Appendix 9.1

List of Burials with Samian Present at 30 Cemetery Environments in Roman Britain

CATALOGUE

By administrative region and site.

Buckinghamshire; Dorset; East Sussex; Essex; Hampshire; Hertfordshire; Kent; West Sussex;

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.

Buckinghamshire:

Bancroft

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:

  1. Jar, post-conquest.
  2. Flagon, c. AD 50-90.
  3. Samian: SG La Graufesenque, Drag. 18, with a stamp of Pontus of La Graufesenque; Dates to c. AD 65-90.
Cremation Group 17:

Pottery:

  1. Beaker, c. AD 10-65.
  2. Samian: SG La Graufesenque, Drag. 18, with a stamp of Felix i of La Graufesenque; Dates to c. AD 50-70.

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].

Dorset:

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.

Bradford Peverell, the Western Link road

Chowne, P. 1987. Interim report on the Western Link Road, Bradford Peverell, Dorset, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society 109, 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:

  1. 'Black-burnished dish'.
  2. Samian: Drag. 18, La Graufesenque with stamp of 'Germanus', dated, c. AD 65-80.

Preston, Jordan Hill

Biddle, M. 1967. Two Flavian burials from Grange Road, Winchester, The Antiquaries Journal 47, 224-50.

See also references given in Biddle 1967.

The burial was investigated in 1845/1846.

Inhumation Burial Group: Inhumation.

Pottery:

  1. Small black handled cup.
  2. 'London ware' style imitation of a Drag. 37 bowl in black fabric.
  3. 5 Small bowls in black fabric.
  4. Samian: Dish, plain, with potter's stamp; no further details.

Whitcombe

Aitken, G.M. and Aitken, G.N. 1990. Excavations at Whitcombe, 1965-1967, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society 112, 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:

  1. Durotrigian bowl.
  2. Durotrigian jar.
  3. Samian: Déch. 67, SG La Graufesenque, dated, c. AD 70-85 [looks late Flavian to SHW].
  4. 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.

Woodlands, Knob's Crook

Fowler, P.J. 1965. A Roman barrow at Knob's Crook, Woodlands, Dorset, The Antiquaries Journal 45, 22-52.

Simpson, G. 1965. The pottery, in P.J. Fowler, A Roman barrow at Knob's Crook, Woodlands, Dorset, The Antiquaries Journal 45, 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

  1. Samian: SG La Graufesenque, Drag. 18, represented by 3 sherds, "on top of pit I".
  2. 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".
  3. Samian: SG La Graufesenque, Drag. 18, 3 sherds, "possibly from the same vessel", "in pit I".
  4. Samian: SG La Graufesenque, Drag. 18/31, represented by base, etc., "in pit I".
  5. 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".
  6. Samian: SG La Graufesenque, Drag. 18, represented several sherds, "on top of pit 2".

Also:

East Sussex:

Brighton, Kemp Town

Gilkes, O. 1989. Iron Age and Roman features at Kemp Town, Sussex Archaeological Collections 127, 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:

  1. A rim, Drag. 15/17, SG, "profile suggests a late Flavian date".
  2. Several rim and body sherds, Drag. 18/31, CG, from one or more vessels.
  3. A sherd from a Drag. 32, "late 2nd to early 3rd centuries". [Samian Identification: AK].

Brighton, Springfield Road

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 Collections 119, 68-88.

Site type: Villa, with burials.

Cremation Group, Sept 1877:

A grave was uncovered with various grave goods.

Pottery, (Dudley 1981, 77):

  1. "Cinerary urn ... Local ... grey ware".
  2. Narrow necked jar in East Sussex ware.
  3. Bottle, cf. Oxfordshire type form (possibly Wiggenholt).
  4. Samian: "Drag. 36 ... No potter's stamp. First-second century A.D." Fabric not identified (Dudley 1981, 77).
  5. Samian: "Drag. 35. First-second century A.D." Fabric not identified (Dudley 1981, 77).
  6. Samian jug, Stanfield 1929, Form 67, with handle missing and truncated at neck, CG Lezoux "Late second century" (Dudley 1981, 76-77).
Cremation Group in Box, Aug 1962:

A burial in a wooden box.

Pottery (Dudley 1981, 83):

  1. Coarse ware bowl.
  2. Small coarse ware flagon.
  3. Red slipped flagon.
  4. Set of 5 dishes.
  5. Black-burnished ware jar.
  6. Samian: Drag. 33, CG Lezoux, stamped "CELSIANVS" "c. AD 165-200".
  7. Samian: Drag. 46, rosette stamp. Fabric not given [SHW: a date range of c. AD 80-250 is possible].
  8. Samian: Drag. 31, CG Lezoux, stamped "SATURNINVS" "c. AD 165-200".
  9. Samian: Drag. 36 "Second century AD".

Portslade, Fulking Corner

Gilkes, O. 1988b. A Roman grave group from Fulking Corner, Portslade, Sussex Archaeological Collections 126, 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):

  1. Grey ware jar which: "seems to have contained a cremation and some fragments of burnt bone still adhere to the interior".
  2. Beaker, form similar to New Forest form of 4th -5th century.
  3. Colour coated beaker c. late 3rd to 4th century.
  4. 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".

Portslade, Victoria Rd

Gilkes, O. 1988a. Roman Burials at Portslade, Sussex Archaeological Collections 126, 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.

  1. 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.

Essex:

Great Dunmow, Chequers Lane 1970-2

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:
Feature 50, Possible Inhumation:
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:

  1. Samian: Drag. 31, fragmentary, "CG Late Antonine".
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:

  1. Small jar.
  2. Jar.
  3. Narrow necked jar, "killed".
  4. Rough-cast beaker with cornice rim.
  5. Carinated beaker.
  6. Small flagon, "killed".
  7. 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.
  8. Samian: Drag. 31, with heavily abraded interior, CG Lezoux, "c. AD 145-170"; stamped 'SE[NILA]M', being Senila.
Cremation 3:

Lay just north of the ditch 328a.

Calcined bone was found in a jar (No. 2).

Pottery:

  1. Small jar, "killed".
  2. Jar.
  3. Beaker.
  4. Flagon (neck missing).
  5. Samian: Small Drag. 35/36, "CG, mid 2nd century"; section missing from rim.
Cremation 4:

Grave had been cut into the fill of 336 (cf. above).

Calcined bone was found in a storage jar (No. 1).

Pottery:

  1. Storage jar.
  2. Base of flagon.
  3. Samian: Drag. 31, half complete, "CG, Antonine"; stamped 'MA[ ]IM[', potter not identified.
Cremation 5:

Grave had been cut into the fill of 336 (cf. above).

Badly plough-damaged.

Calcined bone present.

Pottery:

  1. Storage jar.
  2. Beaker.
Cremation 6:

Lay just north of the ditch 328a.

Considerable plough damage.

Calcined bone present.

Pottery:

  1. Base of Jar.
Cremation 7:

Lay north of the ditch 328a.

Very disturbed.

Calcined bone present.

Pottery:

  1. Jar.
  2. Jar.
  3. Beaker.
Cremation 8:

Lay just north of the ditch 328a.

Calcined bone present.

Pottery:

  1. Platter.
  2. Beaker.
  3. Jar.
  4. Storage jar.
  5. Beaker.
Cremation 9:

Lay south of the ditch 328a.

Very disturbed.

Calcined bone present.

