For this ware see the highly significant articles by Simpson (1957; 1973), plus sections in the Stanfield and Simpson volumes (1958; 1990) and the paper by Johns (1971b). Beakers/Jars (vases) and cups were the principal forms manufactured with black slip. There is a convention by which vessels produced in a red fabric with a black-colour coat in Central Gaul are considered 'Black Samian' if they are of beaker/jar form with moulded or applied decoration, or if they occur in forms otherwise known in the (red) samian repertoire. The Central Gaulish samian producers also made fine colour-coated forms with black slip, especially beakers, alongside the red samian types, and these are termed Central Gaulish black-slipped ware. Hence classification is somewhat conventional; as Hartley notes: "pieces ... without moulded or appliqué decoration ... would normally be described as colour-coated ware ... excavations at Lezoux have shown that colour-coated forms and 'black samian' were fired together in the same kiln under reducing conditions. The same slip was evidently used for both" (1972a, 254). See Tyers (1996, 137-8).
Mould-decorated ware was made in Déchelette forms 64, 66 and 68, and possibly 65, while forms 72 and 74 are associated with applied motifs. An important producer was Libertus who made moulded beakers in Déch. forms 64 and 66 during the Trajanic period.
Stanfield, J.A. and Simpson, G. 1958. Central Gaulish Potters, Oxford University Press, London.
An example of a black-coated Déchelette 66 from Bitterne is published by Stanfield and Simpson (1958, Pl. 51, 601), attributed to Libertius ii.
A beaker of Déchelette 66 is recorded (Johns 1971b).
Adam, N.J., Seager Smith, R. and Smith, R.J.C. 1997. An early Romano-British settlement and prehistoric field boundaries at Diary Lane, Nursling, Southampton, Proceedings of the Hampshire Field Club and Archaeological Society 52, 1-58.
Seager Smith, R. 1997. Roman and later pottery, in N.J. Adam, R. Seager Smith and R.J.C. Smith, An early Romano-British settlement and prehistoric field boundaries at Diary Lane, Nursling, Southampton, Proceedings of the Hampshire Field Club and Archaeological Society 52, 25-41.
Site type: 'Rural'.
A complete example of a Déchelette 66 in Central Gaulish Lezoux fabric was recovered dated c. AD 110-30. It was recovered from a pit, feature 3292. The vessel is described as having a pale orange, granular fabric with a black coat. The decoration consists of erotic groups separated by differing seated figures. The vessel is attributed to Libertius ii (Seager Smith 1997, 34, Fig. 23). Feature 3292 lay within an enclosure containing very few other features; it was cut by a later pit; the possibility that it may be a grave of some sort is not suggested by the report. The pit also produced other pottery sherds, including a reconstructable Cam. 120 type biconical beaker. [Identification BMD]
Adam, N.J., Seager Smith, R. and Smith, R.J.C. 1997. An early Romano-British settlement and prehistoric field boundaries at Diary Lane, Nursling, Southampton, Proceedings of the Hampshire Field Club and Archaeological Society 52, 1-58.
Wake Smart, W. 1885. Further notes on Nursling, and on other Roman stations and roads in the New Forest, Journal of the British Archaeological Association 41, 182-7.
Johns, C. 1971b. A black samian vessel from Redbridge, Hants, Rei Cretariae Romanae Fautorum Acta xiii, 40-5.
Adam et al. note: "The pottery includes Southern and Central Gaulish samian and includes: 'black ware, embossed like the Samian with an ornamental design ... consisting of groups of male and female figures, engaged in the worship of some favourite divinity, but in a manner that forbIdentification a more particular description' (Wake Smart 1885, 186). This may represent another vessel similar to the colour coated beaker from Diary Lane" (Adam et al. 1997, 52).
This latter vessel is indeed 'Black samian' and is now in the British Museum. This 19th century find (from 1877, with no details of its context surviving) was published by Johns (1971b) who identifies it as a Déch. 66 of Libertus ii; it is embellished with a near identical design to the vessel from 1993 (above). This vessel is represented by an unusually large extant part of the vessel (? 60%) and is potentially from a burial or similar type of context to the 1993 find. Evidently there are two similar vessels of this very rare type from the same site.
Stead, I.M. and Rigby, V. 1986. Baldock: The Excavation of a Roman and Pre-Roman Settlement 1968-72, Britannia Monograph Series 7, Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies, London.
Johns, C. 1986. Black samian, in I.M. Stead and V. Rigby, Baldock: The Excavation of a Roman and Pre-Roman Settlement 1968-72, Britannia Monograph Series 7, Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies, London, 222.
Bémont, C. and Rogers, G. 1978. Libertus (ou Liberti?), Gallia 36(i), 89-141.
Site type: Smaller centre / Religious focus?
Site context: B 136, an undated gully.
