|
Class : Fine wares
|
|---|
|
Source : Britain
|
|---|
|
Distribution in Britain
|
|---|
|
- Click on the image
(or here)
for larger map.
- This is a hectad map. More details of the data and mapping are available
here.
- Compare the distribution of this ware with others
|
| Distribution summary |
|
|
|
Illustration
|
|---|
|
|
Roman Pottery in Britain (Tyers 1996)
|
|---|
This ware is discussed on p.173-175 of Roman Pottery in Britain (1996).
Fabric code : NVCC
|
|
National Roman Fabric Reference Collection (Tomber & Dore 1998)
|
|---|
Cross-reference from this group to fabric descriptions published in
The National Roman Fabric Reference Collection (1998):
- LNV CC
- Lower Nene Valley (White or Oxidised) Colour-coated ware p.118
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). |
|
The Pottery kilns of Roman Britain (Swan 1984)
|
|---|
This fabric was produced at kiln sites at these locations:
- Ailsworth / Hunts
- Alwalton / Hunts
- Castor / Hunts
- Chesterton / Hunts
- Sibson Cum Stibbington / Hunts
- Stanground, North / Hunts
- Stanground, South / Hunts
- Sutton/Upton / Hunts
- Water Newton / Hunts
- Yaxley / Hunts
Display more details of these sites.Data summarized from V. G. Swan The pottery kilns of Roman Britain (HMSO, London, 1984, Royal Commission on Historical Monuments: Supplementary Series 5). |
|
| Summary |
|---|
Fine table wares in a pale fabric with darker colour coat, often
decorated with barbotine or painted decoration, produced in the Nene
valley (Hunts/GB) and widely distributed across Britain during the 2nd to
4th centuries AD. |
|
Fabric samples Scale (when present) in cm.
|
|---|
|
|
Fabric and technology
|
Hard, smooth-textured fabric with finely irregular fracture; white
to off-white (e.g. 7.5YR 7/6-8) orange-yellow (7.5YR 5/6) or darker
grey or brown core with variable slip colour, dark brown to black,
mottled lighter orange or orange-brown where thinner; abundant
very fine quartz sand (visible at x20) and occasional larger quartz
grains, red or orange and black flecks and occasional pale clay
pellets (some streaking of these, and orange/black flecks, in
the matrix); decoration includes barbotine (both under and over
the slip), rouletting, grooving, folding and some use of moulds
-- roughcasting almost unknown.
|
|
Forms
|
Wide range of tablewares, including jugs, flagons and bottles,
imitation samian forms, Castor boxes, cups and beakers. The latter
are decorated in barbotine with hunting scenes ('Hunt cups') or
human figures during 2nd and 3rd cent., barbotine scale work (3rd
cent.) or white slip scroll and berry motifs (3rd-4th cent.).
Some vessels (particularly in the earlier barbotine technique)
are very ornate and depict religious scenes (Webster 1989). Limited
production of stamp decorated samian-derived forms during early-mid
3rd cent. (Dannell 1973) and plainer vessels from later 3rd (e.g.
Drag. 31, 36, 37, 45). During 4th cent. some coarse ware forms
produced in colour coated fabrics (e.g. jars, dishes and flanged
bowls).
|
|
Form
|
Description
|
|
|
26-57
|
Beakers
|
|
63-68
|
Flagons or jugs
|
|
75-77
|
Wide-mouthed jars or bowls
|
|
79
|
Flanged bowl
|
|
80-84
|
Imitation samian
|
|
87
|
Dish
|
|
89
|
Castor box (with lid)
|
|
Table 1. Classification of Nene Valley
colour-coated ware (after Howe, Perrin and Mackreth
|
|
Chronology
|
Production of colour-coated wares from mid-2nd cent., probably
in the hands of immigrant (Lower Rhineland?) craftsmen. Some
influence from East Gaulish sigillata industries during early
3rd cent. Production continues until end of 4th cent.
|
|
Source
|
The Lower Nene Valley, centered on Water Newton.
|
|
Distribution
|
Extent of mapped distribution incomplete due to confusion with
other wares (e.g. Lower Rhineland imports and Colchester colour-coated
wares) in older literature. Has been identified in Antonine groups
from Verulamium and northern frontier. Probably most extensive
during 3rd cent. prior to rise of Oxfordshire industry, but continues
to hold large proportion of total market in eastern England into
later 4th cent. partly due to production of 'coarse ware' forms.
|
|
Aliases
|
Castor ware.
|
|
Aliases
|
Bath fabric 6.3. Caister-on-sea fabrics NVCC-20
and NVCC. Carlisle fabric 175. Chelmsford fabric
2. Chesterfield fabric 29. Colchester fabric EA.
Gestingthorpe fabrics B1-B3. Gloucester fabric TF12B.
Great Chesterford fabric 29. JRPS bibliography fabric
nvc. Lullingstone fabric 5. Milton Keynes fabric
6. Old Penrith fabric 12. Kent fine fabric 13a.
Sidbury fabric 28. Towcester fabric 12.
|
|
Bibliography
|
Howe et al. 1980; Hartley 1960; Anderson 1980. For kilns: RCHM
gazetteer 95-7, F366-86. Quantified data from Pomel 1984.
|
|
References
|
Anderson 1980.
Anderson, A. C., A guide to Roman fine wares, Vorda Research
Series, 1, Vorda, Highworth, (1980).
Dannell 1973.
Dannell, G. B., 'The potter Indixivixus' in Current research
in Romano-British coarse pottery: papers given at a C.B.A. Conference
held at New College, Oxford, March 24 to 26, 1972, ed. A.
Detsicas, Research reports/Council for British Archaeology, 10,
Council for British Archaeology, London, (1973), pp. 139-42.
Hartley 1960.
Hartley, B. R., Notes on the Roman pottery industry in the
Nene Valley, Occasional papers - Peterborough Museum Society,
2, The Museum, Peterborough, (1960).
Howe et al. 1980.
Howe, M. D., Perrin, J. R. and Mackreth, D. F., Roman pottery
from the Nene Valley: a guide, Occasional paper, 2,
Peterborough City Museum and Art Gallery, Peterborough, (1980).
Pomel 1984.
Pomel, M. G., 'A study of later Roman pottery groups in Southern
Britain: fabrics, form and chronology', M. Phil. thesis, Institute
of Archaeology, University of London, (1984).
Webster 1989.
Webster, G., 'Deities and religious scenes on Romano-British pottery',
JRPS, 2, (1989), pp. 1-28.
|
|  |
Home