Pottery:

  1. Jar.
  2. Beaker.
  3. Beaker.
  4. Samian: Drag. 18/31, CG Lezoux, "c. AD 125-145"; stamped 'LITTERAF', being Littera i; "killed?".
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:

  1. Jar.
  2. Flagon.
  3. Samian: Drag. 18/31R, "CG, c. AD 140-170"; stamp illegible; four rivet holes, with the remains of a lead dovetail.
  4. Samian: Drag. 33, CG Lezoux "c AD 135-165"; stamped PAVLIM, being Paulus iv; "Possibly 'killed'".
Cremation 16:

Lay adjacent of the ditch 328a.

Calcined bone present, contained in No. 3.

Pottery:

  1. Platter.
  2. Jar.
  3. Storage jar.
  4. Beaker.
  5. Beaker.
  6. Samian: Drag. 36, "CG, c. AD 110-140"; "?killed".
Cremation 17:

Cut into ditch 328a.

Calcined bone present, contained in No. 2.

Pottery:

  1. Platter.
  2. Storage jar.
  3. Samian: Drag. 42, CG, "probably Les Martres-de-Veyre", "Trajanic - Hadrianic"; with rosette stamp; large chip missing from rim "?killed".
Cremation 18:

Cut by Cremation 17.

Calcined bone present, possibly contained in a wooden casket; some bone also from No. 1.

Pottery:

  1. Jar.
  2. Beaker.
Cremation 19:

Lay south of the ditch 328a.

Badly disturbed.

Calcined bone present, possibly originally in a perishable bag.

Pottery:

  1. Beaker.
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:

  1. Carinated jar.
  2. Beaker.
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:

  1. Jar (complete).
Cremation 14:

Positioned in the upper fill of ditch 572, by Cremation 15.

Bone may have been present.

Pottery:

  1. 1. Mortarium.
  2. Jar.
  3. Jar.
  4. Jar.
  5. Jar.
  6. Beaker.
  7. Jar.
Cremation 15:

Positioned in the upper fill of ditch 572, by Cremation 14.

Bone may have been present.

Pottery:

  1. Jar/bowl.
  2. Jar.
  3. Jar.
  4. Beaker.

[Samian Identification for the above WJR].

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).

Heybridge, Bouchernes Farm

Wickenden, N.P. 1986. Prehistoric settlement and the Romano-British 'Small Town' at Heybridge, Essex, Essex Archaeology and History 17, 7-68.

Site Type: Cremation cemetery, found prior to 1910

Cremation Group:
  1. Small lid seated jar in red-brown fabric, complete (Wickenden 1986, 55, Fig. 27, No. 16), late 1st - 2nd century.
  2. Half of small grey ware jar.
  3. Small black jar.
  4. Samian: CG Lezoux, Drag. 33, stamped MVXTVLLI.M, being Muxtullus of Lezoux; Illustrated: Fig. 27, No. 18 (Wickenden 1986, 55); Dates to c. AD 155-175.

Heybridge, Elms Farm

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:

  1. Coarse ware jar, contained calcined bone.
  2. "Ancillary" jar.
  3. Samian: CG Drag. 18/31; implied Date c. AD 120-150. This vessel was found inverted, used as a lid for Vessel 1.
Cremation Group, Pit 12006:

Pottery:

  1. Coarse ware jar.
  2. Beaker.
  3. Samian: CG Drag. 33; implied Date c. AD 120-200. This vessel had had Vessel 1 placed on top of it.
Cremation Group, Pit 12038:

Pottery:

  1. Coarse ware jar
  2. Beaker
Cremation Group, Pit 12105:

Pottery:

  1. Coarse ware jar
  2. Coarse ware jar
Cremation Group, Pit 12120:

Pottery:

  1. Coarse ware jar
Cremation Group, Pit 12203:

Calcined bones present.

Recovered metal fittings demonstrated that this cremation had been interred within a wooden box.

Pottery:

  1. Coarse ware jar, contained calcined bone.
  2. Coarse ware jar.
  3. Beaker (Colchester Colour Coat).
  4. Flagon (Colchester).
  5. Beaker.
  6. 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.
  7. 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'.
Probable Cremation Group, Spread 12208:

Pottery:

  1. Coarse ware jar.
  2. Miniature.
  3. Beaker.
Cremation Group, Pit 12219:

Calcined bone recovered.

This cremation may have been interred within a wooden box.

Pottery:

  1. Large coarse ware storage jar, contained calcined bone.
  2. Coarse ware jar.
  3. Coarse ware jar.
  4. 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'.

Heybridge, New Cemetery

Wickenden, N.P. 1986. Prehistoric settlement and the Romano-British 'Small Town' at Heybridge, Essex, Essex Archaeology and History 17, 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 History 17, 53.

From "Belgic cremation cemetery", found prior to 1912.

Cremation Group:

Calcined bones recovered.

Pottery:

  1. Urn (Thompson 1982, Fig. 44.1100, Type B2-4) "containing bones and covered by the Arretine lid [sic]"
  2. 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].

Little Waltham, 2 Roman Road

Wickenden, N.P. and Going, C. 1985. Little Waltham, 2, Roman Road (TL 707 126), Essex Archaeology and History 16, 143-4.

Site type: Cemetery.

Found during the cutting of a foundation trench for a building extension.

Cremation Group:

Calcined bone recovered.

Pottery:

  1. Small-medium storage jar in Romanizing fabric; contained cremated bone.
  2. Brockley Hill flagon: "almost certainly broken in antiquity by a blow to the rim" (1985, 143), Hadrianic-early Antonine.
  3. Samian: Drag 18/31 [sic 31] CG, stamped ATT[]VSF, "Rim ?deliberately broken during antiquity" (1985, 143), Hadrianic-early Antonine.

Stanway, 1990s, cremation burial at Enclosure 3

Pers. comm. Nina and Philip Crummy.

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:

  1. White ware flagon of Cam. form 161.
  2. Samian inkwell.

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.

Upminster, Hunts Hill Farm

Newham Museum Service 1995. Wells, wine and honey: discoveries at Hunts Hill Farm, Upminster, Essex Archaeology 12, Essex County Council Planning, xiv.

Site type: Late Iron Age settlement enclosure and Roman field system (interpreted as paddocks) with presumed settlement nearby.

Cremation Group:

Located besides Late Iron Age enclosure ditch.

  1. Small flagon.
  2. Samian: cup, SG La Graufesenque, with a stamp of Secundus, either Secundus i or ii, probably the latter, if so c. AD 60-90.

Hampshire:

Alton

Millett, M. 1986. An early Roman cemetery at Alton, Hampshire, Proceedings of the Hampshire Field Club and Archaeological Society 42, 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:

  1. 16 pottery vessels present, mainly open forms: jar (cinerary urn), 2 flagons, another jar, 4 platters, 4 bowls, 2 dishes and 2 lids.
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:

  1. Samian: SG La Graufesenque, Drag. 18R, with the stamp of REGENVS (die 6b), dated c. AD 35-55; id BMD
  2. Samian: SG La Graufesenque, Drag. 18, c. AD 40-100
  3. Samian: SG La Graufesenque, Drag. 18, different vessel, c. AD 40-100
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.

  1. Samian: SG La Graufesenque, Drag. 18, with the stamp of OFSILVIN (die 3a), of Silvinus i, dated c. AD 40-65; id BMD
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.

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.

Cremation Group, Burial 6:

Possibly disturbed.

No Bones/Calcined bones recovered.

Pottery:

10 vessels were recovered, comprising: 3 jars, 3 bowls, 4 dishes.

Cremation Group, Burial 7:

Bones/Calcined bones were recovered of a female.

Pottery:

27 vessels were recovered, including: 3 platters, 2 jars, 1 probable jar (or flagon), 9 bowls, 8 dishes, and 3 lids.

