VESSEL 539018

Description: Six sherds of Iron Age earthenware, representing part of two different pots, herewith called Pot 1 and Pot 2. Two of the sherds from Pot 2 join. Pot 1 : Two body sherds (69.55x60.78x10.34mm and 55.10x36.39x11.09mm) and one rim sherd with lattice decoration (60.78x32.17x9.08mm), collectively weighing 87g. Pot 2 : Two body sherds (31.77x38.57x9.43mm and with lattice decoration; 24.22x33.45x9.37mm) and one rim sherd (37.78x31.62x9.59mm), collectively weighing 28g. Helen Rees, Curator, Winchester Museums, comments: 'I don't think these are Roman - the fabric isn't really right. Both pots have what the Iron Age pot specialists call linear tooling on the neck and shoulder, here in lines forming a lattice pattern. For something very similar but not quite the same see Danebury volume 2, p311, especially decoration Ib, which gives a middle Iron Age date. Both pots seem to have been necked jars, probably with slightly out-turned rims, although the ends of the rims are missing. This suggests middle to late Iron Age (see pp 282 - 285 in Danebury volume 2, especially nos 461, 334, 581, 630). The fabrics of both pots are similar- fairly fine sandy texture, with sparse to moderate small flint. The clay for Pot 1 doesn't seem to be quite so well mixed as for Pot 2, which is probably why the surface is now flaky. The Danebury pots (and others from the Hampshire chalklands) that have parallels in form and decoration wouldn't be like this at all in fabric, though- not noticeably sandy texture, and lots of chunky angular flint. That may be the answer though, as Fordingbridge isn't on the chalk- local potters wouldn't have such easy access to good chunky bits of flint to put in their pots. There is one other possibility - they could be what people call Wiltshire glauconitic sandy wares. Danebury does get this fabric as well, and it's known not to be a local (as in made on site) product. It gets to Basingstoke too (sites like Winklebury). The problem is, you can't see the glauconite in hand-specimen- you have to thin section the sherd to be certain of the identification. Their surfaces do tend to go flaky though. These are late early Iron Age to middle Iron Age in date (in Cunliffe's Yarnbury/ Highfield style but actually starting earlier)' (Helen Rees pers.comm. 2013).

Object type: VESSEL

Last import: August 15, 2017