This catalogue lists the occurrence of samian ware items associated with burials recorded by the author in the course of the study. Whilst the incidence of samian associated with burials in Britain was not researched exhaustively, it is hoped that this detailed listing will be a useful resource. The nature of the distribution is discussed in the text (cf. Section 9). In some instances graves without samian present are listed for comparative purposes; this relates to a number of cemeteries (not all) which have some burials with samian included as a grave good and some that do not. It is evident from each site entry whether all graves are listed or only those with samian.
Williams, R.J. and Zeepvat, R.J. 1994. Bancroft. A Late Bronze Age / Iron Age Settlement, Roman Villa and Temple-Mausoleum, Buckinghamshire Archaeological Society Monograph Series 7, Aylesbury.
Pengelly, H. 1994. Catalogue of samian found at the 'mausoleum' site, in R.J. Williams and R.J. Zeepvat, Bancroft. A Late Bronze Age / Iron Age Settlement, Roman Villa and Temple-Mausoleum, Buckinghamshire Archaeological Society Monograph Series 7, Aylesbury, 625.
Site Type: Cremation cemetery, with 17 identified cremations. 15 produced pottery, 11 with examples of more than 1 pot (Williams and Zeepvat 1994, 62-72).
Cremation burials with samian:
Cremation Group 6:
Cremated person believed to be a young male adult.
Pottery:
Jar, post-conquest.
Flagon, c. AD 50-90.
Samian: SG La Graufesenque, Drag. 18, with a stamp of Pontus of La Graufesenque; Dates to c. AD 65-90.
No other material culture, but a placed radius of an ox was present.
Cremation Group 17:
Pottery:
Beaker, c. AD 10-65.
Samian: SG La Graufesenque, Drag. 18, with a stamp of Felix i of La Graufesenque; Dates to c. AD 50-70.
No other material culture nor faunal remains.
Overall, cremation cemetery spans most of first century AD. The excavators state that: "Almost the whole gamut of burial types associated with cremation burials of the first century AD, is represented within this small cemetery ... The variety of burial rites employed undoubtedly indicates that the burials occurred over a period of time. Furthermore, this diversity may also be a direct reflection of changing fashions or of social status, age and perhaps even sex of the dead person" (Williams and Zeepvat 1994, 70). [Identification HP].
Note: There is an absence of samian from 21 inhumation burials and 3 cremations excavated at The Old Vicarage, Fordington, Dorchester, 1971, a range of which have other pottery present, especially Durotrigian pottery. The date of these burials may be an impacting factor as they are dated 2nd-4th century (and some could be later). They were thought to be the burials of 'low status individuals'. See Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 103, 1981.
Chowne, P. 1987. Interim report on the Western Link Road, Bradford Peverell, Dorset, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society109, 125-6.
Site type: rural (trackway; some occupation features).
Roman and possibly pre-Roman graves occur; one included samian.
Inhumation Burial Group: Crouched burial, with samian.
Pottery:
'Black-burnished dish'.
Samian: Drag. 18, La Graufesenque with stamp of 'Germanus', dated, c. AD 65-80.
Associated finds: sheep bones.
Date of grave - the samian seems the best indicator.
Biddle, M. 1967. Two Flavian burials from Grange Road, Winchester, The Antiquaries Journal47, 224-50.
See also references given in Biddle 1967.
The burial was investigated in 1845/1846.
Inhumation Burial Group: Inhumation.
Pottery:
Small black handled cup.
'London ware' style imitation of a Drag. 37 bowl in black fabric.
5 Small bowls in black fabric.
Samian: Dish, plain, with potter's stamp; no further details.
Associated: a shale trencher upon which were placed vessels Nos. 1, 2 and 9, as if setting out a meal; no information is available as to whether there were other finds.
Date: Probably dating to the Flavian to Hadrianic period.
Aitken, G.M. and Aitken, G.N. 1990. Excavations at Whitcombe, 1965-1967, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society112, 57-94.
Site type: rural site with burials.
Twelve burials were excavated, all dating to the first century AD; one included samian. Two of the burials had metalwork grave goods but no pottery; four of the burials had pottery but no metalwork; the 3 burials with pottery apart from that with samian each have two Durotrigian vessels.
Inhumation Burial Group:
Crouched burial, with samian amongst a suite of grave-goods.The burial was of a female of c. 15-17 years.
Pottery:
Durotrigian bowl.
Durotrigian jar.
Samian: Déch. 67, SG La Graufesenque, dated, c. AD 70-85 [looks late Flavian to SHW].
Samian: Ritt. 12, c. AD 40-70: "The inner surface is pitted in many places, and the flanged rim is broken symmetrically. The 'point' is burnt over the breaks" (Aitken and Aitken 1990, 79). This suggests the vessel was being 're-used' as a lamp.
Both samian vessels are illustrated.
Associated: left leg of immature domestic fowl; fragment of pig jaw in pot by pelvis; 10 glass beads, 2 wooden beads.
Date of grave - the samian seems the best indicator. [Identification GS].
Fowler, P.J. 1965. A Roman barrow at Knob's Crook, Woodlands, Dorset, The Antiquaries Journal45, 22-52.
Simpson, G. 1965. The pottery, in P.J. Fowler, A Roman barrow at Knob's Crook, Woodlands, Dorset, The Antiquaries Journal45, 34-5.
Site Type: Barrow with cremation burial.
This is a Roman period barrow; the barrow is apparently an isolated feature.
Calcined bones: fragments, probably of adult male; unburnt trepanned disc.
Grave goods, including samian are believed to be pyre remnants, interred in/on pits cut and then covered by barrow.
Pottery: (Samian was the only pottery present)
18 samian sherds were recovered, all burnt, from 6-8 vessels
Samian: SG La Graufesenque, Drag. 18, represented by 3 sherds, "on top of pit I".
Samian: SG Montans, probably Drag. 18, stamped "FELICIONS", with exterior graffito QVIN[TI]. Grace Simpson stated: "Felicio of Montans ... was a Neronian-Vespasianic potter. His latest products are a Dr. 37 bearing his name-stamp found at Camelon, Scotland, and other early Flavian Dr. 37 by him found in London and Wroxeter. Probably his earliest vessel is a Dr. 18 at Hofheim (I) ..."; "on top of pit I".
Samian: SG La Graufesenque, Drag. 18, 3 sherds, "possibly from the same vessel", "in pit I".
Samian: SG La Graufesenque, Drag. 18/31, represented by base, etc., "in pit I".
Samian: SG La Graufesenque, Knorr 78, with decoration stylistically similar to the work of Rufinus; believed to be early-mid Flavian, "on top of pit 2".
Samian: SG La Graufesenque, Drag. 18, represented several sherds, "on top of pit 2".
Also:
Samian: SG La Graufesenque, Drag. 18, sherd, "in pit I" "probably from same vessel" as No. 1.
Associated: Bronze: broken and burnt pieces of vessel(s) and small objects; Iron: 28 nails and fragments; steatite objects; glass: fused and burnt lumps of 1 (?) flask; no animal bone was recovered.
The burial is dated by excavator to c. AD 70-85. Simpson states: " This group of samian vessels is ... unlikely to be earlier than AD 70 or later than AD 85.
There is no clear tradition of Roman barrows in this part of Dorset. It is possible that this could be the grave of an auxiliary soldier. [Identification GS].
Gilkes, O. 1989. Iron Age and Roman features at Kemp Town, Sussex Archaeological Collections127, 1989, 236-40.
Site type: Uncertain.
One feature of Roman date (plus early IA occupation). The Roman feature was explored in 1906, this being a large pit, with "steps", 6ft deep and square, cut into chalk bedrock, with ashes in base. This feature is interpreted by Gilkes (?? and E. Black) as a possible corn dryer, though the finds might suggest it is too early to be such, and it is also a deep feature. It is possible that it was a shaft or burial chamber, with samian and other vessels being a secondary group.
Gilkes states: "This feature seems to have been re-used ... as a convenient place for the deposition of a cremation burial ... Whether this was before, after, or during its refilling with domestic rubbish cannot be deduced" (1989, 236).
Burial Group:
Gilkes notes that this: " ... seems to have been inserted into this feature once its primary function had finished. Mr Walton's sketch (Fig. 8) and the newspaper article record this burial as consisting of seven vessels, three large and three smaller vessels regularly arranged with a samian saucer placed on top in the centre. It is not now possible to determine exactly which of the extant finds belonged to this burial, but number 2 is certainly the samian saucer and vessels Nos. 5, 6, 9, and 11 [2 large grey ware jars, possibly local, possibly 2nd century; 1 small East Sussex ware jar; 1 indented beaker, perhaps a local copy of Rhenish ware form] should probably also be included. Apart from a few fragments no cremated bones seem to have been kept" (1989, 239).
The samian vessel from the burial group: complete Drag. 18/31, CG, with stamp: "The stamp has been partially destroyed but could be MACRINI.M (Macrinus) or MAXIMI.M (Maximus) both Lezoux workers of Hadrianic-Antonine date (Oswald 1931)" (1989, 239).
Also from the fill of this feature were other samian items:
A rim, Drag. 15/17, SG, "profile suggests a late Flavian date".
Several rim and body sherds, Drag. 18/31, CG, from one or more vessels.
A sherd from a Drag. 32, "late 2nd to early 3rd centuries". [Samian Identification: AK].
Dudley, C. 1981. A re-appraisal of the evidence for a Roman villa in Springfield Road, Brighton, following further discoveries on the site, Sussex Archaeological Collections119, 68-88.
Site type: Villa, with burials.
Cremation Group, Sept 1877:
A grave was uncovered with various grave goods.
Pottery, (Dudley 1981, 77):
"Cinerary urn ... Local ... grey ware".
Narrow necked jar in East Sussex ware.
Bottle, cf. Oxfordshire type form (possibly Wiggenholt).
Samian: "Drag. 36 ... No potter's stamp. First-second century A.D." Fabric not identified (Dudley 1981, 77).
Samian: "Drag. 35. First-second century A.D." Fabric not identified (Dudley 1981, 77).
Samian jug, Stanfield 1929, Form 67, with handle missing and truncated at neck, CG Lezoux "Late second century" (Dudley 1981, 76-77).
Date of group: ? Late c. 2nd century.
Cremation Group in Box, Aug 1962:
A burial in a wooden box.
Pottery (Dudley 1981, 83):
Coarse ware bowl.
Small coarse ware flagon.
Red slipped flagon.
Set of 5 dishes.
Black-burnished ware jar.
Samian: Drag. 33, CG Lezoux, stamped "CELSIANVS" "c. AD 165-200".
Samian: Drag. 46, rosette stamp. Fabric not given [SHW: a date range of c. AD 80-250 is possible].
