This map allows you to explore the distribution of Anglo-Scandinavian pottery in Lincolnshire from three towns: Lincoln, Torksey and Stamford. This map does not demonstrate the complexity of wares produced in each town, but instead concentrates on extent of trade from each town. The use of the term 'ware' (rather than 'type') is used to include all the pottery types produced in the town kilns. Unlike Torksey and Stamford, Lincoln has a number of pottery types associated with it. These have been generalized under 'Lincoln wares', referred to in the singular to avoid excess complexity within the applet. Furthermore, the map does not include any other pottery from other towns such as Nottingham or York.
The data was compiled from the East Midlands Anglo-Saxon Pottery Project database (Vince and Young 1991) with permission from Dr. Alan Vince and Jane Young. This database is continually being updated. Queries regarding the most current data should be directed to Dr. Alan Vince or Jane Young (Write to: 25 West Parade, Lincoln, LN1 1NW, UK). This data is structured to represent the maximum number of pots. There are some biases inherent in the database. Due to circumstances the database has more information for the north of Lincolnshire than the south. As such, the majority of Stamford ware is not included in the EMASPP database. Nor is the published data for Stamford able to be integrated into the EMASPP database as it was counted by sherd, not by pot. For more detailed information please see Symonds 1999.
While the distribution of pottery into the hinterland is scaled, the town production is not. This was a design decision as to display the amount of pottery produced and consumed in Lincoln would eclipse not only the other sites but the entire map as well! In order to provide a sense of scale, the number of pots is noted in the control panel menu. The standard town size further allows the small amount of pottery from Stamford to be considered at the same level as Lincoln and Torksey.
It is important to note that the size of the pie chart is not to scale! Instead, towns are displayed as a uniform diameter. This is partially due to display difficulties. Towns are associated with such large amounts of pottery that in any sort of reasonable size representation demonstrating hinterland pottery distributions, the town sites overwhelm the map, obscuring most of the screen. Secondly, as noted above, the EMASPP data for Stamford does not accurately represent the amount of pottery excavated from the town. Therefore, a uniform 'town diameter' (with the number of pots noted beside each town in the toggle display) neatly sidesteps this issue allowing the reader to explore the distribution of pottery within each town.
Additional help is available from within the applet itself.
miniGIS Java applet
Version 1.0
Research and Design ©Leigh Symonds 1995-2002
Coding and Implementation ©Rik Ling 2002