is extremely fragmentary, but the sherds seem to come from large hand-made vessels of closed form, rims estimated at 24cm diameter, base diameters in the region of 20-24cm, while body diameters may be 50cm or more. These are known mainly from a single site, and their function is unknown.
MOLIN
A single pot sherd attributed to the Lincolnshire region; the exact source of
the vessel cannot be identified.
MONG (NRFRC =
NOGWH4)
Where form is identifiable, all these North Gaulish mortaria except one were of
Gillam 238 type, dated c.AD 65-100, as
no.312. A single abraded rim
from a Gillam 255 of Antonine date also occurred. Illustrated: No.312.
MORH (NRFRC = Soller
SOLWH)
Just three vessels are represented, the sherds of
no.314 comprising a large part
of the vessel, dated c.AD 140-250/300 (from Area 1 dumps 12.7). The fabric
contains abundant rounded quartz, tiny fragments of red slate, iron ore, sparse
mica; the trituration is fine quartz. Three examples are published from St
Magnus House, London (Richardson 1986, 1.78-80).
No.313 is probably from
Soller, dated c.AD 150-220 (also from Area 1 dumps 12.7), and the final
vessel is represented by a worn cream burnt base, from Area 2, 19.1 (with the
'Raetian' type A mortarium). Illustrated: Nos.313-14 .
MOVR (NRFRC = VERWH)
A single sandy bodysherd is tentatively attributed to the Verulamium region.
The fabric is slightly atypical.
MOCO (NRFRC = COLWH)
This code has been used for two mortaria in cream fabrics likely to come from
either Colchester or Norfolk. The only rim is a collared type, datable c.AD
170-230.
MOSC (NRFRC = SOCWH)
A single stamp of CRICO was found,
no.315, adding a new die to
the two already known from the South Carlton kilns. Two other vessels are
probably from the same source, a burnt worn rim and joining bodysherds from
another. Illustrated: No.315.
MOMH (NRFRC = MAHWH)
Mancetter-Hartshill. The nearly complete hooked rim
no.316 is unstamped, and has a
diagnostic spout type, never seen on stamped examples, the inner bead across
the spout having been left uncut, and the terminals on either side of the spout
are specific to the type. The only other rim was of the straighter type of hook
seen in the 3rd century, and fragments of two hammer-headed mortaria with
multi-reeding and painted stripes, both 3rd century, one c.AD 220-270.
Illustrated: No.316.
MONV (NRFRC = LNV WH)
Lower Nene Valley. These were all of the reeded flange type, not closely
datable within the 3rd century (nos.319 and 320). These may fit the period c.AD 220/230-300+.
Illustrated: Nos.319-20.
MONYO
Orange-brown fabric with brown to dark grey core and thin white slip; fairly
fine fabric, tending to laminate, with moderate quartz, rare red-brown
sandstone? and iron slag?; trituration grit of quartz and red-brown sandstone.
This code denotes oxidized mortaria with white slip and mixed trituration grits known from sites in Yorkshire, as Malton (Hartley and Croom 1997, 107, fig.26, no.147; fig.27, no.156; fig.37, no.437), Langton (Corder and Kirk 1932, fig.12, no.7; fig.24, nos.6, 7 and 18), Rudston (Stead 1980, fig.42, no.154), York (Monaghan 1997, fig.374, no.3404), Beadlam (Evans 1996, fig.49, no.M3) and Market Weighton (Humberside). The combination of fabric and form is distinctive of this workshop, the small high-beaded rims usually having a distal groove or reeding. It is suspected that these fairly delicate vessels were produced over a limited period, possibly late 2nd century, but more probably the first half of the 3rd century, possibly to the south of Malton. Two vessels, no.317 and a coarser version no.318, both from Area 1 dumps 12.6 and 12.7. Illustrated: Nos.317-18.
MOLO
The code for locally produced vessels, individually described. The most unusual
vessel is the 'Raetian' type A (no.321, early 2nd century to c.AD 130/140). A definite
local vessel is the collared type no.322, an over-fired 'waster'. This has a white
slip and traces of possible diagonal painted lines on the rim, probably with a
painted band at the bottom edge of the rim. This would suggest it may not be
earlier than the mid 3rd century. The fabric of both of these is the same as
used for the fine wares, BRCC, BROX and
BRWS. Other examples are two collared examples,
no.323 (c.AD 150-230),
and no.324 (this example with
four reeds, c.AD 180-230?), and a fragmentary flanged example (c.AD
200-250). White slip is also evident on the collared type no.324, the
fabric of which falls within the range for the local production
'waste', and the flanged type. The reeded collar type, no.324, can be
dated either to c.AD 180-230 (by association with the Mancetter-Hartshill
styles) or to c.AD 200 onwards (if derived from the Nene Valley). There is no
sign of white slip on the collared type no.323, which has a different fabric
with more quartz inclusions. Illustrated: Nos.321-4.
DR20 Dressel 20 amphorae (NRFRC = Baetican
(Early) Amphorae 1 BATAM1; Peacock and Williams
1986 Class 25 (Late) Amphorae 2 BATAM
2 (3)). Illustrated: No.325.
Link to section on Dressel 20
amphorae in Roman Amphoras in Britain by Paul Tyers (Internet
Archaeology 1)
GAU4 Gauloise 4 amphorae (NRFRC = Gaulish
Amphorae 1 GALAM1 Peacock and Williams
1986 Class 27).
Link to section on Gauloise 4
amphorae in Roman Amphoras in Britain by Paul Tyers (Internet
Archaeology 1)
GAU12 Gauloise 12 amphorae (NRFRC = NOM
AM Peacock and Williams 1986 Class
55). Illustrated: Nos.326-7.
Link to section on Gauloise 12
amphorae in Roman Amphoras in Britain by Paul Tyers (Internet
Archaeology 1)
SAMCG, SAMMV, SAMEG, SAMSG - see Samian Report
TILE - see CBM report
© Internet Archaeology
URL: http://intarch.ac.uk/journal/issue9/brough/potfabde.html
Last updated: Tue Nov 28 2000