Internet Archaeol. 17. Willis. Samian and shafts/wells and other watery environments

12.3 Samian and shafts/wells and other watery environments

Wells, shafts and watery contexts are known to have been a locus of ritual artefact deposition through the Bronze and Iron Ages of north-west Europe (e.g. Ross 1967; Fitzpatrick 1984; Merrifield 1987; Bradley 1990; Hedeager 1992; Webster 1997) and hence examples from the context of Roman Britain should not be surprising. The symbolism of water and the apparent sacredness of water sources, channels, of marsh and intermittent water in the landscape, are evident from the nature of the archaeological record for the period; in some instances this was monumentalised with the construction of temples, etc, as at Bath. Samian vessels occur in structured deposits associated with water, and must have played a role in the activities undertaken at such locations. Some examples here demonstrate that they were often preferentially selected for inclusion within such deposits, possibly as offerings, perhaps sometimes related to feasting at these locations.

Heybridge, Elms Farm A well, feature 6280, excavated at the smaller civil centre at Elms Farm, Heybridge, Essex (1993-5) produced a group of pottery thought to include a structured deposit (Atkinson forthcoming). The fill of this feature, context 16083, dated to the period c. AD 180-210. Six complete or near complete pottery vessels were recovered. Finewares were prominent, and are unlikely to represent forms used to collect/lift the water. Samian was found to be unusually well represented among this group, amounting to 15.5% of the 4.9kg of pottery recovered; and 21.6% by EVE of a total of 4.81. Reference to Tables 23 and 24 shows that in comparison with the proportions that samian forms by weight among other groups from sites of this type, a total of 15.5% is exceptionally high. Similarly the proportion formed by samian when EVE is the measure is very high with this group when compared with equivalent percentages for other groups (cf. Tables 27 and 28). The samian forms represented included a small variety of plain and decorated types; the average sherd weight was high at c. 55g. Hence among what is otherwise interpretable as a structured deposit, samian is unusually frequent, conspicuously so, pointing to the likelihood that this group was abnormal and the result of specific processes.

Oakridge A c. 26m deep well at the rural site of Oakridge, Hampshire, appears to have received ritually disposed items, as well as more mundane material, over a long time period (Oliver 1992). Samian was present, including two complete flagons of Stanfield type 67 and a large part of a decorated bowl of Drag. 37 form with an unusual Bacchic scene (Oliver 1992, fig. 10). Samian flagons are rare finds (Section 8.6) and so a pair, essentially complete, is extraordinary. The group led Joanna Bird to note that these vessels seem to 'indicate some votive or ritual element in the filling of the well' (1992, 86-7). There is a clear connection with drinking, not least because the Drag. 37 may have been employed as a communal drinking vessel (Willis 1997c).

Chells, Boxfield Farm At Boxfield Farm, Chells, Hertfordshire, a well, CAB, contained pottery thought to be a structured deposit (Going and Hunn 1999). Well fill contexts 6-13 included around 26 complete, almost complete or semi-complete samian and non-samian vessels when excavated or later reconstructed. The items were later 2nd century in date. Samian formed almost 4.00 EVE by rim, which is a comparatively high amount. In her report Waugh stated, 'To be certain that a deposit is characteristic of a ritual shaft as opposed to a rubbish dump made up of domestic debris is extremely difficult ... One of the principal characteristics of votive and sacrificial offerings is that they must be "removed" from this world and placed where recovery or re-use is not possible [hence] viewed as a ritual deposit, the condition of the pots suggests that, whilst some were complete and possibly "new" when deposited, others may have been deliberately broken before inclusion. ... Most of the samian vessels were broken in antiquity' (1999, 99). Waugh speculated that the deposit might involve a 'house-clearing activity' (1999, 101), but suggests that the high proportion of samian among the group demonstrates selective inclusion of vessels, associated with a specific ritual activity. Samian was the only fine ware represented among the group. By EVE it amounts to 19.5% of the group, and by weight 11.0%, which is a much greater proportion than is the case with samian within other groups from similar sites (cf. Tables 23, 24, 27 and 28); this high proportion of samian really sets this group apart.