Samian: Drag. 31, CG Lezoux, stamped "SATURNINVS" "c. AD 165-200".
Samian: Drag. 36 "Second century AD".
Dating: "The potters' marks on the samian in the 1962 group suggest a date between AD 165 and 200" (Dudley 1981, 76).
Associated items included: iron oil lamp holder with suspension spike; 2 pipeclay female portrait busts from Central Gaul (later first/second century); glass: flask and 'hat' container presumably for ungents/cosmetics (later first/second century); ae box fittings; ae trumpet brooch; plaited ae wire. [Identification: CJ, Caroline Dudley and Chris Green.].
Gilkes, O. 1988b. A Roman grave group from Fulking Corner, Portslade, Sussex Archaeological Collections126, 1988, 237-9.
Site type: Evidently rural (no settlement evidence).
Finds from the 19th C.; the context of which is not certain, but from presumed burial site, on the basis of the presence of 4 complete vessels.
Pottery (Accessioned together, but not necessarily associated):
Grey ware jar which: "seems to have contained a cremation and some fragments of burnt bone still adhere to the interior".
Beaker, form similar to New Forest form of 4th -5th century.
Colour coated beaker c. late 3rd to 4th century.
Samian: complete Drag. 31, "probably an East Gaulish product"; no stamp; "probably mid-3rd century" [SHW: certainly looks 3rd C.]. The vessel is worn; "The vessel was broken in antiquity and several holes have been bored through the sides to facilitate repair".
Date: probably late 3rd or 4th C.; could represent single cremation group, or vessels from more than one burial.
Portslade, Victoria Rd
Gilkes, O. 1988a. Roman Burials at Portslade, Sussex Archaeological Collections126, 1988, 233-7.
Site type: Evidently rural (no settlement evidence).
Finds from the 19th century brickearth workings; context is not certain in all cases; skeletons were encountered, together with a range of 17 complete Roman vessels.
The samian vessel (below) was found used as a lid for a jar form.
Samian: complete Drag. 18/31, "an East Gaulish product, and is more likely to be early than late, possibly early-mid 3rd century"; stamp indecipherable.
Associated: Rhineland beaker.
3 other samian vessels were recovered, for which no details are available. Possibly also from this site: "half a samian basin, Drag. form 44. Possibly of Lezoux fabric"; and part of a base of a 31 stamped MACRINVS of Lezoux.
(General) Date of the pottery: late 2nd or 3rd century. [Samian Identification: AK].
Wickenden, N.P. 1988. Excavations at Great Dunmow, Essex: a Romano-British Small Town in the Trinovantian Civitas, East Anglian Archaeology, Report 41, Chelmsford Archaeological Trust Report 7, Essex County Council.
Site Type: Roman 'Small Town'.
Wickenden states of Chequers Lane 1970-2: "Roman occupation started in the 1st century AD on apparently virgin ground. The site revealed a rear plot of a property to the north of and presumably fronting, Stane Street. Several ditch alignments formed the rear boundary line and possibly a minor road or lane within the small town. A small family cremation cemetery within an enclosure succeeded two possible inhumations and spanned a century from the later 1st to the later 2nd centuries" (1988, viii). Occupation continued in the fourth century, and a shrine was in use at the site.
The Two Potential Inhumations
Feature 336, Probable Inhumation:
A probable inhumation grave was identified cut into a ditch (328a) and dating c. AD 40-100; No Samian the only grave good was a small 1st century AD carinated beaker in sandy fabric.
Feature 50, Possible Inhumation:
A grave-like cut, c. AD 40-100, at the terminus of the ditch (cf. above) may have been a grave; No Samian; flagon was represented in the fill.
The Enclosure Cemetery
During the second century a modest sized enclosed cremation cemetery was instituted by the position of the two possible graves. Thirteen cremations spanning the 2nd century were identified, following 1 earlier cremation (Number 19). Here the cremation numbers follow those of Wickenden (1988), but the vessels are numbered individually here per cremation (in contrast to the 1988 report).
Cremation 1:
Truncated, crushed and disturbed by ploughing.
Calcined bone was found partially within the samian bowl.
Pottery:
Samian: Drag. 31, fragmentary, "CG Late Antonine".
Other pots in addition to the samian form may once have been present.
Associated: 1 iron nail.
Date of grave - "Late Antonine" (Wickenden 1988, 12).
This grave had been cut into the fill of 336 (cf. above).
Cremation 2:
Truncated, crushed and disturbed by ploughing. This grave had been cut into the fill of the ditch (cf. above).
Calcined bone was found, and much had evidently been contained in a casket; a Drag. 31 samian form had sat on the casket lid; other bone occurred in the "main urn".
Pottery:
Small jar.
Jar.
Narrow necked jar, "killed".
Rough-cast beaker with cornice rim.
Carinated beaker.
Small flagon, "killed".
Samian: Curle 15, with abraded interior, "CG c. AD 100-130" [SHW: a Les Martres vessel?]; described as "killed", ie. a chip is missing from the rim.
Samian: Drag. 31, with heavily abraded interior, CG Lezoux, "c. AD 145-170"; stamped 'SE[NILA]M', being Senila.
Date of grave - "Late Antonine" (Wickenden 1988, 12).
Cremation 3:
Lay just north of the ditch 328a.
Calcined bone was found in a jar (No. 2).
Pottery:
Small jar, "killed".
Jar.
Beaker.
Flagon (neck missing).
Samian: Small Drag. 35/36, "CG, mid 2nd century"; section missing from rim.
Associated: 2 iron nails.
Date of grave - "Hadrianic - early Antonine" (Wickenden 1988, 15).
Cremation 4:
Grave had been cut into the fill of 336 (cf. above).
Calcined bone was found in a storage jar (No. 1).
Pottery:
Storage jar.
Base of flagon.
Samian: Drag. 31, half complete, "CG, Antonine"; stamped 'MA[ ]IM[', potter not identified.
Associated: 2 iron nails; coin (Sestertius of Sabrina, AD 117-138).
Date of grave - "Early to mid 2nd century" (Wickenden 1988, 15).
Cremation 5:
Grave had been cut into the fill of 336 (cf. above).
Badly plough-damaged.
Calcined bone present.
Pottery:
Storage jar.
Beaker.
No samian.
Associated: 6 iron nails and 1 shaft.
Date of grave - "Early Antonine" (Wickenden 1988, 17).
Cremation 6:
Lay just north of the ditch 328a.
Considerable plough damage.
Calcined bone present.
Pottery:
Base of Jar.
No samian.
Associated: cow carpal bone.
Date of grave - "? Early Antonine" (Wickenden 1988, 17).
Cremation 7:
Lay north of the ditch 328a.
Very disturbed.
Calcined bone present.
Pottery:
Jar.
Jar.
Beaker.
No samian.
Date of grave - "Flavian - Hadrianic" (Wickenden 1988, 17).
Cremation 8:
Lay just north of the ditch 328a.
Calcined bone present.
Pottery:
Platter.
Beaker.
Jar.
Storage jar.
Beaker.
No samian.
Associated: 2 iron nail fragments; wire bracelet.
Date of grave - "Hadrianic - early Antonine" (Wickenden 1988, 17).
Cremation 9:
Lay south of the ditch 328a.
Very disturbed.
Calcined bone present.
Pottery:
Jar.
Beaker.
Beaker.
Samian: Drag. 18/31, CG Lezoux, "c. AD 125-145"; stamped 'LITTERAF', being Littera i; "killed?".
Date of grave - "Hadrianic" (Wickenden 1988, 19).
Cremation 10:
Had been cut into the fill of 336 (cf. above).
Calcined bone present; evidently had originally been contained within a wooden box.
Pottery:
Jar.
Flagon.
Samian: Drag. 18/31R, "CG, c. AD 140-170"; stamp illegible; four rivet holes, with the remains of a lead dovetail.
Samian: Drag. 33, CG Lezoux "c AD 135-165"; stamped PAVLIM, being Paulus iv; "Possibly 'killed'".
Associated: iron ring possibly from box; iron stud and 2 iron nails.
Date of grave - "Mid Antonine" (Wickenden 1988, 19).
Cremation 16:
Lay adjacent of the ditch 328a.
Calcined bone present, contained in No. 3.
Pottery:
Platter.
Jar.
Storage jar.
Beaker.
Beaker.
Samian: Drag. 36, "CG, c. AD 110-140"; "?killed".
Date of grave - "Antonine" (Wickenden 1988, 19).
Cremation 17:
Cut into ditch 328a.
Calcined bone present, contained in No. 2.
Pottery:
Platter.
Storage jar.
Samian: Drag. 42, CG, "probably Les Martres-de-Veyre", "Trajanic - Hadrianic"; with rosette stamp; large chip missing from rim "?killed".
Associated: loose teeth from bone comb - intrusive?
Date of grave - "Hadrianic- early Antonine" (Wickenden 1988, 19).
Cremation 18:
Cut by Cremation 17.
Calcined bone present, possibly contained in a wooden casket; some bone also from No. 1.
Pottery:
Jar.
Beaker.
No samian.
Associated: possible lock plate; iron nails and shafts.
Date of grave - "Early 2nd century" (Wickenden 1988, 19).
Cremation 19:
Lay south of the ditch 328a.
Badly disturbed.
Calcined bone present, possibly originally in a perishable bag.
Pottery:
Beaker.
No samian.
Date of grave - "Flavian - early 2nd century"; thought to be the earliest cremation (Wickenden 1988, 19).
The Other Cremations
A further five other cremations were initially identified; one was apparently subsequently discounted. These lay in probable property or lane-side ditches c. 20m west of the enclosure cemetery. None of these cremation groups included samian.
Cremation 11:
Lay in the bottom of ditch 583 by its terminal.
Calcined bone present.
Pottery:
Carinated jar.
Beaker.
No samian.
Date of grave - "2nd century" (Wickenden 1988, 21).
Cremation 12:
Apparently discounted.
Cremation 13:
Positioned in the upper fill of ditch 572, alongside Cremations 14 and 15.
No bone identified: "possibly a ritual deposit" (1988, 21).
Pottery:
Jar (complete).
No samian.
Date of grave - "2nd century" (Wickenden 1988, 21).
Cremation 14:
Positioned in the upper fill of ditch 572, by Cremation 15.
Bone may have been present.
Pottery:
1. Mortarium.
Jar.
Jar.
Jar.
Jar.
Beaker.
Jar.
No samian.
Date of grave - "Hadrianic-Antonine" (Wickenden 1988, 21).
Cremation 15:
Positioned in the upper fill of ditch 572, by Cremation 14.
Bone may have been present.
Pottery:
Jar/bowl.
Jar.
Jar.
Beaker.
No samian.