Cremation Group, Burial 8:

Bones/Calcined bones were recovered of an adult.

Pottery:

c. 24 vessels were recovered, including: 4 flagons, 2 jars, 13 dishes, and 2 lids.

Cremation Group, Burial 9:

Disturbed; recovered assemblage unlikely to be complete.

Bones/Calcined bones: none recovered.

Pottery:

32 vessels were recorded, including: 2 flagons, 7 jars, 9 bowls, 12 dishes, and 2 lids.

Neatham, Area F, Alton By-Pass 1969-70

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".

Cremation Group, Burial 2:

Urned cremation.

48 pottery vessels, mainly open forms, are recorded from this feature.

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.

  1. Samian: Déch. 67, CG LMV, "early second century".
  2. Samian: Small Drag. 42 dish with handles, CG LMV, not stamped, "early second century".
  3. Samian: Small Drag. 42 dish with handles, CG LMV, stamped by Donnaucus, die 5a, "c. AD 100-120".
  4. Samian: Drag. 42 dish with handles, "both now missing", CG LMV, stamped by Donnaucus, die 5a, "c. AD 100-120".
  5. Samian: Drag. 42 dish with handles, CG LMV, stamped by Donnaucus, die 5a, "c. AD 100-120".
  6. Samian: Drag. 42 cup with handles, CG LMV, stamped by Billicedo, die 6a, "c. AD 100-120".
  7. 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).

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):

  1. Samian: Drag. 18/31R, CG Lezoux, stamped by Lollius, die 2a, c. AD 135-65. Heavily repaired with rivets.
  2. Samian: Drag. 31, CG Lezoux, stamped by Cintusmus, die 4a, c. AD 140-60.
  3. 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:

  1. Samian: Drag. 15/31, CG LMV, stamped by Silvinus iii, die 2a, c. AD 130-60.
  2. Samian: Drag. 36, CG "Trajanic-Hadrianic".
Pit B:

Contained c. 10 non-samian vessels including a flagon.

Samian: 1 vessel:

  1. 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.

[Identification for the above: JB, BMD and BRH.]

Winchester, Grange Road

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):

  1. Flagon, containing cremation, stood on Pot 3.
  2. 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.
  3. Large platter imitating Drag. form 18.
  4. Platter imitating Drag. form 18.
  5. Platter imitating Drag. form 18.
  6. Platter imitating Drag. form 18.
  7. Platter imitating Drag. form 18.
  8. Cup imitating Drag. 27.
  9. Cup imitating Drag. 27.
  10. Cup imitating Drag. 27.
  11. Cup imitating Drag. 27.
  12. Cup imitating Drag. 35, no barbotine trail.
  13. Cup imitating Drag. 35, no barbotine trail.
  14. 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.

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):

  1. Flagon, "repaired in antiquity ... with a kind of mortar" (Specified in the report as Find 15).
  2. Rough-cast beaker, with pierced base, second half of the first century AD (Specified in the report as Find 16).
  3. Samian: Drag. 18R, SG La Graufesenque, stamped 'COS+RFN' = Cosivs and Rufinus, Flavian (Specified in the report as Find 2).
  4. Samian: Drag. 18, SG La Graufesenque, stamped 'OF VITA', Flavian (Specified in the report as Find 3).
  5. Samian: Drag. 18, SG La Graufesenque, stamped 'OFRONTNI' = Frontinus, Flavian (Specified in the report as Find 4).
  6. Samian: Drag. 18, SG La Graufesenque, stamped 'NFORI' (NF retrograde) (Specified in the report as Find 5).
  7. Samian: Drag. 18, SG La Graufesenque, stamped 'MEMORISM', Flavian (Specified in the report as Find 6).
  8. Samian: Drag. 27, SG La Graufesenque, stamped 'EQVRI' = Nequres, c. AD 70-85 (Specified in the report as Find 7).
  9. Samian: Drag. 27, SG La Graufesenque, stamped 'OI:SVRIL', Flavian (Specified in the report as Find 8).
  10. Samian: Drag. 27, SG La Graufesenque, likewise stamped 'EQVRI' = Nequres, c. AD 70-85 (Specified in the report as Find 9).
  11. Samian: Drag. 27, SG La Graufesenque, stamped 'OF.SABINI', Flavian (Specified in the report as Find 10).
  12. Samian: Drag. 27, SG, stamped ' OFNICIO', ?Neronian-Flavian (Specified in the report as Find 11).
  13. Samian: Drag. 27, SG La Graufesenque, a further vessel stamped 'EQVRI' = Nequres, c. AD 70-85 (Specified in the report as Find 12).
  14. Samian: Drag. 27, SG La Graufesenque, stamped 'OFSI', (? late Neronian-)Flavian (Specified in the report as Find 13).
  15. Samian: Drag. 27, SG La Graufesenque, stamp illegible, probably Flavian (Specified in the report as Find 14).

Hertfordshire:

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:

  1. Samian: Drag. 27g, SG La Graufesenque, stamped Libertus i, die 4a, dated, c. AD 65-85, Stamp Cat. number S76.
  2. Samian: Drag 18, SG La Graufesenque, stamped Sabinus iii, die 41a, dated, c. AD 65-80, Stamp Cat. number S137; repaired with lead rivets.
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:

  1. Flagon.
  2. Samian: Drag. 27g, SG La Graufesenque, stamped Perrus 1, die 12b, dated, c. AD 55-75, Stamp Cat. number S118.
  3. Samian: Drag. 27g, SG La Graufesenque, stamped Firmo 1, die 15a, dated, c. AD 40-60, Stamp Cat. number S53.
  4. Samian: Drag. 18, SG La Graufesenque, stamped Crestio, die 17c, dated, c. AD 55-75, Stamp Cat. number S40.
  5. Samian: Drag. 18, SG La Graufesenque, stamped Felix 1, die 41a, dated, c. AD 55-75, Stamp Cat. number S52; graffito under base.
  6. Samian: Drag. 18, SG La Graufesenque, stamped Maccarus, die 13a, dated, c. AD 50-65, Stamp Cat. number S84.
  7. Samian: Drag. 18, SG La Graufesenque, stamped Nestor, die 2a, dated, c. AD 50-65, Stamp Cat. number S99; graffito under base.
  8. Samian: Drag. 18, SG La Graufesenque, stamped Patricius 1, die 4b, dated, c. AD 65-90, Stamp Cat. number S109.
  9. Samian: Drag. 29, SG La Graufesenque, stamped Crestio, die 5b, dated, c. AD 50-65, Drawn Decorated item number D66, Stamp Cat. number S38.
Cremation Group, Burial 7: (Pages 71-3)

Calcined bones of adult; with the cremated bone were calcined bones of pig.

Pottery:

  1. Flagon
  2. 5 grog tempered platters imitating Gallo-Belgic TN forms.
  3. 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").
  4. Samian: Drag. 24, SG La Graufesenque, stamped Martialis i, uncertain die 1, dated, c. AD 50-65, Stamp Cat. number S89.
  5. 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).
  6. 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).
Cremation Group, Burial 8: (Page 73)

Cremation of adult.

Pottery:

  1. 3 vessels in local/regional fabrics = jars & a platter.
Cremation Group, Burial 9: (Page 73)

Cremation of adult.

Pottery:

  1. Beaker - in local/regional fabric.
Cremation Group, Burial 10: (Pages 73-5)

Cremated bones of adult.

Pottery:

  1. Samian: Drag. 36, SG La Graufesenque, dated, c. AD 70-110.
Cremation Group, Burial 11: (Page 75)

Cremation of adult.

