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Class : Terra Sigillata
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Source : Gaul
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Distribution in Britain
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- This is a hectad map. More details of the data and mapping are available
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- Compare the distribution of this ware with others
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| Distribution summary |
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Source of ware
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Roman Pottery in Britain (Tyers 1996)
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This ware is discussed on p.113 of Roman Pottery in Britain (1996).
Fabric code : CGTS
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National Roman Fabric Reference Collection (Tomber & Dore 1998)
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Cross-reference from this group to fabric descriptions published in
The National Roman Fabric Reference Collection (1998):
- LEZ SA 1
- Lezoux (1st century) samian p.31
- LEZ SA 2
- Lezoux samian 1 p.32
- LMV SA
- Les Martres-de-Veyre samian p.30
Illustrations of these fabrics are available only in the printed catalogue: R. Tomber & J. Dore,
The national Roman fabric reference collection. A handbook
Museum of London Archaeology Service, London. MOLAS monograph 2. (1998). |
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| Summary |
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Terra sigillata manufacture commenced in Central Gaul from the
Augustan period and during the 1st century AD the distinctive micaceous
products of Lezoux are distributed across central and western Gaul,
and occasionally to southern Britain. The height of the industry was
during the 2nd century AD. when the products of Les Martres-de-Veyre and
Lezoux (Puy-de-Dôme/FR) had a wide distribution across Gaul, Germany,
Britain and the Danube provinces. |
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Database of sigillata forms
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A searchable database of the principal sigillata forms
is available
here.
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Introduction
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The two principal Central Gaulish sigillata producers, Les Martres-de-Veyre
and Lezoux (near Clermont-Ferrand) were the main samian exporters
to Britain for most of the 2nd cent. The earlier product of Lezoux,
in a distinctive micaceous fabric, was also exported in small
quantities.
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Fabric and technology
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Les Martres-de-Veyre: Very hard, high fired fabric (sherds
ring when knocked together) with conchoidal fracture; bright orange-red
or red (2.5YR 5/6) with 'satin' gloss slip (2.5YR 4/6) on all
surfaces, sometimes marred with finger marks and other blemishes
near rim and base; abundant very fine limestone flecks (visible
under x20 lens), with sparser red iron ore, quartz and a little
mica.
Micaceous Lezoux ware: Slightly laminar fracture, often
with numerous horizontal voids; reddish-yellow (5YR 5/6 to 5YR
6/3) with porous red or reddish-brown slip (e.g 2.5YR 3/6 or 5/6)
which may appear thin; distinctive abundant fine mica, with some
fine quartz sand, red iron ores and rounded limestone particles.
Plain wares normally fairly hard fired, but decorated ware tends
to be softer with flaking slip -- Dannell's description as 'mica
filled digestive biscuit' (1977, 231) is particularly apt.
Standard Lezoux fabric: Hard fabric with finely irregular
fracture; brown or orange-brown (2.5YR 4/8 or 4/6) matrix and
relatively dull slip; some fine mica visible in matrix (but significantly
less than in the earlier fabric), with fine quartz sand, sparse
limestone and red iron ores.
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Chronology
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Production at Lezoux commences in Augustan-Tiberian period and
micaceous Lezoux fabric exported to Britain between c. AD 50-120;
main phase of production from c. AD 120 until later 2nd cent.
Significant export from Les Martres-de-Veyre almost confined to
AD 100-25, with exception of potter Cettus (c. AD 135-65).
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Distribution
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Early Lezoux wares are common in 1st cent. AD assemblages along
the Loire and in Brittany; thence to Britain, where more common
in south and west (Boon 1967; Dannell in Peacock 1971, 266-7).
Martres and later Lezoux wares have wide distribution through
northern and eastern Gaul, the Rhineland, and into Danube provinces;
in Britain, abundant throughout (Hartley 1972, 28).
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Aliases
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Colchester fabric CG/LZ. JRPS bibliography fabric
cts. Milton Keynes fabric . Kent fine fabric 3d.
Silchester fabric E4.
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Bibliography
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Bémont and Jacob 1986, 137-64, with refs. Lezoux production summarized
in: Bet et al. 1987; for decorated wares: Stanfield and Simpson
1958 revised as Stanfield and Simpson 1990; Terrisse 1968; Rogers
1974;, for figure types: Déchelette 1904; Oswald 1936; for dating
of major potters, particularly Cinnamus: Hartley 1972; Simpson
and Rogers 1969; for an alternative view see King 1981.