Date of grave - "Hadrianic-Antonine" (Wickenden 1988, 21).
Wickenden states: "The fourteen cremations at Dunmow [of the enclosure cemetery] evenly span the century from the Flavian/Hadrianic to the late-Antonine periods, and should clearly be regarded as a small family burial group. These are frequently encountered in the backlands of tenurial plots around the fringes of many small towns in Essex, for instance, Braintree (Drury 1976, 126) ... " (Wickenden 1988, 89-90).
Atkinson, M. forthcoming. Excavations at Heybridge, Elms Farm 1993-5.
Site Type: Cremation cemetery, found in Area R; the burials form a stratigraphically and spatially discrete cluster.
Eight cremation burials were identified, all with pottery, 4 with samian. Overall date range suggested as mid second to early third century.
Cremation Group, Pit 12003:
Calcined bone recovered.
Pottery:
Coarse ware jar, contained calcined bone.
"Ancillary" jar.
Samian: CG Drag. 18/31; implied Date c. AD 120-150. This vessel was found inverted, used as a lid for Vessel 1.
Date of burial, as interpreted by the Elms Farm team, mid to late second century.
Cremation Group, Pit 12006:
Pottery:
Coarse ware jar.
Beaker.
Samian: CG Drag. 33; implied Date c. AD 120-200. This vessel had had Vessel 1 placed on top of it.
Date of burial, as interpreted by the Elms Farm team, late second century.
Cremation Group, Pit 12038:
Pottery:
Coarse ware jar
Beaker
No Samian.
Date of burial, as interpreted by the Elms Farm team, mid Roman.
Cremation Group, Pit 12105:
Pottery:
Coarse ware jar
Coarse ware jar
No Samian.
Date of burial, as interpreted by the Elms Farm team, mid second to mid third century.
Cremation Group, Pit 12120:
Pottery:
Coarse ware jar
No Samian.
Date of burial, as interpreted by the Elms Farm team, second to mid third century.
Cremation Group, Pit 12203:
Calcined bones present.
Recovered metal fittings demonstrated that this cremation had been interred within a wooden box.
Pottery:
Coarse ware jar, contained calcined bone.
Coarse ware jar.
Beaker (Colchester Colour Coat).
Flagon (Colchester).
Beaker.
Samian: CG Drag. 18/31; implied Date c. AD 120-150. This vessel underlay the beaker, while Vessel 7 was found inverted partially overlying the samian dish.
Samian: CG small Drag. 33; implied Date c. AD 120-200. Somewhat misshapen with uneven rim and splaying wall; stamped; could therefore be a 'second'.
Date of burial, as interpreted by the Elms Farm team, second century.
Probable Cremation Group, Spread 12208:
Pottery:
Coarse ware jar.
Miniature.
Beaker.
No Samian
Date, as interpreted by the Elms Farm team, late first to early third century.
Cremation Group, Pit 12219:
Calcined bone recovered.
This cremation may have been interred within a wooden box.
Pottery:
Large coarse ware storage jar, contained calcined bone.
Coarse ware jar.
Coarse ware jar.
Samian: CG Drag. 18/31; implied Date c. AD 120-150. This samian vessel had been placed in the mouth of the jar; a piece from the rim is missing, suggesting it had been - 'killed'.
"A piece of green glass cullet was also present in the backfill and may be a burnt pyre offering ...".
Date of burial, as interpreted by the Elms Farm team, possibly mid second century. [Identification BMD].
Wickenden, N.P. 1986. Prehistoric settlement and the Romano-British 'Small Town' at Heybridge, Essex, Essex Archaeology and History17, 7-68.
Kenrick, P.M. 1986. Base of Arretine platter, in N.P. Wickenden, Prehistoric settlement and the Romano-British 'Small Town' at Heybridge, Essex, Essex Archaeology and History17, 53.
From "Belgic cremation cemetery", found prior to 1912.
Cremation Group:
Calcined bones recovered.
Pottery:
Urn (Thompson 1982, Fig. 44.1100, Type B2-4) "containing bones and covered by the Arretine lid [sic]"
Samian: Large Arretine platter, at least 35 cm in diameter; "cut down for use as a lid, and was found covering the burial No. 1" ie. the urn above; Stamped "PHERT[ORI], being P. Hertorius of Arezzo; Illustrated: Fig. 26,No. 9; is cut to an approx. square shape.
Dates to c. 20BC. (Appears in Birchall (1965, 308, and Fig. 16 No. 139)). [Identification PMK].
Other finds comprised pottery: part of a medium storage jar; part of a grey ware jar; and Samian in the form of parts of a Drag. 18/31R. These are interpreted as also coming from cremation/s.
Date of grave - presumably Hadrianic-early Antonine, c. AD 130-150.
A cemetery of some 5 enclosures containing burials associated with high status finds was excavated at Stanway, near Colchester, during the 1990s. One cremation burial, a 'satellite' burial in Enclosure 3, included an inkwell believed to be samian (pers. comm. Nina Crummy). (The principal burial within Enclosure 3 was the so-called 'warrior grave'). The cremation burial with the inkwell is Cremation burial BF 67.
Cremation Group:
Pottery:
White ware flagon of Cam. form 161.
Samian inkwell.
Associated: Non-ceramic items in the grave comprised a Hod Hill brooch of rare type and a wooden tray with decorated copper-alloy sheeting.
Date of Burial: The burial is believed to date to the period c. AD 50-65, though could perhaps be earlier.
The inkwell was in a poor state of preservation. It is believed to be samian but is to undergo thin-section analysis in order to help determine its origin (pers. comm. Philip Crummy 25.11.2002). (Ceramic inkwells which are apparently non-samian are know from Haltern, of this period, as Oswald and Pryce, referencing Loeschcke, note (1920, 210), these items being in red fabric with a brown "varnish"). If this vessel from Stanway is samian it is very likely, given the date of the grave, to be from La Graufesenque, or, potentially be an example of early Provincial or even Italian sigillata.
Millett, M. 1986. An early Roman cemetery at Alton, Hampshire, Proceedings of the Hampshire Field Club and Archaeological Society42, 43-87.
Site Type: the cemetery is believed to be related to a late Iron Age-early Romano-British rural settlement.
Excavations were undertaken in 1980 at a site adjacent to the High St in advance of road works; during the 19th century part of a furnished cremation burial had been investigated at this location. Nine burials were encountered and recorded in 1980, one being that previously discovered in the 19th century.
Only Graves 2 and 3 included samian vessels; the large majority of the pottery is 'Farnham ware'.
"It ... seems likely that as a funerary assemblage it is atypical of its period " (Millett 1986, 79).
Millett states: "The cemetery excavated in Alton is characteristic of a series of similar burials from this part of central southern England all of which are typified by large assemblages of pots ... we are dealing with a regional sub-type of the late La Tène cremation tradition" (1986, 80). "The other characteristic is the comparatively small number of graves in each cemetery" (Millett 1986, 80).
Cremation Group, Burial 1:
Bones/Calcined bones were recovered from a jar.
Pottery:
16 pottery vessels present, mainly open forms: jar (cinerary urn), 2 flagons, another jar, 4 platters, 4 bowls, 2 dishes and 2 lids.
No samian present.
Associated finds: Iron shears and knife.
Suggested date of burial: Claudian?
Cremation Group, Burial 2:
Believed to be the burial investigated in the 19th century; evidently a part of this grave had remained unexplored at that time and this was excavated in 1980. The recorded pottery represents only part of the group, other pots recovered in the 19th century are now lost.
Bones/Calcined bones were recovered of a adult; had evidently been scattered through the grave from a casket.
Pottery:
30 vessels have been identified from this grave, 18 from the 1860 excavation, the latter comprising mainly open forms: 2 flagons, 1 bowl, 5 dishes, 4 dishes/platters, 2 jars, 1 possible jar and 2 lids; a further vessel attributed to the group is evidently intrusive.
Samian is said to have been recovered amongst the finds form the 19th century.
From 1980: 12 vessels comprising, 1 flagon, 3 platters, 3 platters/dishes, 1 dish and 1 lid, plus 3 samian vessels
Samian present:
Samian: SG La Graufesenque, Drag. 18R, with the stamp of REGENVS (die 6b), dated c. AD 35-55; id BMD
Samian: SG La Graufesenque, Drag. 18, c. AD 40-100
Samian: SG La Graufesenque, Drag. 18, different vessel, c. AD 40-100
Associated finds: gold signet ring; 2 mould linked square glass bottles; 9 glass gaming pieces; an annular glass bead; wooden tray; copper alloy strip, possibly from the tray; two copper alloy spoons; fragment of iron knife blade. The gold ring suggests a noble or person of some status.
Suggested date of burial: Claudio-Neronian.
Cremation Group, Burial 3:
Bones/Calcined bones were recovered of an adult, contained in the largest jar.
Pottery:
22 vessels were recovered comprising, 1 amphora scale vessel, 1 flagon, 4 wide mouthed jars, 2 with lids, 7 bowls, 6 dishes, plus 1 samian vessel.
Samian: SG La Graufesenque, Drag. 18, with the stamp of OFSILVIN (die 3a), of Silvinus i, dated c. AD 40-65; id BMD
Associated finds: small circular copper alloy box found with cremated bone; copper alloy cosmetic set.
Suggested date of burial: Claudio-Neronian.
Cremation Group, Burial 4:
Disturbed.
Bones/Calcined bones were recovered of an adult.
Pottery:
14 vessels were recovered, although it is thought that others were originally present; the 14 comprise, 2 flagons, 4 jars, 1 bowl, 3 dishes, and 4 lids.
No samian present.
Associated finds: copper alloy nail cleaner; copper alloy finger ring.
Suggested date of burial: early Flavian.
Cremation Group, Burial 5:
Bones/Calcined bones were recovered of an adult.
Pottery: 53 vessels were recovered, comprising: 4 flagons, 13 jars (1 being a cinerary urn), 1 beaker, 3 bowls, 25 dishes, and 7 lids.
No samian present.
Associated finds: 1 copper alloy Colchester brooch and 1 copper alloy Colchester derivative brooch; copper alloy cosmetic set; copper alloy ring; fragments of two caskets; iron knife; iron loop, probably a finger ring; 8 iron nails; animal bone also present, including an inverted horse skull.
Millett, M.J. and Graham, D. 1986. Excavations on the Romano-British Small Town at Neatham, Hampshire 1969-1979, The Hampshire Field Club with the Farnham and District Museum Society, Gloucester.
Hartley, B.R. and Dickinson, B.M. 1986. The samian stamps, in M.J. Millett and D. Graham, Excavations on the Romano-British Small Town at Neatham, Hampshire 1969-1979, The Hampshire Field Club with the Farnham and District Museum Society, Gloucester, 66-7.