Pottery:

  1. TN platter.
  2. Beaker with triangular bobble bosses - in local/regional fabric.
Cremation Group, Burial 12: (Page 75)

Cremation of adult.

Pottery:

  1. Jar - in Verulamium region fabric.

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:

  1. Beaker in local/regional ware.
  2. Jar, 2nd-3rd century.

    One of the above 2 was the cinerary urn.

  3. Samian: Drag. 35, "C.G. Trajanic - Hadrianic. The rim was chipped in antiquity, otherwise complete" (1986, 77).
Cremation Group, Burial 17: (Page 77)

Cremation of adult.

Pottery:

  1. Jar, BB1 type, late Antonine.
  2. Body of flagon.
  3. Jar sherds.

Chells (Stevenage), Boxfield Farm, 1990, Cremation Cemetery

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:

  1. Shell tempered cinerary urn; top ploughed off; presumably a jar.
Cremation Group GAC:

Calcined bones of mature adult.

Pottery:

  1. Shell tempered cinerary urn; top ploughed off; presumably a jar.
  2. Samian: Drag. 18/31 or 31, CG, "Hadrianic or Antonine".
Cremation Group GAD:

Calcined bones of older/mature adult.

Pottery:

  1. Verulamium Region ware bowl used as cinerary urn.
  2. Shell tempered jar.
  3. Oxidized vessel, uncertain form.
Cremation Group GAE:

Calcined bones of adult.

Pottery:

  1. Reduced ware cinerary urn; top ploughed off; presumably a jar.
  2. Oxidized vessel, uncertain form.
  3. Samian: Drag. 31, CG, "Antonine".
  4. Samian: dish or bowl, CG, "early to mid Antonine".
Cremation Group GAF:

Calcined bones of adult.

Pottery:

  1. Jar used as cinerary urn.
  2. Sherd of ring-necked flagon.
Cremation Group GAG:

Calcined bones of sub-adult/adult.

Pottery:

  1. Verulamium Region ware jar, used as cinerary urn?
  2. Samian: Drag. 18/31 or 31, CG, "Hadrianic-Antonine".
Cremation Group GAH:

Calcined bones of older/mature adult.

Pottery:

  1. Shell tempered jar, probably used as cinerary urn.
  2. various other sherds "possibly accidental in grave fill".
  3. Samian: Drag. 18/31, CG, "Antonine".
  4. Samian: Drag. 33, CG, "Antonine".
  5. "also two other samian chips, CG Antonine".
Cremation Group GAI:

Calcined bones of adult.

Pottery:

  1. Shell tempered jar, probably used as cinerary urn.
  2. 15 very abraded sherds in gritty coarse ware.
  3. Samian: Drag. 18/31, CG, "Hadrianic"; "sherd from same vessel in Grave GAK".
Cremation Group GAJ:

Calcined bones of (i) infant, (ii) adult?

Pottery:

  1. Coarse ware jar, used as cinerary urn.
Cremation Group GAK:

Calcined bones: none recovered.

Pottery:

  1. Lower part of jar, presumably used as cinerary urn.
  2. Samian: sherd of Drag. 18/31, CG, "Hadrianic", "joins one found in Grave GAI".
Cremation Group GAL:

Calcined bones of adult, ? female.

Pottery:

  1. lower part of shell tempered jar.
Cremation Group GAM:

Calcined bones: none recovered.

Pottery:

  1. Jar.
  2. Miniature jar.
  3. Samian: Drag. 33, CG, "Antonine"; "potters' stamp, if there ever was one, is entirely eroded away".
Cremation Group GAN:

Calcined bones: none recovered.

Pottery:

  1. Shell tempered vessel, possibly used as cinerary urn; form not identified.
  2. Rim from dish.
Cremation Group GAO:

Calcined bone of juvenile/adult?

Pottery:

  1. Sherds from 2 unidentified vessels (neither samian).
'Grave Pit' GAP:

Pit, with no grave goods or bone; presumed to represent cremation burial.

Cremation Group GAQ:

Calcined bones of adult, poss. female.

Pottery:

  1. Coarse ware sherds, possibly from a cinerary urn.
  2. Flagon sherds.
  3. Samian: Drag. 18/31, CG, "Hadrianic".
Cremation Group GAS:

Calcined bones: no bone survived.

Pottery:

  1. Jar, used as cinerary urn.
  2. Sherds, probably from flagon.
  3. Samian: Drag. 18/31, SG Montans, dated c. AD 115-45; "The surviving letters of the stamp, '...]C[...]O', suggest the work of Felicio iii".
Cremation Group GAX:

Calcined bones: none reported.

Pottery:

  1. 3 sherds sand/grog tempered ware.
  2. Samian: Drag. 18, SG La Graufesenque, "early Flavian".
  3. Samian: Drag. 27(g?), SG La Graufesenque, dated "Neronian-early Flavian".
  4. Samian: Drag. 36, SG La Graufesenque, narrow flange lacking barbotine, "Neronian-early Flavian".
Cremation Group GAY:

Calcined bones: none reported.

Pottery:

  1. Lower part of jar, probably used as cinerary urn.
Cremation Group GAZ:

Calcined bones: none reported.

Pottery:

  1. Sherds from 2 unidentified vessels (neither samian).
  2. Samian: CG, 8 sherds, some joining, "mid to late Antonine".
Cremation Group GBA:

Calcined bones: older/mature adult, possibly male.

Bone un-urned.

Pottery:

  1. Eggshell beaker.
  2. Flagon.
  3. Samian: Curle 15, CG, "appears to be unstamped", "Hadrianic or early Antonine".
Cremation Group GBF:

Calcined bones: older infant/young adult.

Pottery:

  1. Urn present, no details reported.
Cremation Group GBH:

Probable multiple interment.

Calcined bones: Primary: mature/older adult ? female; secondary: older adult; tertiary: older infant.

Pottery:

  1. Beaker.
  2. Bowl.
  3. Dish.
Cremation Group GBI:

Bone/Calcined bones: adult.

Pottery:

  1. Bowl

Kent:

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:

  1. Bowl/jar, being a cinerary urn.
  2. Coarse ware flagon (? Claudio-Neronian), with missing handle.
  3. 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.
  4. 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).
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:

  1. Bowl/jar, being a cinerary urn.
  2. Small coarse ware flagon.
  3. Coarse ware carinated bowl with reeded rim.
  4. Small coarse ware jar.
  5. Small coarse ware bowl imitating a Drag. 35 (which had been placed in the grave on vessel 6).
  6. Samian: Drag. 36, Central Gaulish, early to mid second century.
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:

  1. Jar = 'cinerary urn'.
  2. Jar, rim only.
  3. Body sherds.
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:

  1. Jar = 'cinerary urn'.
  2. Flagon.
  3. Base of ? bowl.
  4. Base of ? jar.
  5. Body sherd of ? flagon.
  6. Body of ? bowl.
  7. Base of ? jar.
Cremation Burial 3:

Partially truncated during machining; excavated by Canterbury Archaeological Trust staff.

Bone/Calcined bones of adult, probably male.

Pottery:

  1. Jar = 'cinerary urn'.
  2. Flask.
Cremation Burial 4:

Discovered by workmen; recovered in situ; other pots may have been present.

Bone/Calcined bones of adult, probably male.

Pottery:

  1. Jar = 'cinerary urn'.
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:

  1. Fragment jar, possibly a cinerary urn.
  2. Fragment jar.
  3. Body sherds.
  4. Samian: Drag. 37, CG, base and lower body, "Hadrianic-Antonine?" (Pollard 1987, 286).
Cremation Burial 6:

Disturbed by machining; other pots may have been present.

