THE COARSEWARE POTTERY
Tom Moore
Methodology
Around 4,000 sherds (55kg) of coarse pottery were recovered from the 1984 and 1985 excavations. These have been quantified using rim equivalents (RE), weight and sherd numbers (see graphs). Only the stratified assemblages have been fully quantified by fabric and form.
A new fabric series was established which has been closely correlated to the fabric series established by Stephen Trow (1988b). This was done to enable close comparison between the 1982â3 assemblage and the 1984â5 material and has also been used to quantify the material from Bagendon (1979â1981), which displays a number of similarities in fabrics and forms with the first century AD deposits from Ditches. This allows for quantitative comparison between the two sites in form and fabric, discussion of which can be found in the analysis of material from Bagendon.
The assemblage was divided on the basis of fabric assessed from a fresh break using a binocular microscope. In some areas fabrics represent variants of the same pottery groups and have been combined under the general groups/ names below. Where possible, parallels with Trowâs earlier fabric types are provided and with major assemblages elsewhere, including Frocester (Timby 2000), Duntisbourne Grove, Middle Duntisbourne, Birdlip Quarry (Timby 1999a), Conderton Camp (Morris 2005), Uley West Hill (Leach 1993) and Cirencester (Rigby 1982). In order to facilitate easy comparison with Trowâs report on the 1982â3 excavations the same form types were used with additions added for the 1984â85 assemblage where form parallels could not be discerned in the existing form groups. Form and fabrics were paralleled with large published assemblages from the region in order to provide specific parallels and dates, these included Weston-under-Penyard-Ariconium (Willis 2000a), Bagendon (Clifford 1961), Uley West Hill (Leach 1993), Frocester (Timby 2000), Kingsholm (Darling 1985), early and late Roman Cirencester (Cooper 1998; Rigby 1982), Thornill (Timby 2004) and the Ermin Street sites at Duntisbourne and Birdlip Quarry (Timby 1999a). Comparisons in form and fabric were also made with the National Fabric series (Tomber and Dore 1998) and with Tyers (1996).
Fabrics
Fabrics for the earlier contexts were divided in to the same groups as in Trow (1988b) for comparison between the 1982â3 and 1984â5 excavations. Trow divided the fabrics in to broader groups as follows. The corresponding 1984â5 fabrics have been grouped as close as possible in to these groups:
Group A: handmade, limestone tempered Iron Age tradition pottery (84â5 fabrics: MALV, L1, L2, L3).
Group B: handmade/wheel turned grog tempered wares (84â5 fabrics: GROG1, GROG2, GROG3).
Group C: (84â5 fabric GROGBAG).
Group D: early Severn Valley Wares (84â5 fabrics: SVWO/R).
Group E: Savernake wares (84â5 fabrics: SAV1â6).
Group F: finewares (GROGFW, WW, FWB, including samian, Gaulish imports and amphorae.
Groups AâF match Trowâs fabric groups (1988b, 64). Further groups GâM have been added to include fabrics not grouped by Trow and those only present in the later contexts (see below). Because of the predominantly later date of most of these wares, these have not been used to compare with the 1982â3 assemblage. The fabric descriptions below have been grouped together under the major wares.
Forms
In order to compare with the coarse pottery from the 1982â3 report the form types have been grouped in to the same groups outlined by Trow (1988b) with additions to include forms not present in 1982â3 assemblage. These groups are divided as such (see Trow 1988b, 64):
Group 1: Jars in Iron Age tradition forms (JA and JB).
Group 2: bead rimmed vessels (JC).
Group 3: storage jars (JG).
Group 4: wide mouthed and necked bowls (BC and BD) (includes JK; straight necked jars).
Group 5: carinated bowls (BE).
Group 6: platters (DA).
Group 7: beakers (K).
The following additional groups have been added to Trowâs groups:
Group 8: Flanged bowls (FB) (found in SVWs, OXCC and BB wares).
Group 9: Tankards (TK).
Group 10: Flagons (FL).
Group 11: Tripod vessel (DC).
Group 12: Samian derived forms (found solely in SVWs) (SD).
Other: includes other forms including bases which do not fit the existing categories above.
Fabric descriptions
Group A: Limestone tempered wares
MALV1: Black-grey with inclusions rarely exceeding 2mm, with burnished surfaces, occasionally decorated with vertical burnished hatching.
Forms: everted rims jars and storage vessels.
Parallels: Trow fabric 1; Timby 1999,
MALVL1; Peacock B1; GL TF 33.
Date: Iron Ageâfirst century AD.
MALV2: Dark-grey black (occasionally varying with firing to oxidised reddy light brown areas on interior surfaces, e.g. Fig. 43, no. 156). Inclusions include abundant limestone and occasional organic voids. Forms: jars with everted rims and storage vessels.
Parallels: Trow fabric 1.
Date: Iron Ageâfirst century AD.
L1: Coarse fabric with frequent inclusions. Inclusions of abundant limestone. A dark-black grey core with orange-brown to black-brown exterior surfaces. Possibly local origin.
Forms: Iron Age form jars and storage vessels.
Parallels: Trow fabric 2?
Date: first century BCâfirst century AD.
L2: Limestone tempered ware rarely found in both the 1982â3 and 1984â5 excavations, may be of local manufacture.
Forms: uncertain.
Parallel: Trow fabric 3.
Date: Iron Age.
L3: Black fabric with few inclusions, friable and void ridden. The limestone inclusions are generally small and whiter than those in fabrics L1 and 2. Dark grey black but some vessel have yellow/orange brown area and black areas of varying firing. Inclusions of frequent voids (up to 2mm) from organic temper and limestone inclusions (0.1â2mm diameter).
Forms: Iron Age handmade forms, small usually upright jars (see Ashville form B; DeRoche 1978).
Parallels: Trow 3?
Date: Occurrence in association with Savernake wares suggests possibly early first century AD (see be...