Site Type: 'Small Town'. This cremation cemetery lies on the south-east fringe of the site overlooking the R. Wey and adjacent to a Roman road.
The cemetery dates to the first and second centuries AD. The burials were revealed in advance of road works; they form a close linear cluster, possibly of a family or similar group; this is perhaps only a part of a larger cemetery; the wider area was not investigated.
Pottery grave goods show strong preference for open forms (dishes, bowls) with few jars, plus flagons. A pair of flagons occurs in all burials except 5 and 6.
Millett and Graham note: "... the earliest two Burials (1 and 2) contained numerous vessels, and represent a rite which is an unusual, regional characteristic. It is noteworthy that a high proportion of these vessels were poorly fired and may have been either wasters or specifically manufactured funerary vessels. This pattern has also been observed at Chichester (Down and Rule 1971) although, in that instance, the graves contained fewer vessels. The Chichester cemetery also provides parallels for specific grave layouts, with their type 2a similar to Neatham Burial 3, and their 2d like Pit B of Burial 5" (1986, 61).
Cremation Group, Burial 1:
Cut by a stream and damaged by modern machine work.
Disturbed cremated bone was recorded.
Some 63 pottery vessels are recorded from this feature. Many of the vessels appear to be under-fired: "whether as special, low-quality funerary ware or simply as wasters".
No samian present.
Believed to be early in sequence due to absence of non-local artefacts (Millett and Graham 1986, 61).
Cremation Group, Burial 2:
Urned cremation.
48 pottery vessels, mainly open forms, are recorded from this feature.
No samian present.
Believed to be early in sequence due to absence of non-local artefacts (cf. Millett and Graham 1986, 61).
Cremation Group, Burial 3:
Damaged in antiquity.
No cremation urn or cremated bone encountered; possibly lost during disturbance in antiquity.
7 non-samian pottery vessels were recorded from the surviving cremation pit; several of the vessels were under-fired (see Burial 1).
Samian: 7 vessels.
Samian: Déch. 67, CG LMV, "early second century".
Samian: Small Drag. 42 dish with handles, CG LMV, not stamped, "early second century".
Samian: Small Drag. 42 dish with handles, CG LMV, stamped by Donnaucus, die 5a, "c. AD 100-120".
Samian: Drag. 42 dish with handles, "both now missing", CG LMV, stamped by Donnaucus, die 5a, "c. AD 100-120".
Samian: Drag. 42 dish with handles, CG LMV, stamped by Donnaucus, die 5a, "c. AD 100-120".
Samian: Drag. 42 cup with handles, CG LMV, stamped by Billicedo, die 6a, "c. AD 100-120".
Samian: Drag. 42 cup with handles, CG LMV, stamped by Billicedo, die 6a, "c. AD 100-120".
Cremation Group, Burial 4:
The cremation had been contained in a wooden cremation casket.
7 pottery vessels are recorded from this feature, including 2 flagons. Millett and Graham state: that this pottery was of higher quality than that found in the other graves (1986, 58).
No samian present.
A pair of shoes had been included in the grave, as had a bracelet and a brooch dated by Rex Hull to the mid first century AD.
Believed to date to the third or last quarter of the first century AD, with the flagon being later than the brooch (Millett and Graham 1986, 61).
Cremation Group, Burial 5:
Had two subsidiary pits, each with its own urn and grave goods.
Main Pit:
5 non-samian vessels.
Samian: 3 vessels (details from list by Hartley and Dickinson 1986, 66-7, form details NOT from Table 17):
Samian: Drag. 18/31R, CG Lezoux, stamped by Lollius, die 2a, c. AD 135-65. Heavily repaired with rivets.
Samian: Drag. 31, CG Lezoux, stamped by Cintusmus, die 4a, c. AD 140-60.
Samian: Drag. 18/31R, CG Lezoux, stamped "MI\CO", unidentified potter, c. AD 120-60. Heavily repaired with rivets; heavily burnt.
Pit A:
The pottery was found in: "a jumbled mass mixed with a number of iron nails, brackets and ash which indicate a wooden structure, perhaps a box" (1986, 58).
Contained c. 12 non-samian vessels including a Gallo-Belgic type bowl, thought perhaps a British product, dated second half of the first century / early second century.
Samian: 2 vessels:
Samian: Drag. 15/31, CG LMV, stamped by Silvinus iii, die 2a, c. AD 130-60.
Samian: Drag. 36, CG "Trajanic-Hadrianic".
Pit B:
Contained c. 10 non-samian vessels including a flagon.
Samian: 1 vessel:
Samian: Drag. 18/31R, CG Lezoux, stamped by Cucalus, die 2f, c. AD 140-60. Repaired with rivets.
Cremation Group, Burial 6:
Double inhumation; by Burial 5; no grave goods; earlier than mid second century.
Biddle, M. 1967. Two Flavian burials from Grange Road, Winchester, The Antiquaries Journal, 47, 224-50.
The burials were discovered in 1964 to the south of Venta Belgarum. Martin Biddle has suggested that they were located too far to the south of the Roman town to be part of a town cemetery and postulates that they relate to a local settlement, and are perhaps of a family plot.
Cremation Group, Grave I:
The burial was in a pit and was found by machine and thereby disturbed.
Calcined bones of an adult, probably male, were present within Pot 1.
Pottery (13 or 14 vessels were present):
Flagon, containing cremation, stood on Pot 3.
Samian: (Biddle states that: "though most likely to be derived from Grave I ... might have come from other Roman activity nearby" (1967, 227)), small Drag. 36, represented by 3 sherds (2 conjoining), SG La Graufesenque, not stamped; dated by GBD as probably Vespasianic.
Large platter imitating Drag. form 18.
Platter imitating Drag. form 18.
Platter imitating Drag. form 18.
Platter imitating Drag. form 18.
Platter imitating Drag. form 18.
Cup imitating Drag. 27.
Cup imitating Drag. 27.
Cup imitating Drag. 27.
Cup imitating Drag. 27.
Cup imitating Drag. 35, no barbotine trail.
Cup imitating Drag. 35, no barbotine trail.
It is possible that a sixth platter imitating Drag. 18 occurs.
Vessels 3-13 are in the same low-fired fabric which has a dull red appearance, with surfaces smoothed and somewhat burnished; the fabric is not dissimilar from that of some copies of Terra Rubra. The 6 cups all share the same senseless stamp.
Associated finds: a bronze disc brooch, a Kimmeridge shale bracelet, 5 iron nails, and a group of iron and bronze fittings probably from a box; in addition, unburnt bones of a dog or large ruminant (Biddle 1967, 227).
Cremation Group, Grave II:
The burial was in a pit and was found by machine. It was, however, little disturbed and could be excavated in the normal manner.
Unurned calcined bones and unburnt bones occurred possibly of more than one person, though the majority of the unburnt bones might not have been human; Don Brothwell was of the opinion that the bones indicated that a teenager or slender female might be represented; Prof. Biddle suggested that the person might be male given the character of the grave goods.
The grave goods were varied and detail of their arrangement is reported.
Pottery (15 vessels were present):
Flagon, "repaired in antiquity ... with a kind of mortar" (Specified in the report as Find 15).
Rough-cast beaker, with pierced base, second half of the first century AD (Specified in the report as Find 16).
Samian: Drag. 18R, SG La Graufesenque, stamped 'COS+RFN' = Cosivs and Rufinus, Flavian (Specified in the report as Find 2).
Samian: Drag. 18, SG La Graufesenque, stamped 'OF VITA', Flavian (Specified in the report as Find 3).
Samian: Drag. 18, SG La Graufesenque, stamped 'OFRONTNI' = Frontinus, Flavian (Specified in the report as Find 4).
Samian: Drag. 18, SG La Graufesenque, stamped 'NFORI' (NF retrograde) (Specified in the report as Find 5).
Samian: Drag. 18, SG La Graufesenque, stamped 'MEMORISM', Flavian (Specified in the report as Find 6).
Samian: Drag. 27, SG La Graufesenque, stamped 'EQVRI' = Nequres, c. AD 70-85 (Specified in the report as Find 7).
Samian: Drag. 27, SG La Graufesenque, stamped 'OI:SVRIL', Flavian (Specified in the report as Find 8).
Samian: Drag. 27, SG La Graufesenque, likewise stamped 'EQVRI' = Nequres, c. AD 70-85 (Specified in the report as Find 9).
Samian: Drag. 27, SG La Graufesenque, stamped 'OF.SABINI', Flavian (Specified in the report as Find 10).
Samian: Drag. 27, SG, stamped ' OFNICIO', ?Neronian-Flavian (Specified in the report as Find 11).
Samian: Drag. 27, SG La Graufesenque, a further vessel stamped 'EQVRI' = Nequres, c. AD 70-85 (Specified in the report as Find 12).
Samian: Drag. 27, SG La Graufesenque, stamped 'OFSI', (? late Neronian-)Flavian (Specified in the report as Find 13).
Samian: Drag. 27, SG La Graufesenque, stamp illegible, probably Flavian (Specified in the report as Find 14).
Associated: A shale tray (trencher), upon which were placed two samian vessels (nos 3 and 8 here) and a half of a pigs head, and a bird bone; also on the tray were a copper alloy spoon and two iron knives; a glass jug (with handle missing); a bronze jug with iron tool and 2 bronze pins below; 5 iron nails; 2 iron styli, a set of gaming counters; two rings, a seal box, a bell, 8 melon beads and a fossil (Biddle 1967).
Date of graves: Flavian/final quarter of the first century AD, possibly c. AD 85-95 (GBD; Biddle 1967). [Samian Identification GBD].
Baldock, Walls Field (site D) 1968, Cremation Cemetery
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.
Hassall, M. 1986. Graffiti, in Stead and Rigby 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 189-90.
8 burials were excavated; have Baldock (Stead & Rigby 1986) Nos 5-12. Numbers 5, 6 and 7 cluster, as do 8-12, which coincides with difference in samian present.
Cremation Group, Burial 5:
The grave had been cut into fill of a ditch (Stead and Rigby 1986, 61-3).
Calcined bones of young adult 18-30 years.
Samian: 2 vessels:
Samian: Drag. 27g, SG La Graufesenque, stamped Libertus i, die 4a, dated, c. AD 65-85, Stamp Cat. number S76.
Samian: Drag 18, SG La Graufesenque, stamped Sabinus iii, die 41a, dated, c. AD 65-80, Stamp Cat. number S137; repaired with lead rivets.
Both items are illustrated (Fig. 27).
Associated: wooden box or plank lining, glass jug (later first century, possibly early second), (probable) second small wooden box with metal fittings, containing Colchester Derivative brooch; several frags of fine bronze brooch-chain; Fe nails; bones of 2 domestic fowl, plus femur of pig.