The following items are reported:
A relief figured sherd from a closed form is present, showing O.907A (Déch. 524; Bémont & Rogers 1978, Libertus type 143), a draped man looking down with a scroll in his right hand; unusually this has been applied, not moulded (Johns 1986, 222, Fig. 91 No.68).
Fabric: "... micaceous, fairly soft, and buff in colour, changing to pink towards the interior surface of the vessel. The slip is thin, black and shows little gloss. Reduction is imperfect on the interior of the vessel, leaving orange-pink patches ... The fabric and slip compare closely with examples of moulded black beakers by Libertus" (Johns 1986, 222).
Johns suggests the form is probably Déch. 74, the handled jar. Johns suggests implication is a date in the first half of the 2nd century. [Identification CJ].
Frere, S.S. 1972. Verulamium Excavations 1, Reports of the Research Committee of the Society of Antiquaries of London, Report 28, London.
Hartley, B.R. 1972a. The samian ware, in S.S. Frere, Verulamium Excavations 1, Reports of the Research Committee of the Society of Antiquaries of London, Report 28, London, 216-62.
Site type: Major civil centre.
A black Déch. 74 variant occurs (Hartley 1972a, 254, D112). It was recovered complete This item was recovered from a context dated to the mid 2nd century, specifically from a room destroyed by fire in the early Antonine period (Frere 1972a, 80-1). [Identification BRH].
Stanfield, J.A. and Simpson, G. 1958. Central Gaulish Potters, Oxford University Press, London.
Site type: Major civil centre.
An example of a black-coated Déch. 66 from London is published by Stanfield and Simpson (1958, Pl. 51, 600), being attributed to Libertus ii.
Schaaf, L. 1988. 199 Borough High Street, in P. Hinton (ed.), Excavations in Southwark 1973-76, Lambeth 1973-79, London and Middlesex Archaeological Society and Surrey Archaeological Society Joint Publication 3, London, 83-132.
Bird, J. 1988. Decorated samian ware, in P. Hinton (ed.), Excavations in Southwark 1973-76, Lambeth 1973-79, London and Middlesex Archaeological Society and Surrey Archaeological Society Joint Publication 3, London, 249-63.
An example of a black-coated Déch. 72 or 74 vase is published by Bird (1988, 253), with an applied Mars figure type. Bird identifies it as Central Gaulish, probably from Lezoux, and Hadrianic or early Antonine (1988, 253, No. 549; Fig. 106; Pl. 4). The likely date of the find context accords with the dating of the piece by Bird. [Identification JB].
(SLAEC) Southwark and Lambeth Archaeological Excavation Committee 1978. Southwark Excavations 1972-1974, London and Middlesex Archaeological Society and Surrey Archaeological Society Joint Publication 1, London.
Site type: Major civil centre.
An example of a black-coated Déch. 74 vase is published (1978, 337, Pl. 9), with an applied head of a young satyr facing right. This item is from Lezoux, and is dated, via associated pottery, to the Hadrianic period.
The sherd came from a plank lined pit, F17, which also yielded a Venus figurine. [Identification JB & GDM]
May, J. 1996. Dragonby. Report on Excavations at an Iron Age and Romano-British Settlement in North Lincolnshire, Vols 1 and 2, Oxbow Monograph 61, Oxbow, Oxford.
Dickinson, B.M. 1996d. Samian pottery, in J. May, Dragonby. Report on Excavations at an Iron Age and Romano-British Settlement in North Lincolnshire, Vols 1 and 2, Oxbow Monograph 61, Oxbow, Oxford, 591-7.
Site type: Smaller centre.
An example of a black-coated Déch. 68 vase is reported by Dickinson (1996d, 597, Fig. 21.4 No. 1557). This Central Gaulish item is ascribed to c. AD 150-180. This item was recovered from an enclosure ditch. [Identification BMD].
A beaker of Déchelette 64 or 65 occurs (cf. Johns 1971b).
Cracknell, S. and Mahany, C. (eds) 1994. Roman Alcester: Southern Extramural Area 1964-1966 Excavations part 2: Finds and Discussion, CBA Research Report 97, York.
Hartley, B.R., Pengelly, H. and Dickinson, B.M. 1994. Samian ware, in S. Cracknell and C. Mahany (eds) Roman Alcester: Southern Extramural Area 1964-1966 Excavations part 2: Finds and Discussion, CBA Research Report 97, York, 93-119.
Site type: Smaller centre.
Much of a Déch. 74 (two handled jar) in Central Gaulish fabric with dark slip was recovered and is dated to the mid 2nd century (Hartley, Pengelly and Dickinson 1994, 107, Fig. 49 No. 270). [Identification BMD, BRH, HP].
Bedwin, O. and Place, C. 1995. Late Iron Age and Romano-British occupation at Ounces Barn, Boxgrove, West Sussex: excavations 1982-83, Sussex Archaeological Collections 133, for 1995, 45-101.