Verulamium Room 5 in Building 8 within Insula IV, excavated by Wheeler and Wheeler (1936) contained a shaft or well which dominated the room. This feature was filled during Phase 1, c. AD 160-190 and contained an exceptional assemblage of pottery (Wheeler and Wheeler 1936, 102-4). The building represents an elaborate residence. This feature was located centrally within Room 5 and was found to be c. 11.5m deep, but perhaps of insufficient depth to have reached the water table in Roman times. The room lay in a western corner of the building adjacent to a suite of rooms with hypocaust and mosaics. The fill of the well may represent a structured deposit, among which samian is prominent; three coins were present. Wheeler and Wheeler reported that, 'the shaft was ... filled up with debris. That this debris was not a gradual accumulation but was inserted at one moment was shown by the repeated occurrence of pieces of the same pot at many different depths ... a vast quantity of pottery [was present] ... samian pottery comprised [a Drag. 45] several examples of form 31 with the stamps of the Antonine potters Albus, Albucius, Magio, Miccio, Uxopillus [Drag. 18/31R], and possibly Marcellus, and a form 33 with the stamp of the Trajan-Antonine potter Sextus. The large mass of coarse pottery in the same group is consistent with this dating. Food debris was also abundant and included bones of ox, sheep or goat, pig, two or three indeterminate bird bones, large quantities of oyster-shells and a number of shells of mussel and whelk, together with lobster claws' (1936, 104). The more complete vessels are catalogued and illustrated (Wheeler and Wheeler 1936, 182-5). The range is wide but largely comprises drinking vessels and open forms, and includes beakers, bowls and cups with at least one flagon, one mortarium, a colander and several jars. The more complete or reconstructable samian is listed and several items are illustrated; conspicuously no decorated samian forms are mentioned by Wheeler and Wheeler, although a small unoxidised bowl closely imitating the Drag. 30 form occurs, presumably a local/regional product (Wheeler and Wheeler 1936, 184, fig. 27, no. 7).

The specifically reported samian is: Central Gaulish, Lezoux, Drag. 18/31R, a second (apparent) Drag. 18/31R, Central Gaulish, Lezoux, Drag. 31 (x 4), Central Gaulish, Drag. 31 (x 1), probably Central Gaulish, Lezoux, Drag. 33 (x 2), Drag. 38, Central Gaulish, Lezoux, Drag. 45 (see Table 79 below). In addition four largely complete (reconstructable) glass vessels were represented comprising a jug, a large cup and two beakers (Wheeler and Wheeler 1936, 186, fig. 29). Clearly what this deposit represents is open to interpretation, though its composition suggests that it relates to feasting.

	Samian	All Other Pottery
Beakers	-	8
Bowls	-	5
Small bowls	1	1
Colander	-	1
Cups	2	-
Dishes	7	9
Flagon	-	1
Jars	-	9
(Gritted) mortaria	1	1
Totals	11	35

Table 79: The composition of the pottery from the 'Well' in Room 5, Building 8, Insula IV, Verulamium
(on the basis of vessels reported/illustrated by Wheeler and Wheeler (1936) only, and so not a full list)

London, The Walbrook Valley The Walbrook valley, London, as is well known, was a focus for the deposition of considerable amounts of artefactual material, some of it extraordinary, a proportion of which appears to be votive. Among the recovered material are some complete and possibly unused samian vessels (Rhodes 1986, 199).

The above examples illustrate that in some instances, at least, samian was a prominent, selected, element within groups deposited in wells/shafts and other wet places in Britain. Waugh's comment when discussing the Chells deposit that notes, 'A discussion of the pottery alone is not enough to confirm the ritual or more mundane nature of the deposit in question ...' (1999, 102) is generally applicable: information needs to be considered in the round in each case.