Date of grave - evidently later first century AD, "early Flavian" (IMS & VR). [Identification BMD and GBD].
Cremation Group, Burial 6:
The grave had been cut into fill of a ditch (Stead and Rigby 1986, 63-71).
Calcined bones (had been inside a box) of an adult.
Pottery:
Flagon.
Samian: Drag. 27g, SG La Graufesenque, stamped Perrus 1, die 12b, dated, c. AD 55-75, Stamp Cat. number S118.
Samian: Drag. 27g, SG La Graufesenque, stamped Firmo 1, die 15a, dated, c. AD 40-60, Stamp Cat. number S53.
Samian: Drag. 18, SG La Graufesenque, stamped Crestio, die 17c, dated, c. AD 55-75, Stamp Cat. number S40.
Samian: Drag. 18, SG La Graufesenque, stamped Felix 1, die 41a, dated, c. AD 55-75, Stamp Cat. number S52; graffito under base.
Samian: Drag. 18, SG La Graufesenque, stamped Maccarus, die 13a, dated, c. AD 50-65, Stamp Cat. number S84.
Samian: Drag. 18, SG La Graufesenque, stamped Nestor, die 2a, dated, c. AD 50-65, Stamp Cat. number S99; graffito under base.
Samian: Drag. 18, SG La Graufesenque, stamped Patricius 1, die 4b, dated, c. AD 65-90, Stamp Cat. number S109.
Samian: Drag. 29, SG La Graufesenque, stamped Crestio, die 5b, dated, c. AD 50-65, Drawn Decorated item number D66, Stamp Cat. number S38.
Associated: with the cremated bone were distorted frags of glass, calcined bones of a fowl & part of burnt radius shaft of red deer. Also associated were wooden box fittings, trumpet brooch with part of a chain, a spring and pin of a further brooch, perhaps also a trumpet, an ae pin, 2 bronze hinges (from a wooden tray?); unburnt animal bone, domestic fowl bones, r hind-leg of a pig, shoulder and leg of sheep.
All these items are illustrated (Fig. 28).
Date of grave - evidently later first century AD, "early Flavian" (IMS & VR). [Identification BMD and GBD].
Cremation Group, Burial 7: (Pages 71-3)
Calcined bones of adult; with the cremated bone were calcined bones of pig.
Samian: Drag. 24, SG La Graufesenque, stamped Aquitanus, die 11b, dated, c. AD 40-65, Stamp Cat. number S12; repaired with bronze rivets; graffito on the outside, above the base: report by Hassall (1986, 189): on the lower wall of the vessel is a mark of ownership followed by the owner's name, inscribed inverted with respect to the footing "X VATILA").
Samian: Drag. 24, SG La Graufesenque, stamped Martialis i, uncertain die 1, dated, c. AD 50-65, Stamp Cat. number S89.
Samian: Drag. 15/17, SG La Graufesenque, stamped Licinus, die 46 i, dated, c. AD 40-65, Stamp Cat. number S81; "A 'second', with untrimmed lump of clay adhering to the underside" (1986, 73).
Samian: Drag. 18, SG La Graufesenque, stamped Laurartus, die 2b, pre-Flavian?; Stamp Cat. number S74. Repaired with 3 bronze rivets; graffiti on the underside of the base: report by Hassall: "On the underside within the footring a mark of ownership and the owner's name have been inscribed: MELENIO or MELENIU. Outside the footring is an inscribed cross ... Two vessels from this burial have been inscribed, but the names are different" (1986, 189).
Illustrated: Fig. 32.
Associated: bent fe nails; unburnt bones of domestic fowl in grog-tempered platter, calf scapula in Drag 18, vertebrae of sheep in Drag 24 and 15/17.
Date of grave - evidently late Claudian - Neronian (IMS & VR, plus SHW) [Identification BMD and GBD].
Cremation Group, Burial 8: (Page 73)
Cremation of adult.
Pottery:
3 vessels in local/regional fabrics = jars & a platter.
No samian present.
Date of grave - evidently later first century AD, "early Flavian" (IMS & VR).
Cremation Group, Burial 9: (Page 73)
Cremation of adult.
Pottery:
Beaker - in local/regional fabric.
No samian present.
Date of grave - evidently later first century AD, "early Flavian" (IMS & VR).
Cremation Group, Burial 10: (Pages 73-5)
Cremated bones of adult.
Pottery:
Samian: Drag. 36, SG La Graufesenque, dated, c. AD 70-110.
Associated: wooden box container for cremation - represented by metal fittings - samian vessel placed over this on which were unburnt ribs of sheep or pig, body of a flagon, 3 sherds of jar (intrusive? residual?).
Date of grave - evidently later first century AD (IMS & VR, plus SHW).
Cremation Group, Burial 11: (Page 75)
Cremation of adult.
Pottery:
TN platter.
Beaker with triangular bobble bosses - in local/regional fabric.
No samian present.
Date of grave - evidently later first century AD, "early Flavian" (IMS & VR).
Cremation Group, Burial 12: (Page 75)
Cremation of adult.
Pottery:
Jar - in Verulamium region fabric.
No samian present.
Date of grave - 2nd century (IMS & VR).
Baldock, Upper Walls Common (site E) 1969, Cremation Cemetery
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.
16 burials were encountered; these have Baldock (Stead & Rigby 1986) Nos 13-28; "Most of the burials very simple: ten were mere collections of bone ... " the latter being Burials 13, 14, 16, 18-23, 28, Burials 24-5 = pit with 2 inhumations, not exc., 26 - cremation with some sherds; 27 was part of inhumation.
Cremation Group, Burial 15: (Pages 75-7)
Pottery:
Beaker in local/regional ware.
Jar, 2nd-3rd century.
One of the above 2 was the cinerary urn.
Samian: Drag. 35, "C.G. Trajanic - Hadrianic. The rim was chipped in antiquity, otherwise complete" (1986, 77).
Illustrated (Fig. 34).
Date of grave - evidently 2nd century (SHW). [Identification BMD & GBD].
Cremation Group, Burial 17: (Page 77)
Cremation of adult.
Pottery:
Jar, BB1 type, late Antonine.
Body of flagon.
Jar sherds.
No samian present.
Date of grave - evidently later 2nd century (SHW).
Going, C.J. and Hunn, J.R. 1999. Excavations at Boxfield Farm, Chells, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, Hertfordshire Archaeological Trust Report No. 2, Hertfordshire Archaeological Trust, Hertford.
Dickinson, B.M. 1999. Samian, in C.J. Going and J.R. Hunn, Excavations at Boxfield Farm, Chells, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, Hertfordshire Archaeological Trust Report No. 2, Hertfordshire Archaeological Trust, Hertford, 84-7.
Twenty four cremation burials or likely cremation burials excavated; mainly in a tight cluster with 2 outliers; located in the corner of a small field enclosure; excavated as a rescue operation; the cemetery had been badly plough-damaged.
Site type: Rural.
Cremation Group GAB:
Calcined bones of mature adult.
Pottery:
Shell tempered cinerary urn; top ploughed off; presumably a jar.
No samian present.
Associated: Iron, perhaps from casket or box.
Date of burial - "probably Flavian to early second century".
Cremation Group GAC:
Calcined bones of mature adult.
Pottery:
Shell tempered cinerary urn; top ploughed off; presumably a jar.
Samian: Drag. 18/31 or 31, CG, "Hadrianic or Antonine".
Date of burial - "probably Hadrianic-Antonine".
Cremation Group GAD:
Calcined bones of older/mature adult.
Pottery:
Verulamium Region ware bowl used as cinerary urn.
Shell tempered jar.
Oxidized vessel, uncertain form.
No samian present.
Date of burial - "probably Hadrianic-Antonine".
Cremation Group GAE:
Calcined bones of adult.
Pottery:
Reduced ware cinerary urn; top ploughed off; presumably a jar.
Oxidized vessel, uncertain form.
Samian: Drag. 31, CG, "Antonine".
Samian: dish or bowl, CG, "early to mid Antonine".
Date of burial - "Antonine?"
Cremation Group GAF:
Calcined bones of adult.
Pottery:
Jar used as cinerary urn.
Sherd of ring-necked flagon.
No samian present.
Date of burial - "probably second century".
Cremation Group GAG:
Calcined bones of sub-adult/adult.
Pottery:
Verulamium Region ware jar, used as cinerary urn?
Samian: Drag. 18/31 or 31, CG, "Hadrianic-Antonine".
Date of burial - "Antonine to late Antonine".
Cremation Group GAH:
Calcined bones of older/mature adult.
Pottery:
Shell tempered jar, probably used as cinerary urn.
various other sherds "possibly accidental in grave fill".
Samian: Drag. 18/31, CG, "Antonine".
Samian: Drag. 33, CG, "Antonine".
"also two other samian chips, CG Antonine".
Iron: perhaps from casket or box.
Date of burial - "mid to later second century?"
Cremation Group GAI:
Calcined bones of adult.
Pottery:
Shell tempered jar, probably used as cinerary urn.
15 very abraded sherds in gritty coarse ware.
Samian: Drag. 18/31, CG, "Hadrianic"; "sherd from same vessel in Grave GAK".
Date of burial - "Hadrianic to early Antonine".
Cremation Group GAJ:
Calcined bones of (i) infant, (ii) adult?
Pottery:
Coarse ware jar, used as cinerary urn.
No samian present.
Iron: perhaps from casket.
Date of burial - "probably Flavian to second century".
Canterbury, Castle, Rosemary Lane Car Park, Area II
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.
Site Type: Major Civil Centre.
Cremations 1 and 2 were interred in open ground at the SW edge of Roman Canterbury by the main roadway to the south-west (heading to Ashford and the Weald), at a time when the vicinity may have been under the plough. These two cremations are considered by the excavator to be broadly contemporary. There may have been a cremation cemetery in this area during the early Roman era.
Here the cremation numbers follow those of the published report (Bennett et al. 1982, 33-4), but the vessels are numbered here per cremation in a manner specific to the present Project.
Note: all 3 samian vessels represented here were buried with something sitting in them (see Bennett et al. 1982, Fig. 7).
Cremation Group 1:
Lay within a small pit.
Bone/Calcined bones of one or more individuals recovered from vessel 1; the one identifiable individual is probably a male aged c. 20-40.
Pottery:
Bowl/jar, being a cinerary urn.
Coarse ware flagon (? Claudio-Neronian), with missing handle.
Samian: Drag. 15/17, SG La Graufesenque, stamped 'IVLLIN' being Ivllinvs of La Graufesenque, dated c. 75-95. The flagon had been placed on top of this 15/17.