Bone/Calcined bones: none recovered.

Pottery:

  1. Flagon - Oxfordshire ware.
  2. Body sherds.
  3. Body sherds.
Cremation Burial 7:

Disturbed by machining; other pots may have been present.

Bone/Calcined bones of adolescent.

Pottery:

  1. Base of Jar = 'cinerary urn'.
Cremation Burial 8:

Disturbed by machining; other pots may have been present.

Bone/Calcined bones: none recovered.

Pottery:

  1. Fragments from jar, possibly a cinerary urn.
  2. BB2 dish.
  3. BB2 dish.
  4. Miniature beaker.
  5. Sherds possibly from 2, 3 or a different vessel.
Cremation Burial 9:

Disturbed by machining; other pots may have been present.

Bone/Calcined bones: a few fragments.

Pottery:

  1. Fragment jar, probably a cinerary urn.
  2. Beaker.
Cremation Burial 10:

Only partially identified; disturbed by machining; other pots may have been present.

Bone/Calcined bones of adult.

Pottery:

  1. Jar = 'cinerary urn'.
Cremation Burial 11:

Disturbed by machining; other pots may have been present.

Bone/Calcined bones of young adult male.

Pottery:

  1. Jar = 'cinerary urn'.
Cremation Burial 12:

Disturbed by machining; other pots may have been present.

Bone/Calcined bones: None recovered.

Pottery:

  1. Base of jar, possibly cinerary urn.
  2. Beaker.
  3. Samian: Drag. 33, CG, "second century" (Pollard 1987, 287); had possibly been placed over cinerary jar.
Cremation Burial 13:

Disturbed by machining; other pots may have been present.

Bone/Calcined bones of young adult male.

Pottery:

  1. Jar, BB2 = 'cinerary urn'.
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:

  1. Jar = 'cinerary urn'.
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:

  1. Jar = 'cinerary urn'.
  2. Jar.
  3. Flagon.
  4. Rim sherd from jar.
  5. Beaker.
  6. Base of Flagon.
  7. Beaker.
  8. Jar = 'cinerary urn'.
  9. Samian: Drag. 40, CG, "Late second century" (Pollard 1987, 288).
Cremation Burial 16:

Heavily disturbed by machining.

Bone/Calcined bones: none recovered.

Pottery:

  1. Jar, possibly a cinerary urn.
Cremation Burial 17:

Disturbed by machining.

Bone/Calcined bones of adult male.

Pottery:

  1. Jar = 'cinerary urn'.
  2. Dish.
Cremation Burial 18:

Disturbed by machining; other pots may have been present.

Bone/Calcined bones of adult, probably male.

Pottery:

  1. Flagon used as cinerary urn.
Cremation Burial 19:

Somewhat disturbed by machining; nonetheless these pots represent: "the entire contents of the burial".

Bone/Calcined bones of adolescent.

Pottery:

  1. Jar = 'cinerary urn'.
  2. Flagon.
  3. Dish.
  4. Beaker.
  5. Samian: Drag. 31, CG, "Fragment of name-stamp, illegible. Mid to end second century" (Pollard 1987, 288).
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:
  1. Jar = 'cinerary urn'.
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:

  1. Beaker.
Cremation Burial 22:

Disturbed by machining.

Bone/Calcined bones of adult.

Pottery:

  1. Jar = 'cinerary urn'.
  2. Flagon.
  3. Body sherd.
  4. Samian: Drag. 31, CG, "Mid to end second century" (Pollard 1987, 288).
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:

  1. Jar = 'cinerary urn'.
  2. Flask.
  3. Dish.
  4. Beaker.
  5. Jar.
  6. Beaker.
Cremation Burial 24:

Disturbed by machining, though no other vessels may have been present.

Bone/Calcined bones of adult male.

Pottery:

  1. Jar = 'cinerary urn'.
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:

  1. Jar = 'cinerary urn'.
  2. Body sherd.
Cremation Burial 26:

Heavily disturbed by machining; other pots may not have been present.

Bone/Calcined bones of adult.

Pottery:

  1. Jar = 'cinerary urn'.
Cremation Burial 27:

This is a complete group.

Bone/Calcined bones of adult.

Pottery:

  1. Jar = 'cinerary urn'.
  2. Dish, BB2.
  3. Dish, BB2.
  4. Flask.
  5. Beaker.
  6. Beaker.
  7. Sherds, possibly from grave backfill.
Cremation Burial 28:

Disturbed by machining.

Bone/Calcined bones of adult, probably young male.

Pottery:

  1. Jar = 'cinerary urn'.
  2. Dish (inverted over 1).
  3. Beaker (covered by tegula fragment).
Cremation Burial 29:

This burial consisted of a single pot.

Bone/Calcined bones of adult, probably male.

Pottery:

  1. Bowl containing cremation.

Cremation Burial 30:

This burial consisted of a single pot; disturbed by machine.

Bone/Calcined bones of adult male.

Pottery:

  1. Jar = 'cinerary urn'.
Cremation Burial 31:

This burial consisted of a single pot.

Bone/Calcined bones of adult male.

Pottery:

  1. Jar = 'cinerary urn'.
  2. Jar sherd, possibly from grave backfill.
Cremation Burial 32:

Possible cremation disturbed by machining; carbon and a few fragments of cremated bone observed.

Bone/Calcined bones: none recovered.

Pottery:

  1. Jar or bowl sherds.
  2. Small beaker or cup.
Cremation Burial 33:

Disturbed by machining; other vessels may have been present.

Bone/Calcined bones of adult, probably female.

Pottery:

  1. Jar = 'cinerary urn'.
  2. Flask.
  3. Beaker.
Cremation Burial 34:

Possible disturbed amphora burial.

Bone/Calcined bones: none recovered.

Pottery:

  1. Small fragments of Dressel 20 amphora.
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.

Bone/Calcined bones of young adult male.

Pottery:

  1. Jar = 'cinerary urn'.
  2. Beaker.
  3. Beaker.
  4. Beaker.
  5. Flagon.
  6. Base of jar.
  7. Samian: Drag. 33, CG, "second century. Illegible name-stamp" (Pollard 1987, 293).
Cremation Burial 36:

Complete group.

Bone/Calcined bones of a child.

Pottery:

  1. Jar = 'cinerary urn'.
  2. Beaker.
  3. Flagon.
Cremation Burial 37:

Disturbed by machining; may have consisted only of a single pot.

Bone/Calcined bones of adult.

Pottery:

  1. Jar = 'cinerary urn'.
  2. Sherd, from grave backfill.
Cremation Burial 38:

Disturbed by machining.

Bone/Calcined bones of adult male.

Pottery:

  1. Jar = 'cinerary urn'.
  2. Flagon.
  3. Body sherds.
Cremation Burial 39:

Heavily disturbed by machining.

Bone/Calcined bones of adult.

Pottery:

  1. Jar = 'cinerary urn' (base only).
  2. Body sherds.
  3. Body sherds (possibly from Burial 40).
Cremation Burial 40:

Heavily disturbed by machining.

Bone/Calcined bones of adult.

Pottery:

  1. Jar = 'cinerary urn' (base only).
  2. Sherds of Dressel 20 amphora (possibly used to cover pots).
  3. Flagon.
  4. Bowl.
  5. Jar.
  6. Jar.
  7. Beaker or flask.
  8. Samian: Drag. 31, CG, "Name-stamp abraded and illegible. Mid to end of second century" (Pollard 1987, 293).
Cremation Burial 41:

Disturbed by machining; may have consisted only of a single pot.

