The Romano-British pottery from Drapers’ Gardens
By Dr James Gerrard
Website editing: Graham Sherwood. Photography: Strephon Duckering.
The excavations at Drapers’ Gardens produced a vast quantity
of Romano-British pottery. Almost 45,000 sherds were recovered weighing
1.57tonnes and the process of identifying, dating and quantifying
these sherds has just been completed, although analysis of the data
is still in its very early stages.
A 'second’ – a vessel that misfired
Most of the pottery is typical of the types of vessels used in
Roman London. We have known for some time that this part of Roman
London was an industrial zone and excavations nearby a number of
years ago identified Roman pottery kilns. Unsurprisingly, these
kilns supplied the inhabitants of Drapers’ Gardens with much
of their pottery and we even have a few ‘seconds’ –
vessels that misfired but were still useable.
A triple vase
Some of the pottery seems to indicate religious or ritual activities
and we have a number of fragments of ‘triple vases’
and ‘tazzae’. Quite what the function of these vessels
was is unknown. However, they often turn up in cemeteries and temple
sites suggesting a link with cult activities.
An almost complete 'tazza'
Even though much of the pottery was produced in Britain there is
a substantial imported component to the assemblage. Over 5000 fragments
of fine, red glossy tableware known as ‘samian’ are
being studied by Dr Gwladys Monteil of the University of Nottingham.
These vessels were imported from Gaul (now France and western Germany).
Other imported pots include almost 4000 fragments of ‘amphorae’.
These were large pottery jars used for transporting foodstuffs long
distances. Most of our amphorae seem to be olive oil jars from Spain
and wine jars from Gaul (France). One wine amphora has a rare painted
ink inscription (preserved by the waterlogged ground) that is currently
being studied by Dr Roger Tomlin of Oxford University. We are not
yet certain of what it says but it appears to have a measurement
of volume and a place name that may indicate where the wine was
produced in Gaul.
A large pottery jar known as amphora (upside down)
The analysis of the pottery assemblage has only just begun and
it seems certain that the pottery will continue to shed light on
Roman London’s economy, industry and society.
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