Samian: Drag. 36, Central Gaulish, early to mid second century, with bones from a small bird upon the vessel surface (see Bennett et al. 1982, Fig. 7).
Associated: Glass flask, broken and mended at rim in antiquity.
Late first or early second century.
Cremation Group 2:
Lay within a small pit.
Bone/Calcined bones present from a minimum of two individuals: a child c. 4-5 years and an adult.
Pottery:
Bowl/jar, being a cinerary urn.
Small coarse ware flagon.
Coarse ware carinated bowl with reeded rim.
Small coarse ware jar.
Small coarse ware bowl imitating a Drag. 35 (which had been placed in the grave on vessel 6).
Samian: Drag. 36, Central Gaulish, early to mid second century.
No associated non-ceramic finds.
Dated as late first or early second century. [Samian Identification JB].
Canterbury, Cranmer House, London Road
Frere, S.S., Bennett, P., Rady, J. and Stow, S. 1987. Canterbury Excavations: Intra-and Extra-Mural Sites, 1949-55 and 1980-84, The Archaeology of Canterbury Vol. VIII, Canterbury Archaeological Trust and the Kent Archaeological Society, Maidstone.
Pollard, R.J. 1987. The pottery, in S.S. Frere, P. Bennett, J. Rady, and S. Stow, Canterbury Excavations: Intra- and Extra-Mural Sites, 1949-55 and 1980-84, The Archaeology of Canterbury Vol. VIII, Canterbury Archaeological Trust and the Kent Archaeological Society, Maidstone, 284-96.
The burials were recovered via salvage recovery and excavation, during 1982, in advance of building works: "Any number of burials could ... have been lost during the cutting of foundation-trenches ... A number of burials were retrieved from discarded soil and in some cases rescued from the machine bucket itself ... it can only be regretted that an area-excavation of such an important site did not take place" (Frere et al. 1987, 58).
Cremation Burial 1:
Recovered by workmen; other pots may have been present.
Bone/Calcined bones of adult.
Pottery:
Jar = 'cinerary urn'.
Jar, rim only.
Body sherds.
No associated non-ceramic finds.
Mid second to third century.
Cremation Burial 2:
All pots recovered by workmen, bar 5; other pots may have been present. May represent a cluster of 2 or 3 cremation groups.
Bone/Calcined bones of young adult male.
Pottery:
Jar = 'cinerary urn'.
Flagon.
Base of ? bowl.
Base of ? jar.
Body sherd of ? flagon.
Body of ? bowl.
Base of ? jar.
Associated finds: Pot 1 contained hobnails and an iron nail; also recovered a fragment of indented glass flask.
Mid second to third century.
Cremation Burial 3:
Partially truncated during machining; excavated by Canterbury Archaeological Trust staff.
Bone/Calcined bones of adult, probably male.
Pottery:
Jar = 'cinerary urn'.
Flask.
Associated: Glass flask fragments; remains of a speculum mirror probably associated.
Mid second to third century.
Cremation Burial 4:
Discovered by workmen; recovered in situ; other pots may have been present.
Bone/Calcined bones of adult, probably male.
Pottery:
Jar = 'cinerary urn'.
Associated: Fragments of hobnailed boot or boots recovered overlying the cremated bone.
Mid second to third century.
Cremation Burial 5:
Located by workmen; other pots may have been present. May represent a cluster of 2 cremation groups.
Bone/Calcined bones: none recovered.
Pottery:
Fragment jar, possibly a cinerary urn.
Fragment jar.
Body sherds.
Samian: Drag. 37, CG, base and lower body, "Hadrianic-Antonine?" (Pollard 1987, 286).
No assoc. non-ceramic finds.
Mid second to third century.
Cremation Burial 6:
Disturbed by machining; other pots may have been present.
Bone/Calcined bones: none recovered.
Pottery:
Flagon - Oxfordshire ware.
Body sherds.
Body sherds.
No associated non-ceramic finds.
Mid third to early fourth century.
Cremation Burial 7:
Disturbed by machining; other pots may have been present.
Bone/Calcined bones of adolescent.
Pottery:
Base of Jar = 'cinerary urn'.
Associated: Hob-nailed boots from grave backfill.
Flavian to early fourth century.
Cremation Burial 8:
Disturbed by machining; other pots may have been present.
Bone/Calcined bones: none recovered.
Pottery:
Fragments from jar, possibly a cinerary urn.
BB2 dish.
BB2 dish.
Miniature beaker.
Sherds possibly from 2, 3 or a different vessel.
Late second to third century.
Cremation Burial 9:
Disturbed by machining; other pots may have been present.
Bone/Calcined bones: a few fragments.
Pottery:
Fragment jar, probably a cinerary urn.
Beaker.
Associated: Hobnails came from pot 2.
Late second to third century.
Cremation Burial 10:
Only partially identified; disturbed by machining; other pots may have been present.
Bone/Calcined bones of adult.
Pottery:
Jar = 'cinerary urn'.
Associated: Fragment of antler or bone box inlay from pot 1.
Mid second to third century.
Cremation Burial 11:
Disturbed by machining; other pots may have been present.
Bone/Calcined bones of young adult male.
Pottery:
Jar = 'cinerary urn'.
Associated: Hob-nailed boots from grave backfill; possible wooden box.
Not closely datable.
Cremation Burial 12:
Disturbed by machining; other pots may have been present.
Bone/Calcined bones: None recovered.
Pottery:
Base of jar, possibly cinerary urn.
Beaker.
Samian: Drag. 33, CG, "second century" (Pollard 1987, 287); had possibly been placed over cinerary jar.
No associated non-ceramic finds.
Late second to third century.
Cremation Burial 13:
Disturbed by machining; other pots may have been present.
Bone/Calcined bones of young adult male.
Pottery:
Jar, BB2 = 'cinerary urn'.
No associated non-ceramic finds.
Late second to early fourth century.
Cremation Burial 14:
Disturbed by machining; other pots may have been present, but may only have been a single vessel present.
Bone/Calcined bones of adult.
Pottery:
Jar = 'cinerary urn'.
Associated: Iron nail from cremated bones in Pot 1.
Second century.
Cremation Burial 15:
Disturbed by machining; other pots may have been present; at least two burials are represented.
Bone/Calcined bones of young adult from Pot 1; adult from Pot 8.
Pottery:
Jar = 'cinerary urn'.
Jar.
Flagon.
Rim sherd from jar.
Beaker.
Base of Flagon.
Beaker.
Jar = 'cinerary urn'.
Samian: Drag. 40, CG, "Late second century" (Pollard 1987, 288).
Associated: Bone or antler box inlay from Pot 1; speculum bronze mirror covering pots 6 and 8;
an imbrex fragment covered the samian vessel.
Second half of second century (possibly early third century).
Cremation Burial 16:
Heavily disturbed by machining.
Bone/Calcined bones: none recovered.
Pottery:
Jar, possibly a cinerary urn.
No associated non-ceramic finds.
Mid second to third century.
Cremation Burial 17:
Disturbed by machining.
Bone/Calcined bones of adult male.
Pottery:
Jar = 'cinerary urn'.
Dish.
No associated non-ceramic finds.
Late second to early fourth century.
Cremation Burial 18:
Disturbed by machining; other pots may have been present.
Bone/Calcined bones of adult, probably male.
Pottery:
Flagon used as cinerary urn.
Associated: Hobnail from bottom of grave.
Second century.
Cremation Burial 19:
Somewhat disturbed by machining; nonetheless these pots represent: "the entire contents of the burial".
Bone/Calcined bones of adolescent.
Pottery:
Jar = 'cinerary urn'.
Flagon.
Dish.
Beaker.
Samian: Drag. 31, CG, "Fragment of name-stamp, illegible. Mid to end second century" (Pollard 1987, 288).
Associated: copper alloy ring with bone attachment from Pot 1; 2 nails found with cremated bone.
Mid second to mid third century.
Cremation Burial 20:
Pot 1 found in machine bucket; site of burial not identified; other pots may have been present.
Bone/Calcined bones from burials 20 and 23 were accidentally mixed: adult. probably male or young adult, probably male.
Pottery:
Jar = 'cinerary urn'.
Associated: Iron nails either from this burial or No. 23.
Second century.
Cremation Burial 21:
Pot 1 found in machine bucket; site of burial not identified; other pots may have been present.
Bone/Calcined bones: none recovered.
Pottery:
Beaker.
No associated non-ceramic finds.
Second half of second century to third century.
Cremation Burial 22:
Disturbed by machining.
Bone/Calcined bones of adult.
Pottery:
Jar = 'cinerary urn'.
Flagon.
Body sherd.
Samian: Drag. 31, CG, "Mid to end second century" (Pollard 1987, 288).
No associated non-ceramic finds.
Mid second century to third century.
Cremation Burial 23:
Group essentially complete.
Bone/Calcined bones from burials 20 and 23 were accidentally mixed: adult. probably male or young adult, probably male.
Pottery:
Jar = 'cinerary urn'.
Flask.
Dish.
Beaker.
Jar.
Beaker.
No samian present.
Associated: Lamp (found inside pot 1, over cremated bone).
Late second to early third century.
Cremation Burial 24:
Disturbed by machining, though no other vessels may have been present.
Bone/Calcined bones of adult male.
Pottery:
Jar = 'cinerary urn'.
No associated non-ceramic finds.
Second century.
Cremation Burial 25:
Pot 1 found in machine bucket; site of burial not identified; other pots may have been present.
Bone/Calcined bones of adult.
Pottery:
Jar = 'cinerary urn'.
Body sherd.
No associated non-ceramic finds.
Second century.
Cremation Burial 26:
Heavily disturbed by machining; other pots may not have been present.
Bone/Calcined bones of adult.
Pottery:
Jar = 'cinerary urn'.
No associated non-ceramic finds.
Mid second to third century.
Cremation Burial 27:
This is a complete group.
Bone/Calcined bones of adult.
Pottery:
Jar = 'cinerary urn'.
Dish, BB2.
Dish, BB2.
Flask.
Beaker.
Beaker.
Sherds, possibly from grave backfill.
No samian present.
Associated: Hobnailed boots by side of Pot 1.
Late second to third century.
Cremation Burial 28:
Disturbed by machining.
Bone/Calcined bones of adult, probably young male.
Pottery:
Jar = 'cinerary urn'.
Dish (inverted over 1).
Beaker (covered by tegula fragment).
Associated: Hobnailed boots by Pot 1; coin of Antoninus Pius found within cremated bones in Pot 1.
Late second to third century.
Cremation Burial 29:
This burial consisted of a single pot.
Bone/Calcined bones of adult, probably male.
Pottery:
Bowl containing cremation.
No samian present.
No associated non-ceramic finds.
Mid first to early second century.