Bone/Calcined bones of young adult male.

Pottery:

  1. Jar = 'cinerary urn'.
Cremation Burial 42:

Disturbed by machining.

Bone/Calcined bones of adult.

Pottery:

  1. Jar.
  2. Flagon.
  3. Body sherd.
Cremation Burial 43:

Disturbed by machining; amphora burial; all elements apparently represented.

Bone/Calcined bones of adult.

Pottery:

  1. Dressel 20 amphora, only bottom half extant.
  2. Flask.
  3. Iron Age sherd.
Cremation Burial 44:

Disturbed by machining.

Bone/Calcined bones of adult.

Pottery:

  1. Jar = 'cinerary urn'.
  2. Flagon.
  3. Dish.
  4. Jar body sherds, possibly from Pot 1.
  5. Jar base, from backfill.
Cremation Burial 45:

Amphora burial, recovered largely intact.

Bone/Calcined bones of adult.

Pottery:

  1. Dressel 20 amphora containing cremation.
  2. Body sherds.
Cremation Burial 46:

Amphora burial recovered intact.

Bone/Calcined bones of two adults, one male.

Pottery:

  1. Dressel 20 amphora containing cremation.
  2. Flagon.
  3. Dish, BB2.
  4. Body sherds of jar, from backfill of amphora.
  5. Body sherd, from backfill of amphora.
Cremation Burial 47:

Heavily disturbed by machining; other vessels may have been present.

Bone/Calcined bones: none recovered.

Pottery:

  1. Flagon.
Cremation Burial 48:

Disturbed by machining.

Bone/Calcined bones of adult.

Pottery:

  1. Jar = 'cinerary urn'.
Cremation Burial 49:

Disturbed, including disturbance via machining.

Bone/Calcined bones: none recovered.

Pottery:

  1. Beaker.
  2. Flask or jar.
  3. Flagon.
Cremation Burial 50:

Bone/Calcined bones of adult.

Pottery:

  1. Jar = 'cinerary urn'.
  2. Jar sherds.
  3. Lid
  4. Cup.
  5. Samian: Drag. 37, CG, "Second century" (Pollard 1987, 294).
Cremation Burial 51:

Heavily disturbed by machining.

Bone/Calcined bones: none recovered.

Cremation Burial 52:

Disturbed.

Bone/Calcined bones of child.

Pottery:

  1. Jar = 'cinerary urn'.
  2. Flagon.
Cremation Burial 53:

Complete group.

Bone/Calcined bones of adult.

Pottery:

  1. Jar = 'cinerary urn', covered by tegula fragment.
  2. Beaker sherds, from pit backfill.
  3. Jar sherds, from pit backfill.

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).

Dartford, Priory Centre

Hutchings, P. 2001. Early Roman burial in Dartford, Archaeologia Cantiana 121, 103-20.

Lyne, M. 2001. The Roman ceramics, in P. Hutchings, Early Roman burial in Dartford, Archaeologia Cantiana 121, (103-20), 110-2.

Probably part of a larger cemetery.

Cremation Group 1:

Only partially excavated.

Calcined bones: ? adult female.

Unurned.

Pottery:

  1. Flagon.
  2. Sherds from a vessel in local coarse ware.
  3. Samian: Drag. 36 dish, South Gaulish, c. AD 70-110.
Cremation Group 2:

Calcined bones: from urn, an adult; from pit fill cremated bones of a young adult female.

Pottery:

  1. Necked storage jar (cinerary urn).
  2. Poppy head beaker.

Each End, Ash

Hicks, A.J. 1998. Excavations at Each End, Ash, 1992, Archaeologia Cantiana 118, 91-172.

Savage, A. 1998. The Roman pottery, in A.J. Hicks, Excavations at Each End, Ash, 1992, Archaeologia Cantiana 118, (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.

Pottery:

  1. Cinerary urn, evidently a jar.
Cremation Group S.22:

No cremated remains were found.

Pottery:

  1. Cinerary urn, Upchurch type ware beaker.
  2. Flagon.
  3. Samian: Curle 15 dish, Central Gaulish, Antonine.
Cremation Group S.23:

Bone/Calcined bones of adult.

Pottery:

  1. Cinerary urn, jar.
  2. Small Flask, Upchurch type ware.
  3. Samian: Drag. 46 cup, Central Gaulish, Hadrianic/Antonine.
Cremation Group S.24:

Bone/Calcined bones of adult.

Pottery:

  1. Cinerary urn, jar.
  2. Flagon.
  3. Beaker, 'Upchurch type ware'.
  4. Samian: Drag. 46 cup, Central Gaulish, Antonine.
  5. Samian: Curle 23 dish, Central Gaulish, Antonine. Has roughly scratched graffito on exterior.
Group 22
Cremation Group S.4:

Bone/Calcined bones of adult.

Pottery:

  1. Cinerary urn, jar.
  2. 2 Flagons.
  3. Beaker, Lower Rhineland.
  4. Beaker, Colchester/north Gaulish colour-coated ware.
  5. Jar.
  6. Dish.
  7. Samian: Drag. 18/31-31 dish, CG Lezoux, c. AD 125-150. Stamped by Avitus iv.
  8. Samian: Drag. 18/31-31 dish, CG Lezoux, c. AD 140-145. Stamp of Titurus.
  9. Samian: Drag. 33 cup, CG Lezoux, c. AD 135-170. Stamp of Cerialis ii.
Cremation Group S.13:

Bone/Calcined bones of adult female.

Pottery:

  1. Cinerary urn, jar.
Cremation Group S.14:

Bone/Calcined bones of adult female.

Pottery:

  1. Cinerary urn, jar.
  2. Beaker.
Cremation Group S.15:

Bone/Calcined bones of adult, ?female.

Pottery:

  1. Cinerary urn, honey-pot jar.
  2. Jar.
  3. Samian: Drag. 18/31 dish, EG Blickweiler, Hadrianic to early Antonine. Stamp of Verecundus v.
Cremation Group S.16:

Bone/Calcined bones of adult.

Pottery:

  1. Cinerary urn, jar.
  2. Flagon.
  3. Beaker.
  4. Samian: Drag. 31 dish, CG Lezoux, c. AD 160-200. Stamp of Sextus v.
Cremation Group S.17:

Bone/Calcined bones of adult.

Pottery:

  1. Cinerary urn, jar.
  2. Flagon.
  3. Beaker.
  4. Samian: Drag. 18/31 dish, EG Trier, Hadrianic-early Antonine. Stamp of A(e)nisatus.
Cremation Group S.18:

Bone/Calcined bones of adult, ?female.

The burial was placed within the lower half of a Dressel 20 amphora, with the upper half over the top.

Pottery:

  1. Cinerary urn, wide-mouthed jar.
  2. Flagon.
  3. the amphora.
  4. Samian: Drag. 31 dish, CG Lezoux, probably c. AD 170-180. Stamp of Uxopillus.
Cremation Group S.19:

Bone/Calcined bones of adult.

Pottery:

  1. Cinerary urn, jar.
  2. Flagon.
  3. Samian: Drag. 31 dish, CG Lezoux, c. AD 150-160. Stamp of Osbimanus.
Cremation Group S.26:

Disturbed by machine.

Bone/Calcined bones of adult, female.