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References
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Bémont and Jacob 1986.
Bémont, C. and Jacob, J.-P., La Terre sigillée gallo-romaine.
Lieux de production du Haut Empire: implantations, produits, relations,
Documents d'archéologie française, 6, Maison des Sciences
de l'Homme, Paris, (1986).
Bet et al. 1987.
Bet, P., Gangloff, R. and Vertet, H., Les productions céramiques
antiques de Lezoux et de la Gaule centrale à travers les collections
du Musée archéologique de Lezoux (63), Revue archéologique
SITES. Hors-série, 32, (1987).
Boon 1967.
Boon, G. C., 'Micaceous sigillata from Lezoux at Silchester, Caerleon
and other sites', AntJ, 47, (1967), pp. 27-42.
Dannell 1977.
Dannell, G. B., 'The samian from Bagendon' in Roman pottery
studies in Britain and beyond Papers presented to J. P. Gillam,
July 1977, ed. J. Dore and K. T. Greene, British archaeological
reports. International series, 30, BAR, Oxford, (1977),
pp. 229-35.
Déchelette 1904.
Déchelette, J., Les vases céramiques ornés de la Gaule romaine,
Paris, (1904).
Hartley 1972.
Hartley, B. R., 'The Roman occupation of Scotland. The evidence
of samian ware', Britannia, 3, (1972), pp. 1-55.
King 1981.
King, A., 'The decline of samian manufacture in the north-west
provinces: problems of chronology and interpretation' in The
Roman West in the third century. Contributions from archaeology
and history, ed. A. King and M. Henig, British archaeological
reports. International series, 109, BAR, Oxford, (1981),
pp. 55-78.
Oswald 1936.
Oswald, F., Index of figure-types on terra sigillata, University
Press, Liverpool, (1936-7).
Peacock 1971.
Peacock, D. P. S., 'Petrography of certain coarse pottery' in
Excavations at Fishbourne, 1961-69, ed. B. Cunliffe, 27,
Reports of the research Committee of the Society of Antiquaries
of London, London, (1971), pp. 255-259.
Rogers 1974.
Rogers, G. B., Poteries sigillées de la Gaule centrale,
Supplément à Gallia, 28, Éditions du CNRS, Paris, (1974).
Simpson and Rogers 1969.
Simpson, G. and Rogers, G., 'Cinnamus de Lezoux et quelques potiers
contemporains', Gallia, 27, (1969), pp. 3-14.
Stanfield and Simpson 1958.
Stanfield, J. A. and Simpson, G., Central Gaulish Potters,
Oxford University Press, London, (1958).
Stanfield and Simpson 1990.
Stanfield, J. A. and Simpson, G., Les potiers de la Gaule centrale,
Revue Archéologie Sites, Gonfaron, (1990).
Terrisse 1968.
Terrisse, J. R., Les Céramiques sigillées gallo-romaines des
Martres-de-Veyre (Puy-de-Dome), Supplément à Gallia, 19,
Éditions du CNRS, Paris, (1968).
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| Updates and new references |
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Bibliography
Delage (Delage 1998)
gives an account of the distribution of Central gaulish wares
from the 1st to 3rd cent. AD, illustrated by a series of maps.
The earliest (pre-conquest) distribution of Lezoux wares in
Britain can be seen to be an extension of the distribution in
Gaul, which covers the Loire valley and Brittany.
Vertet (1998)
gives an overview of production at Lezoux.
References
Delage 1998
Delage, R., `Première approche de la diffusion des céramiques sigillées du centre de la Gaule en Occident romain' in Actes du Congrès d'Istres. 21-24 mai 1998. Société Française d'Étude de la Céramique Antique, ed. L. Rivet, SFECAG, Marseille, (1998), pp. 271-314.
Vertet 1998
Vertet, H., `Lezoux - La Graufesenque et la Romanisation' in Form and fabric. Studies in Rome's material past in honour of B.R.Hartley, ed. J. Bird, Oxbow monograph, 80, Oxbow Books, Oxford, (1998), pp. 127-132.
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