Cremation Burial 30:
This burial consisted of a single pot; disturbed by machine.
Bone/Calcined bones of adult male.
Pottery:
Jar = 'cinerary urn'.
No samian present.
Associated: Hobnailed boots by side of Pot 1
Mid first to early second century.
Cremation Burial 31:
This burial consisted of a single pot.
Bone/Calcined bones of adult male.
Pottery:
Jar = 'cinerary urn'.
Jar sherd, possibly from grave backfill.
No samian present.
No associated non-ceramic finds.
Not closely datable.
Cremation Burial 32:
Possible cremation disturbed by machining; carbon and a few fragments of cremated bone observed.
Bone/Calcined bones: none recovered.
Pottery:
Jar or bowl sherds.
Small beaker or cup.
No associated non-ceramic finds.
Not closely datable.
Cremation Burial 33:
Disturbed by machining; other vessels may have been present.
Bone/Calcined bones of adult, probably female.
Pottery:
Jar = 'cinerary urn'.
Flask.
Beaker.
Associated: Pewter dish or bowl; hobnails overlying cremated bones in Pot 1; iron nails in backfill.
Late second to fourth century.
Cremation Burial 34:
Possible disturbed amphora burial.
Bone/Calcined bones: none recovered.
Pottery:
Small fragments of Dressel 20 amphora.
No associated non-ceramic finds.
Not closely datable.
Cremation Burial 35:
Heavily disturbed by machining; other vessels may have been present; this collection possibly represents two closely set burial groups, Pot 6 being, potentially a cinerary urn.
Pollard states: "The pottery dating of the burials agrees well with that of the small number of independently datable objects - glass, the coin and the figurine. Forty-two of the fifty-three Roman interments can be dated to within two centuries, of which only three (29, 30, 52) belong to the mid first to early second century and only one (6) need be later than the early third. The main period of burial was, therefore, the mid second to third century, which period fits in well with the history of Romano-British burial practice so far as it is understood; the period being predominantly one of cremations" (1987, 298).
Hicks, A.J. 1998. Excavations at Each End, Ash, 1992, Archaeologia Cantiana118, 91-172.
Savage, A. 1998. The Roman pottery, in A.J. Hicks, Excavations at Each End, Ash, 1992, Archaeologia Cantiana118, (91-172), 132-50.
Site type: Smaller Rural Centre, perhaps a 'Roadside Settlement', with cemetery areas.
Found during excavations in advance of road building.
Three groups of cremation burials were encountered, all closely adjacent to a metalled road. A total of 15 burials were excavated.
Date of cremations, "mid to late second century" (Hicks 1998, 114), with possible emphasis in the third quarter. None of the stamped samian vessels is definitely later than the A.D. 170s.
The largest group (9 burials) lay on the south-east side of the excavated area, designated G22, south-east of the road; on the south-west side of the excavated area, also south of the road two cremation burials and an inhumation were investigated, designated G23, perhaps part of a more extensive group continuing beyond the limits of excavation; north of the road, G21 comprised four identified burials, with the likelihood that this group was part of a larger cemetery group extending beyond the limits of excavation. Some truncation had occurred.
13 samian vessels were recovered, constituting c. 26% of the total number of vessels.
12 of the cremations had between 1 and 4 vessels, which is typical for cremations in Roman Britain (cf. Philpott 1991, 32).
The S.4 group is unusually richly furnished for Kent.
Group 21
Cremation Group S.21:
Robbed and destroyed prior to excavation by unauthorised metal detector users.
No cremated remains nor grave goods survived, bar part of the cinerary urn.
The burial was placed within the lower half of a Dressel 20 amphora, with the upper half over the top.
Pottery:
Cinerary urn, wide-mouthed jar.
Flagon.
the amphora.
Samian: Drag. 31 dish, CG Lezoux, probably c. AD 170-180. Stamp of Uxopillus.
Associated: Calcined animal bone also recovered from the cinerary urn. 3 burnt hobnails present in cinerary urn; glass goblet containing iron sheeting.
Cremation Group S.19:
Bone/Calcined bones of adult.
Pottery:
Cinerary urn, jar.
Flagon.
Samian: Drag. 31 dish, CG Lezoux, c. AD 150-160. Stamp of Osbimanus.
Associated: Animal bone also recovered from the cinerary urn. A ceramic oil lamp was present, as were remains of boots or shoes.
Cremation Group S.26:
Disturbed by machine.
Bone/Calcined bones of adult, female.
Pottery:
Cinerary urn, jar.
Flask.
Beaker.
Samian: Drag. 18/31-31 dish, CG Lezoux, probably c. AD 130-150. Stamp of Pugnus ii.
Group 23
Cremation Group S.5:
No cremated remains were found.
Pottery:
Cinerary urn, jar.
No samian present.
Cremation Group S.10:
Bone/Calcined bones of adult, female.
Remains of wooden box encountered with iron nails.
No ceramic vessels were present.
Inhumation G.20A:
Was positioned adjacent to S.5 and S.10
Adult female. No grave goods were present.
[Samian stamps Identification by BMD; samian Identification Maggy Taylor]
Down, A. 1971. The Roman cemetery at St Pancras, in A. Down and M. Rule, Chichester Excavations I, Phillimore, Chichester.
Site type: Romano-British cemetery outside the East Gate of Noviomagus.
Down reports 251 cremation burials and 9 inhumations from excavations in 1965-9, plus an appendix on the 65 burials excavated in the area between 1934 and 1937 (1971, 68-9); the full total reported is 326 burials. Down defined 3 types of burials in the case of this cemetery: 1. single vessel cremations with bones placed in the urn; 2. burials with food and drink vessel associated, of which: 2a described box burials with rich accompaniment; 2b identified tiled cyst burials (3 in number) seen as a variant of 2a; 2c food and drink vessel accompanied burials but without box or cyst; 2d, crescentic burials with vessels arranged in semi-circle, with flagon or dish opposite, and bones scattered between (3 found); 2e, burials with 1 or more vessels inverted; 2f, burials with a coin deliberately included; 2g pipe burial (1 example); and 3. inhumations, of which 3a identified crouched burials and 3b fully extended burials.
Date: The cemetery began early in the Flavian period and continued till the late second century or beginning of the third century.
The Burials/Burial Groups: Only the cases with samian present are listed here.
NOTE THAT GROUPS 1 - 65 are those excavated in the 1930s and originally published in 1939; the catalogue produced in Chichester Excavations I (and used here) draws on that 1939 publication and dates for the samian have accordingly needed some amendment and up-dating here in Appendix 9.1 in the light of new knowledge.
Burial Group 12:
Pottery:
Bowl of 'Belgic' type.
Smaller bowl similar to No. 1, containing burnt bones.
Flagon with handle missing.
Samian: Drag. 35, presumably SG La Graufesenque, "Flavian".
Burial Group 23:
Pottery:
Jar.
3 Beakers.
Samian: Drag. 46, presumably CG, Trajanic-Hadrianic according to report.
Samian: Drag. 18, stamped: "probably 'PATERCLO FEC', (Domitian-Trajan)" (1971, 93); this is probably a vessel of Paterclus ii of Les Martres, c. AD 100-125.
Samian: Evidently Drag. 31R; described thus: "form Drag. 31 ... band of rouletting on floor, Antonine" (1971, 93).
Date: "Second half second century" (1971, 93).
Burial Group 45:
Pottery:
Jar.
"Urn".
Beaker.
Flagon.
Samian: Drag. 18/31, stamped 'BIGA FEC' dated in the report as "Domitian-Trajan", but fairly certainly this should be Biga of Lezoux, and date to c. AD 125-145.
Associated: ceramic lamp.
Date: "Late first to early second century" (1971, 95).
Burial Group 57:
Pottery:
Beaker.
Samian: Drag. 35, presumably SG La Graufesenque, not stamped, "Flavian".
Samian: Drag. 36, presumably SG La Graufesenque, not stamped, "Flavian".
Date: "Last quarter of first century" (1971, 95).
Burial Group 58:
Pottery:
"Urn" containing burnt bone.
Flagon.
Small jar.
Beaker.
Samian: Drag. 18, presumably SG La Graufesenque, stamp illegible, "late first century".
Samian: Drag. 27, ? CG Les Martres-de-Veyre, reported to be stamped 'MACELLVS', "Trajanic"; this is probably Marcellus of Les Martres.
Samian: Drag. 27, CG Les Martres-de-Veyre, stamped 'AGEDILLVS F' = Agedillus of Les Martres, "Trajanic".
Associated: Coin of Domitian amongst bones in the urn.
Date: "c. AD 90-110" (1971, 97).
Burial Group 59:
Pottery:
3 Bowls.
Flagon.
Samian: said to be a Drag. 18, but presumably an 18/31, CG Les Martres, stamped 'DONNAVC.F' = Donnaucus, c. AD 100-120.
Samian: Drag. 33, burnt, no stamp, said to possibly be: "an imitation of East Gaulish ware, 2nd or early 3rd century" (1971, 97).
Burial Group 60:
Pottery:
"Urn".
Jar.
Flagon.
Bowl.
2 Carinated cups.
Beaker
Samian: said to be a Drag. 18, but perhaps this is an 18/31, stamped 'LITTERA. F' = (presumably) Littera i, of Lezoux, dating to c. AD 125-150.
Associated: Coin of Titus c. AD 79-81; bronze brooch; bone point; bronze mirror.
Date: stated as "c. AD 80-100" (1971, 97), but seemingly the group is likely to be second century.
Burial Group 61:
Pottery:
"Urn".
Flagon.
Cup.
Samian: Drag. 36, not stamped, presumably SG La Graufesenque, dated as "1st century", presumably Flavian.
Associated: Cylindrical bead found with bones in urn.
Date: stated as "first century" (1971, 97).
Burial Group 68:
Badly disturbed.
Pottery:
Samian: Drag. 46 dish with handles, presumably CG Lezoux, dated as "Antonine".
Burial Group 73:
Pottery:
"Urn".
2 Flagons.
Jar.
Samian: Drag. 42 dish, stamped 'SILVI-OF' = Silvius ii of Lezoux, dating to c. AD 125-145.
Associated: ceramic lamp.
Date: stated as "Mid second century" (1971, 99).
Burial Group 79:
Box burial.
Pottery:
Urn in grey ware.
Flagon.
Samian: Drag. 35, not stamped, presumably SG La Graufesenque, "Flavian".
Samian: Drag. 36, not stamped, presumably SG La Graufesenque, "Flavian".
Associated: glass jar.
Date: "Flavian" (1971, 99).
Burial Group 81:
Crescent form burial.
Pottery:
Flask in 'eggshell ware".
2 Beakers.
3 Dishes.
Samian: stated to be "Dr 35, with handles" though this would seem more likely to be a Drag. 42 cup, not stamped, fabric unclear, "late first - early second century".