Pottery:

  1. Cinerary urn, jar.
  2. Flask.
  3. Beaker.
  4. 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:

  1. Cinerary urn, jar.
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]

West Sussex:

Chichester, St Pancras

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:

  1. Bowl of 'Belgic' type.
  2. Smaller bowl similar to No. 1, containing burnt bones.
  3. Flagon with handle missing.
  4. Samian: Drag. 35, presumably SG La Graufesenque, "Flavian".
Burial Group 23:

Pottery:

  1. Jar.
  2. 3 Beakers.
  3. Samian: Drag. 46, presumably CG, Trajanic-Hadrianic according to report.
Burial Group 35:

Pottery:

  1. Jar.
  2. 2 Beakers.
  3. Flagon.
  4. 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.
  5. Samian: Evidently Drag. 31R; described thus: "form Drag. 31 ... band of rouletting on floor, Antonine" (1971, 93).
Burial Group 45:

Pottery:

  1. Jar.
  2. "Urn".
  3. Beaker.
  4. Flagon.
  5. 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.
Burial Group 57:

Pottery:

  1. Beaker.
  2. Samian: Drag. 35, presumably SG La Graufesenque, not stamped, "Flavian".
  3. Samian: Drag. 36, presumably SG La Graufesenque, not stamped, "Flavian".
Burial Group 58:

Pottery:

  1. "Urn" containing burnt bone.
  2. Flagon.
  3. Small jar.
  4. Beaker.
  5. Samian: Drag. 18, presumably SG La Graufesenque, stamp illegible, "late first century".
  6. Samian: Drag. 27, ? CG Les Martres-de-Veyre, reported to be stamped 'MACELLVS', "Trajanic"; this is probably Marcellus of Les Martres.
  7. Samian: Drag. 27, CG Les Martres-de-Veyre, stamped 'AGEDILLVS F' = Agedillus of Les Martres, "Trajanic".
Burial Group 59:

Pottery:

  1. 3 Bowls.
  2. Flagon.
  3. Samian: said to be a Drag. 18, but presumably an 18/31, CG Les Martres, stamped 'DONNAVC.F' = Donnaucus, c. AD 100-120.
  4. 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:

  1. "Urn".
  2. Jar.
  3. Flagon.
  4. Bowl.
  5. 2 Carinated cups.
  6. Beaker
  7. 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.
Burial Group 61:

Pottery:

  1. "Urn".
  2. Flagon.
  3. Cup.
  4. Samian: Drag. 36, not stamped, presumably SG La Graufesenque, dated as "1st century", presumably Flavian.
Burial Group 68:

Badly disturbed.

Pottery:

  1. Samian: Drag. 46 dish with handles, presumably CG Lezoux, dated as "Antonine".
Burial Group 73:

Pottery:

  1. "Urn".
  2. 2 Flagons.
  3. Jar.
  4. Samian: Drag. 42 dish, stamped 'SILVI-OF' = Silvius ii of Lezoux, dating to c. AD 125-145.
Burial Group 79:

Box burial.

Pottery:

  1. Urn in grey ware.
  2. Flagon.
  3. Samian: Drag. 35, not stamped, presumably SG La Graufesenque, "Flavian".
  4. Samian: Drag. 36, not stamped, presumably SG La Graufesenque, "Flavian".
Burial Group 81:

Crescent form burial.

Pottery:

  1. Flask in 'eggshell ware".
  2. 2 Beakers.
  3. 3 Dishes.
  4. 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".
  5. 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".
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:

  1. 3 Dishes.
  2. Plate.
  3. Samian: Déch. 72 with applied leaf decoration en barbotine, presumably CG Lezoux, dated as "Antonine".
Burial Group 171:

Box burial. Calcined bones were unurned in the grave.

Pottery:

  1. Urn in grey ware, containing no bones.
  2. Bottle.
  3. Imitation of a Drag. 37, red fabric with "treacly lead glaze"; broken, with some sherds being in the urn.
  4. Beaker.
  5. Samian: Drag. 35, presumably SG La Graufesenque, not stamped, dated "Nero-Vespasian".
  6. Samian: Drag. 36, presumably SG La Graufesenque, not stamped, dated "Nero-Vespasian".
Burial Group 181:

Pottery:

  1. Rusticated urn in grey ware.
  2. Jar.
  3. Flagon.
  4. Samian: Drag. 36, presumably SG La Graufesenque, not stamped, dated as "probably Flavian".
Burial Group 190:

Pottery:

  1. Bowl.
  2. Samian: Drag. 18, SG La Graufesenque, stamped 'PEREGRINI', presumably Peregrinus i and dating to c. AD 65-85.
  3. Samian: Drag. 46, presumably CG Lezoux, with rosette stamp, dated "Antonine".
Burial Group 194:

Box burial.

Pottery:

  1. Urn in grey ware.
  2. Flagon.
  3. 4 Plates.
  4. Dish.
  5. Beaker.
  6. Samian: Drag. 27, presumably CG Les Martres, stamped 'IIMO' (retrograde) = probably Domius of Les Martres, dating to c. AD 100-120.
  7. 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.
Burial Group 201:

Box burial.

Disturbed twin burial.

Pottery:

  1. Urn in grey ware, containing bones and hobnails.
  2. Urn in grey ware, containing bones.
  3. 4 Plates.
  4. 2 Bowls.
  5. Beaker.
  6. Cup.
  7. Imitation of a Drag. 27 in pink/buff ware.
  8. 2 Flagons.
  9. Samian: Drag. 35, presumably CG Lezoux, not stamped, dated "Hadrian/Antonine".
  10. Samian: Curle 15, presumably CG Lezoux, not stamped, dated "Hadrian/Antonine".
Burial Group 213:

Box burial. Disturbed.

Pottery:

  1. 2 Jars.
  2. Plate.
  3. 6 Bowls.
  4. Lid
  5. Samian: Drag. 35/36 dish, presumably CG Lezoux, not stamped, dated "probably 2nd century".
Burial Group 214:

Box burial.

Pottery:

  1. Urn in grey ware.
  2. 4 Beakers.
  3. 2 Bowls.
  4. 2 Plates.
  5. 4 Imitations of Drag. 27 in buff ware.
  6. 2 Flagons.
  7. Samian: Drag. 33, presumably CG Lezoux, stamped 'P ATERN', stated that the: "Die cut down", dated "Early Antonine".
Burial Group 217:

Box burial.

Pottery:

  1. Urn in grey ware.
  2. 4 Bowls.
  3. 3 Beakers.
  4. 2 Dishes.
  5. 3 Flagons.
  6. Samian: Drag. 35, presumably SG La Graufesenque, not stamped, dated "Flavian".
  7. Samian: Drag. 36, presumably SG La Graufesenque, not stamped, dated "Flavian".
Burial Group 224:

Disturbed.

Pottery:

  1. Urn in grey ware.
  2. Grey ware vessel.
  3. 2 Jars.
  4. Plate.
  5. Remains of further vessel.
  6. Flagon.
  7. Samian: Drag. 27, evidently CG Lezoux, stamped 'BONOXVS' = Bonoxus of Lezoux, dated "early second century" = c. AD 125-150.
Burial Group 225:

Pottery:

  1. Beaker.
  2. Samian: Drag. 18/31, presumably CG Lezoux, stamped, apparently, 'CANNUS', dated "probably Antonine".
  3. Samian: Drag. 46 with handles, presumably CG Lezoux, with rosette stamp, dated "Antonine".
Burial Group 227:

Pottery:

  1. Urn in grey ware.
  2. Flagon.
  3. Samian: Drag. 18/31, EG Rheinzabern, stamped ' NIC /// RVS. F', identified as Venicarus, early to mid Antonine.
Burial Group 228:

Box burial.

