Internet Archaeol. 17. Willis. Summary and discussion

7.3.10 Summary and discussion

It has been possible to gather together a large number of groups of samian in Tables 35, 37 and 39 for which the proportions of decorated ware present can be established. These data verify the trend observed among the smaller sample of groups collected during Phase 1 of the project. It is apparent that there is a firm relationship between site type and the proportion of decorated vessels likely to be present in the associated samian assemblage. Such structuring in the distribution of samian has not been demonstrated previously. While there are, as one would expect, variations in the proportions of decorated vessels present within site type groupings the general pattern is clear. Moreover, the trends per site type are maintained both through time and geographically across the province. The patterning arises from repeated definitions and practice in the past by conscious social actors, who shaped the nature of supply to and consumption at these sites. The greatest consumers of decorated samian (mainly bowls) were the military, inhabitants of extra-mural settlements outside military installations and dwellers in the major urban/civil centres. It is these sites which also have higher proportions of samian than do other sites (cf. Section 7.2) and so there is a consistency between these two types of consumption. In other words, the most visibly Roman centres received and consumed greater amounts of samian, and the greatest proportions of its most elaborate types. Rural sites in the Conquest era form a short-lived exception to this trend, for many at that time display small groups of samian which are biased towards decorated bowls, either the result of a demand at these sites for novel decorated vessels or because more decorated bowls were selected for supply to them. This trend is, however, a temporary 'flush' and proportions of decorated samian among groups of, for instance, 2nd century date are much lower. In general, the data confirm that smaller civil centres and rural sites have markedly lower proportions of decorated vessels than is the case at other types of site. It remains an important research question whether this patterning exists at sites on mainland Europe within the empire.

The patterning is doubtless a function of the likely comparatively higher cost of decorated bowls, their use as symbols of cultural association and status in 'wining and dining' and, in lesser degree, supply and geographic access ('lesser degree' because in terms of the empire those who wanted such items would have been able to acquire them over distance). Perceptions of samian seem to have varied across the social landscape. Consumers at military sites, extra-mural settlements and within major civil centres may have been better placed to afford decorated samian and have inhabited a social environment within which the possession and display of decorated samian was normal practice. Consumers at smaller civil centres and rural sites may have been less able to afford decorated bowls and less interested in their deployment as status and identity indicators (but see below). Eckardt (in press) has pointed out that small differences in value are likely to have been important in terms of the decision to purchase material items in the Roman era. Alternatively, it may seem that decorated samian was less prominent in their lives because it is less frequent within the archaeological record at these sites; however, it may be that it was important within everyday life or on 'special occasions' at such sites but was well curated with correspondingly less turnover. It is noted elsewhere that the evidence of samian in graves and structured deposits associated with rural sites indicates that it was regarded as special within rural populations (Section 9) and so a comparatively low proportion for decorated samian at rural sites and smaller centres needs to be interpreted with care. It is curious that a range of rural sites have higher proportions of decorated samian than do smaller nucleated centres (cf. above). This may be because the sample has 'caught' a number of comparatively high-status rural farmstead sites where people were interested in acquiring samian. The very low proportions of decorated samian at the smaller centres is consistent with the highly utilitarian nature of the finds assemblages excavated at such sites (cf. Cooper 2000; in press; Evans 2001).