Samian: stated to be "Dr 36 with handles" though this would seem more likely to be a Drag. 42 dish, not stamped, fabric unclear, "late first - early second century".
Date: stated as "Late first - early second century" (1971, 99).
Burial Group 156:
No cremation urn was recovered from this group and it is speculated that this had been found during the 1930s excavations, but the rest of the group missed (Down 1971, 105). Thought likely to have been a box burial.
Pottery:
3 Dishes.
Plate.
Samian: Déch. 72 with applied leaf decoration en barbotine, presumably CG Lezoux, dated as "Antonine".
Associated: glass phial.
Burial Group 171:
Box burial. Calcined bones were unurned in the grave.
Pottery:
Urn in grey ware, containing no bones.
Bottle.
Imitation of a Drag. 37, red fabric with "treacly lead glaze"; broken, with some sherds being in the urn.
Beaker.
Samian: Drag. 35, presumably SG La Graufesenque, not stamped, dated "Nero-Vespasian".
Samian: Drag. 36, presumably SG La Graufesenque, not stamped, dated "Nero-Vespasian".
Associated: glass unguent bottle; ceramic lamp; bone spoon; several bronze objects including an escutcheon and a disc; iron object; base of a samian vessel "probably used as a gaming counter", stamped "ROPPVS" stated to be "late Flavian" (1971, 107) but this is perhaps the work of the Les Martres potter Roppus ii, c. AD 100-130.
Burial Group 181:
Pottery:
Rusticated urn in grey ware.
Jar.
Flagon.
Samian: Drag. 36, presumably SG La Graufesenque, not stamped, dated as "probably Flavian".
Burial Group 190:
Pottery:
Bowl.
Samian: Drag. 18, SG La Graufesenque, stamped 'PEREGRINI', presumably Peregrinus i and dating to c. AD 65-85.
Samian: Drag. 27, presumably CG Les Martres, stamped 'IIMO' (retrograde) = probably Domius of Les Martres, dating to c. AD 100-120.
Samian: Drag. 35, presumably CG Lezoux, stamped, apparently, 'CVCC ILL.IM', this is presumably a stamp of Cucalus of Lezoux, the suggested date of "early to mid Antonine" is correct, c. AD 150-170.
Associated: hob-nailed boots; iron lamp holder; iron object, perhaps a spike.
Burial Group 201:
Box burial.
Disturbed twin burial.
Pottery:
Urn in grey ware, containing bones and hobnails.
Urn in grey ware, containing bones.
4 Plates.
2 Bowls.
Beaker.
Cup.
Imitation of a Drag. 27 in pink/buff ware.
2 Flagons.
Samian: Drag. 35, presumably CG Lezoux, not stamped, dated "Hadrian/Antonine".
Samian: Curle 15, presumably CG Lezoux, not stamped, dated "Hadrian/Antonine".
Associated: "Food bones in dishes, oyster and mussel shells strewn about burial" (1971, 111); ceramic lamp; iron object, possibly a lock from the box.
Samian: Drag. 31, CG Lezoux, stamped 'IVLLIN FE', presumably a stamp of Iullinus ii of Lezoux, dated "late Antonine", c. AD 160-190.
Samian: Drag. 36, presumably CG Lezoux, not stamped, dated "Antonine".
Associated: Glass beaker; glass cup handle; 8 bone needles; bronze needle; melon bead; 3 glass beads; pierced coin of Nero; dog/boar tooth with drilled hole; amber bead (last 7 items thought likely to be from a 'lucky charm' bracelet); bronze brooch; enamelled brooch; bronze ring; bronze pin; 2 bronze barnacle pendants; bone toilet instrument; carved bone toggle; iron bracket.
Burial Group 231:
? Box burial.
Pottery:
Urn in grey ware.
Dish.
Jar.
Beaker.
Samian: Drag. 33, CG Lezoux, stamped 'ADVOCISI OF' = Advocisus of Lezoux, dated "late Antonine" = c. AD 160-190.
Burial Group 235:
Down notes: "The vessels were arranged in a semi-circle, with the samian dish opposite. Food bones were strewn between the vessels, with some in the samian dish" (1971, 115).
Pottery:
Urn in grey ware.
Bowl.
Small grey ware vessel.
Flagon.
Samian: Drag. 31, presumably CG Lezoux, illegible stamp, dated as "probably early Antonine".
Burial Group 242:
Disturbed.
Pottery:
Grey ware vessel containing bones.
Flagon.
Samian: Drag. 36, presumably SG La Graufesenque, not stamped, dated "1st century, probably Flavian".
Burial Group 245:
Pottery:
Large urn in grey ware.
Bowl.
Flagon.
Samian: Drag. 33, CG Lezoux, stamped 'ALBINVS' = perhaps Albinus iii or iv of Lezoux, dated "Antonine" = c. AD 130-160.
Samian: Drag. 33, CG Lezoux, stamped 'FELIX.F' = probably Felix ii of Lezoux, dated as "almost certainly Antonine" = c. AD 140-160.
Burial Group 247:
Box burial.
Pottery:
Urn in grey ware.
Bottle.
Lead glazed dish.
Green glazed bowl.
Beaker.
Bowl.
Samian: Drag. 42 dish with handles, SG presumably La Graufesenque, not stamped, dated "Late first century".
Associated: Glass unguent flask.
Burial Group 250:
Box burial.
Pottery:
Urn with bone.
2 Dishes.
Flagon.
Beaker.
Samian: Drag. 31, presumably CG Lezoux, stamped 'PATERNI' = perhaps Paternus v, dated "Antonine" = c. AD 150-200. Has X--X marks cut on opposite sides of the footring.
Samian: Drag. 33, CG Lezoux, stamped 'BRICCVSF' = Briccus of Lezoux, dated "Antonine" = c. AD 145-60.
Site type: Romano-British cemetery adjacent to a Romano-British roadside settlement.
Finds derive mainly from the first half of 20th century, discovered as consequence of sand extraction.
Pottery: Some whole pots were recovered; and some groups of pots were recovered. There is a range of non-samian Roman pottery. 11 Burial Groups exist that are presumed to be intact or virtually intact, seemingly comprising of cinerary urns and ancillary vessels, amongst which samian is common. The majority of the burials are late 2nd to early 3rd century. The cemetery appears to have been principally a cremation cemetery.
The Burial Groups:
Burial Groups 1, 4, 5, 8 and 11 included pottery items, but none of these were samian; No. 1 at least contained a cremation; No. 11 may be early 4th century and relate to an inhumation.
The following six grave groups did have samian present:
Burial Group 2:
Pottery:
Globular jar - appears to be of Iron Age tradition.
Other collected finds from the site include some items thought almost certain to also come from burials, plus other items which may be from areas of occupation.
Amongst the samian thought also likely to have come from burial contexts is an altered Flavian Drag. 29 which has been re-fashioned as a dish by the removal of the vessel walls (Lyne 1994, 71) and a further complete Central Gaulish Déch. 72 in "orange fabric ... orange gloss. External rim diameter 50mm" (Lyne 1994, 72). Complete/reconstructed plain forms which might be from burials comprise: 2 SG La Graufesenque Drag. 18s; a CG Lezoux Drag. 18/31; 7 CG Lezoux Drag. 33s; 1 CG Lezoux Drag. 38; 3 CG Lezoux Walters 79s; 1 CG Lezoux Walters 80; 1 EG Drag. 31 and 2 EG Drag. 33s. Complete/reconstructed decorated forms which might be from burials (additional to the altered Drag. 29 and the Déch. 72 mentioned above) comprise: a SG Drag. 29; a SG La Graufesenque Drag. 30 repaired by riveting or via the cleat method; and 2 Lezoux Drag. 37s (Lyne 1994).
Lyne notes that for the period c. AD 150-270 samian accounts for c. 25% of all (surviving) cemetery vessels (Lyne 1994, 80).
As well as the case of Group 6, there was at least one other case of a samian vessel being employed as a 'cover' to another pot (? the cinerary urn).
MABL comments on the high representation of samian amongst the cemetery assemblage.
Samian Identification: JB/MABL.
Kelly, E. 1981. A grave group from Crabtree Lane, North Lancing, Sussex Archaeological Collections119, 1981, 65-8.
Site type: not known, beyond burial evidence.
Burial Group:
Finds from the 1930s, presented to Worthing Museum in 1975. This could represent a single cremation group, or possibly vessels from more than 1 burial. The: "finder recalled that the objects ... appeared to have been enclosed in the remains of a wooden chest" (Kelly 1981, 65). Calcined bone was found in an associated glass vessel.
Pottery:
Colour-coated beaker in New Forest ware, late 3rd-4th century.
Ainsworth, C.J. and Ratcliffe-Densham, H.B.A. 1974. Spectroscopy and a Roman cremation from Sompting, Sussex, Britannia5, 310-16.
Site type: Not known, beyond burial evidence.
The finds were made during building work.
Cremation Group:
Bone/Calcined bones of elderly male.
Pottery:
Jar = 'cinerary urn' (damaged).
Flagon: "had lost a piece of its wall before it was buried" (Ainsworth and Ratcliffe-Densham 1974, 311).
Beaker.
Bowl, a 'second'.
Seven (plain) samian vessels:
Samian: Drag. 33, CG Lezoux, with the stamp of MAXIMINIVS (die 2a), dated c. AD 160-200.
Samian: Identical to No. 5: Drag. 33, CG Lezoux, with the stamp of MAXIMINIVS (die 2a), dated c. AD 160-200.
Samian: Drag. 31, CG Lezoux, with the stamp of VICTORI M (die 1a), dated c. AD 160-200.
Samian: Drag. 39, EG Rheinzabern, the dish, with the stamp of FAVVO FE (die 1a), dated c. AD 160-200; (Drag. 39: "is uncommon everywhere").
Samian: Drag. 39, EG Rheinzabern, with the stamp of IVVENIS.FE (die 15d), dated c. AD 160-200; larger than No. 8.
Samian: Walters 79, CG Lezoux, without a stamp but with 4 turned concentric circles as with a draughts-piece; presumably c. AD 170-200.
Samian: Walters 79 (details of form differ from No. 10 and are cf. Pudding Pan Rock Type 2), CG Lezoux, without a stamp but with 4 turned concentric circles as with a draughts-piece, but of different diameters to No. 10; presumably c. AD 170-200.
Associated: a coin of Geta c. AD 198-209, glass flask, hobnails and 12 iron nails "distributed through the group: they suggested ... a wooden box" (Ainsworth and Ratcliffe-Densham 1974, 310).
Date: Very late second to early third century. [Identification: GBD and BRH (plus spectroscopy)].