Pottery:

  1. Urn in grey ware.
  2. Flagon.
  3. Beaker.
  4. Samian: Drag. 33, stamped 'LVCC.ILLI.I.M', dated "Antonine".
  5. Samian: Drag. 31, CG Lezoux, stamped 'IVLLIN FE', presumably a stamp of Iullinus ii of Lezoux, dated "late Antonine", c. AD 160-190.
  6. Samian: Drag. 36, presumably CG Lezoux, not stamped, dated "Antonine".
Burial Group 231:

? Box burial.

Pottery:

  1. Urn in grey ware.
  2. Dish.
  3. Jar.
  4. Beaker.
  5. 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:

  1. Urn in grey ware.
  2. Bowl.
  3. Small grey ware vessel.
  4. Flagon.
  5. Samian: Drag. 31, presumably CG Lezoux, illegible stamp, dated as "probably early Antonine".
Burial Group 242:

Disturbed.

Pottery:

  1. Grey ware vessel containing bones.
  2. Flagon.
  3. Samian: Drag. 36, presumably SG La Graufesenque, not stamped, dated "1st century, probably Flavian".
Burial Group 245:

Pottery:

  1. Large urn in grey ware.
  2. Bowl.
  3. Flagon.
  4. Samian: Drag. 33, CG Lezoux, stamped 'ALBINVS' = perhaps Albinus iii or iv of Lezoux, dated "Antonine" = c. AD 130-160.
  5. 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:

  1. Urn in grey ware.
  2. Bottle.
  3. Lead glazed dish.
  4. Green glazed bowl.
  5. Beaker.
  6. Bowl.
  7. Samian: Drag. 42 dish with handles, SG presumably La Graufesenque, not stamped, dated "Late first century".
Burial Group 250:

Box burial.

Pottery:

  1. Urn with bone.
  2. 2 Dishes.
  3. Flagon.
  4. Beaker.
  5. 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.
  6. Samian: Drag. 33, CG Lezoux, stamped 'BRICCVSF' = Briccus of Lezoux, dated "Antonine" = c. AD 145-60.
  7. Samian: Drag. 35, presumably CG Lezoux, not stamped, dated "2nd century".
Burial Group 251:

Box burial.

Pottery:

  1. Large grey ware urn with cremated bone and containing coin of Faustina the Elder.
  2. 3 Dishes.
  3. Beaker.
  4. Bottle.
  5. Flagon.
  6. Samian: Drag. 27, presumably CG Les Martres-de-Veyre, stamped 'REGINI.M' = presumably Reginus ii of Les Martres, dating c. AD 130-150.
  7. Samian: Drag. 36, presumably CG Lezoux, not stamped, dated "Hadrianic".
Burial Group 264:

Box burial.

Pottery:

  1. Grey ware urn.
  2. 3 Bowls.
  3. Dish.
  4. Bottle.
  5. Samian: Drag. 31, presumably CG Lezoux, stamp illegible, dated "Antonine".
Burial Group 270:

No cinerary urn was present.

Pottery:

  1. Flagon.
  2. Beaker.
  3. Samian: Drag. 18/31, presumably CG, stamp not legible, dated "Hadrian/Antonine"; worn, with crudely scratched five-pointed star on the inside wall.
  4. Samian: Drag. 18/31, presumably CG Lezoux, stamped 'LIBERALIS', dated "late Antonine".
  5. Samian: Drag. 33, presumably CG Lezoux, stamped 'S A C I R O. M.', this is probably Saciro iii of Lezoux, dated "late Antonine" = c. AD 160-200.
Burial Group 286:

Pottery:

  1. Jar.
  2. Beaker.
  3. Samian: Drag. 36, presumably CG Lezoux, not stamped, dated "probably Hadrian/Antonine".

Hassocks, Stonepound

Lyne, M.A.B. 1994. The Hassocks cemetery, Sussex Archaeological Collections 132, 1994, 53-85.

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:

  1. Globular jar - appears to be of Iron Age tradition.
  2. Samian: Small Déch. 72, Central Gaulish.
  3. Samian: Drag. 31, CG Lezoux, Stamped "C...PV..." "late Antonine"; "very worn".
Burial Group 3:

Pottery:

  1. Storage jar (Hardham fabric) - late 1st century - early 2nd century.
  2. Nene Valley beaker, late 2nd century.
  3. Samian: Walters 79, CG Lezoux, Stamped "BORILLIOFF", being Borillus of Lezoux (This vessel contained a coin of Hadrian).
Burial Group 6:

Pottery:

  1. Necked bowl, early 3rd century, containing a cremation.
  2. Samian: Large Walters 79, East Gaulish, said to have been used as a lid for the jar.
Burial Group 7:

Pottery:

  1. Jar (handmade, East Sussex ware).
  2. Beaker (Hardham fabric), c. AD 130-200.
  3. Samian: Drag. "18/31" [SHW - this is a 31], CG Lezoux, illegible stamp; "interior ... very scratched and worn".
Burial Group 9:
  1. Jar (handmade East Sussex ware).
  2. Samian: 2 x Walters 79/80 [SHW - more 79 than 79/80], Central Gaulish, "showing considerable wear".
Burial Group 10:

Pottery:

  1. Poppy-head beaker, containing charcoal and some cremated bone.
  2. Ring-necked flagon.
  3. Samian: Drag. 33, Central Gaulish, "CLA ISAV Stamp" [SHW - looks like graffito], "Late 2nd C".
  4. Samian: Drag. "18/31" [SHW - looks mid way between 18/31 & Curle 23], East Gaulish, "poor quality"; "Late 2nd - early 3rd C".

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.

North Lancing, Crabtree Lane

Kelly, E. 1981. A grave group from Crabtree Lane, North Lancing, Sussex Archaeological Collections 119, 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:

  1. Colour-coated beaker in New Forest ware, late 3rd-4th century.
  2. Small jug.
  3. Small flask - "probably 2nd century".
  4. Dish.
  5. Flagon.
  6. Samian: Drag. 18, SG, stamped "DI CALVI"; "Flavian" (Kelly 1981, Fig. 1 No. 8).
  7. Samian: Flagon, Stanfield 1929, form 67, CG, "Antonine / mid second century" (Kelly 1981, Fig. 1 No. 7).
  8. Samian: Drag. 36, CG, "Antonine date of mid to late second century" (Kelly 1981, 67, Fig. 1 No. 9).
  9. Samian: Drag. 27, CG, stamped "]VI M ; "a noticeably late example of this particular form, mid to late second century" (Fig. 1 No. 10).
Sompting, Marquis of Granby Inn

Ainsworth, C.J. and Ratcliffe-Densham, H.B.A. 1974. Spectroscopy and a Roman cremation from Sompting, Sussex, Britannia 5, 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:

  1. Jar = 'cinerary urn' (damaged).
  2. Flagon: "had lost a piece of its wall before it was buried" (Ainsworth and Ratcliffe-Densham 1974, 311).
  3. Beaker.
  4. Bowl, a 'second'.

Seven (plain) samian vessels:

  1. Samian: Drag. 33, CG Lezoux, with the stamp of MAXIMINIVS (die 2a), dated c. AD 160-200.
  2. Samian: Identical to No. 5: Drag. 33, CG Lezoux, with the stamp of MAXIMINIVS (die 2a), dated c. AD 160-200.
  3. Samian: Drag. 31, CG Lezoux, with the stamp of VICTORI M (die 1a), dated c. AD 160-200.
  4. 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").
  5. Samian: Drag. 39, EG Rheinzabern, with the stamp of IVVENIS.FE (die 15d), dated c. AD 160-200; larger than No. 8.
  6. Samian: Walters 79, CG Lezoux, without a stamp but with 4 turned concentric circles as with a draughts-piece; presumably c. AD 170-200.
  7. 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.