Middleton, H.R. and Rudling, D. 1995. The pottery, in O. Bedwin and C. Place, Late Iron Age and Romano-British occupation at Ounces Barn, Boxgrove, West Sussex: excavations 1982-83, Sussex Archaeological Collections 133, for 1995, 65-89.
Site type: Rural.
One probable example occurs: "?Drag. 64 (Black Samian)", described as: "Lezoux: Hadrianic/Antonine" (Middleton and Rudling 1995, 66). [Identification GD].
A beaker of Déch. 64 occurs (cf. Johns 1971b).
Edwards, R. Griffin, L. and Dalwood, H. 2002. Excavations on the site of the new Police Station, Castle St., Worcester, Transactions of the Worcestershire Archaeological Society 18, 103-32.
Site type: Smaller centre / industrial complex.
A solitary sherd from a Central Gaulish black-slipped samian beaker, of second century date, is reported, "from context 2067" (Edwards et al. 2002, 126). [Identification Derek Hurst].
A beaker of Déchelette 66, attributable to Libertus ii, occurs (Johns 1971b).
Marney, P.T. 1989. Roman and Belgic Pottery from Excavations in Milton Keynes 1972-82, Buckinghamshire Archaeological Society Monograph 2, Buckinghamshire Archaeological Society, Aylesbury.
Pengelly, H. 1989. The samian ware, in P.T. Marney, Roman and Belgic Pottery from Excavations in Milton Keynes 1972-82, Buckinghamshire Archaeological Society Monograph 2, Buckinghamshire Archaeological Society, Aylesbury, 146-68.
A black slipped Drag. 33 in Lezoux fabric was represented in a later 2nd century deposit. [Identification HP].
Jack, G.H. 1923. Excavations on the site of Ariconium, a Romano-British smelting town, The Woolhope Naturalists' Field Club monograph.
Hayter, A.G.K. 1923. The coins and pottery, in G.H. Jack, Excavations on the site of Ariconium, a Romano-British smelting town, The Woolhope Naturalists' Field Club monograph, 9-23.
Site type: Smaller centre / industrial complex.
A black coated cup cf. Drag. 40/Niederbieber type 59, was recovered which is possibly black-slipped samian ware (Hayter 1923, 18, (e), Pl. 9 Fig. 6). It is dated by Hayter to c. AD 190-260 (cf. Oswald and Pryce 1920, 186). [Identification AGKH].
Bennett, P., Frere, S.S. and Stow, S. 1982. Excavations at Canterbury Castle, The Archaeology of Canterbury Vol. I, Canterbury Archaeological Trust and the Kent Archaeological Society, Maidstone.
Bird, J. 1982a. The plain and decorated samian wares, in P. Bennett, S.S. Frere and S. Stow, Excavations at Canterbury Castle, The Archaeology of Canterbury Vol. I, Canterbury Archaeological Trust and the Kent Archaeological Society, Maidstone, 90-3.
Site Type: Major civil centre.
A Drag. 40 in "black samian" is reported (Bird 1982a, 92). [Identification JB].
Bird, J. 1986a. Samian wares, in L. Miller, J. Schofield, and M. Rhodes, The Roman Quay at St Magnus House, London. Excavations at New Fresh Wharf, Lower Thames Street, London 1974-78, London and Middlesex Archaeological Society Special Paper No. 8, London, 139-98.
Site type: (Waterfront of) Major civil centre.
Several lamps with black slip from Lezoux are reported by Richardson (1986, 132-3), two being represented by fragments from the same mould. Richardson states: "The Lezoux lamps are ... unused, and good examples of a type which is rarely found in Britain. They are obviously part of the large unused group of Lezoux black-colour-coated pottery (see PP. 115-8)" (1986, 132). Of these items only one is illustrated (1986, 133, 1.227), being an example of Loeschcke type x with 'Ammon' mask on its discus. The base is stamped 'VIBIVS" and it is dated c. 180-220 (Richardson 1986, 133). Sherds from further examples of black-slipped Lezoux ware are noted (Richardson 1986, 133).
Oliver, M. and Applin, B. 1978. Excavation of an Iron Age and Romano-British settlement at Ructstalls Hill, Basingstoke, Hampshire 1972-5, Proceeding of the Hampshire Field Club and Archaeological Society 35, 41-92.
Stephenson, R. 1978. Romano-British pottery, in M. Oliver and B. Applin, Excavation of an Iron Age and Romano-British settlement at Ructstalls Hill, Basingstoke, Hampshire 1972-5, Proceeding of the Hampshire Field Club and Archaeological Society 35, 41-92.
Site type: Rural enclosure and settlement complex.
Three sherds of black slipped ware in second century Lezoux fabric are reported, coming from a pit (Pit 97); no decoration was represented (Stephenson 1978, 68).