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Class : Coarse wares
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Source : Britain
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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
here.
- Compare the distribution of this ware with others
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| Distribution summary |
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Illustration
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Roman Pottery in Britain (Tyers 1996)
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This ware is discussed on p.197-199 of Roman Pottery in Britain (1996).
Fabric code : SVW
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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):
- SVW OX 1
- (Malvernian) Severn Valley Oxidised ware 1 p.148
- SVW OX 2
- (Unsourced) Severn Valley Oxidised ware 2 p.149
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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The Pottery kilns of Roman Britain (Swan 1984)
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This fabric was produced at kiln sites at these locations:
- Alkington / Glos
- Ledbury / Heref
- Wroxeter / Salop
- Bransford / Worcs
- Great Malvern / Worcs
- Malvern Link / Worcs
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). |
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| Summary |
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A range of orange or red-brown wares produced along the middle Severn
valley and distributed across western Britain (and sparsely in northern
Britain) from 2nd to 4th centuries AD. |
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Fabric samples Scale (when present) in cm.
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Fabric and technology
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A range of hard, fine textured fabrics; typically brown (5YR 6/6)
or reddish-orange (2.5YR 5/8) at the surface, sometimes with a
grey core (particularly in the thicker parts), although fully
reduced wares also occur; typical ware is slightly micaceous with
little visible temper, but coarser 'gritted' (with sand, grog
and clay pellets and a little iron ore) or vesicular (?burnt organic)
variants known. Surfaces generally burnished, with linear or
lattice decorated zones, with grooves and cordons. Usually wheel-thrown,
although rare hand-formed variants occur.
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Forms
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The principal form classes are described by Webster.
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Class
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Description
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8-9 12
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A
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storage jars
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-
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B
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bead-rim jars
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10-11 13-16
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C
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wide mouthed jars
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-
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D
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bowls & wide-mouthed jars
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with beaded/everted rims
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4-7
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E
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tankards
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17-18 21-22
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F
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flanged bowls
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with internal lip
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19
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G
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flanged bowls
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with reeded/grooved rims
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1-3
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H
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carinated bowls
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23-24
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I
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samian derived forms
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26
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J
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segmental bowls
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25
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K
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dishes/platters
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27
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L
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lids
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Table 1. Classification of Severn Valley
ware classes (after Webster)
The handled tankard (class E) is one of the more characteristic
forms in SVW. These, with storage and wide-mouthed jars, are
most widely distributed forms.
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Chronology
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Timby (1990) suggests SVW commences shortly before conquest, although
others have preferred a Claudian conception under military influence
(Webster 1976, 40-2). Flourishes during 2nd and early 3rd. and
continues into 4th cent. AD.
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Source
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Several 2nd/3rd-cent. kiln sites producing Severn Valley wares
are known, extending through Severn valley (Alkington, Ledbury,
Malvern, Perry Barr) to Wroxeter. Earliest production centres
not yet identified, but perhaps in Gloucester region.
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Distribution
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Mid-1st-cent. distribution largely confined to sites in Severn
Valley near Gloucester region, with outliers on Claudio-Neronian
military sites such as Usk (S. Wales). Present at Wroxeter and
Chester by later 1st cent. AD. Abundant on sites in lower Severn
basin through 2nd/3rd cent. (c. 70% of all pottery on rural sites
in Gloucester region, and at Sidbury, Worcs.). Extension of small
scale supply to north-west England, western sector of Hadrian's
Wall and Scotland from c. AD 120-200. Distribution contracts
to Severn basin by 4th cent.
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Aliases
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Bath fabric 9.1. Carlisle fabric 124. Dorchester
fabric 37R. Gloucester fabrics TF11B, TF11D, TF17 and TF220.
JRPS bibliography fabric svv. Old Penrith fabric
22. Sidbury fabric 12.
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Bibliography
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For type-series, general development and distribution: Webster
1976; Rawes 1982; the range of SVW fabrics described in Darlington
and Evans 1992, 37-8 and Hurst 1985, 81; for origins and early
forms: Timby 1990; for northern distribution: Webster 1972; Webster
1977; Bidwell 1985, 171-4. For kilns: RCHM gazetteer F305,
F352, F579, F635, F673-6.
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References
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Bidwell 1985.
Bidwell, P. T., The Roman Fort of Vindolanda at Chesterholm,
Northumberland, Archaeological Report, 1, Historic
Buildings and Monuments Commission for England, London, (1985).
Darlington and Evans 1992.
Darlington, J. and Evans, J., 'Roman Sidbury, Worcester excavations
1959-1989', TWorcsAS, 13, (1992), pp. 5-104.
Hurst 1985.
Hurst, H. R., Kingsholm, Gloucester Archaeological Reports,
1, Gloucester Archaeological Publications, Gloucester,
(1985).
Rawes 1982.
Rawes, B., 'Gloucester Severn Valley Ware', TBGAS, 100,
(1982), pp. 33-46.
Timby 1990.
Timby, J. R., 'Severn Valley wares. A reassessment', Britannia,
21, (1990), pp. 243-51.
Webster 1972.
Webster, P. V., 'Severn Valley Ware on Hadrian's Wall', ArchAeliana4,
50, (1972), pp. 191-203.
Webster 1976.
Webster, P. V., 'Severn Valley Ware: a preliminary study', TBGAS,
94, (1976), pp. 18-46.
Webster 1977.
Webster, P. V., 'Severn Valley ware on the Antonine frontier'
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. 163-76.
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