Canterbury Kiln Site Note on the Kiln Structure

( 118 ) CANTERBURY KILN SITE. THE POTTERY. BY J. S. KIBKMAN, M.A. FROM the circumstances which have been related in the earUer part of this report two questions arise. Firstly, can this unstratified coUection of pottery be considered an entity, accumulated within a hmited period and under simUar conditions ? Can the known types be used to date the new varieties % Secondly, what relation, other than circumstantial, has it or any part of it with the kiln found on the same site ? With some regret I have come to the conclusion that the first question must be answered in the negative. The fragments range in date from the latter part of the first to the latter part of the second century A.D. NO. 32, and perhaps Nos. 37 and 38, are the only vessels which it is likely were deposited in an unbroken state. The first and third are not good chronological types. No. 37 is ascribed at Richborough to the first hah0 of the second century. AU that can be said about the new varieties is that they may be presumed to belong to the second century. The coUection, however, is of interest apart from the ornamental pieces. The mortaria fragments present so many examples for which I have been unable to find paraUels that I have drawn the series in toto. They range from the Flavian period to the late second century, and should provide a fair sample of the types current in South-Eastern England. The other fully iUustrated series, the amphoree and flagon tops, cover the same period and include several new moulded varieties, particularly amongst the class of two-handled vessels. No recognizable sherds were found actuatty in the kiln, but the complete OUa, No. 32, a fairly complete bowl of plain Samian Form 33 with the stamp PAVLIM and No. 65, were found immediately outside the jaws of the kiln and may safely be connected with it. The bowl may be compared CANTERBURY KILN SITE, THE POTTERY. 119 with 0. & P. LI. 12 and should be placed in the second quarter of the second century. The stamped mortaria, Nos. 8-10, in view of the fact that the three impressions found were identical, and probably the mortaria bowl, No. 20, with stamp of simttar pattern, I am prepared to assign to the kiln or other kilns in the same area, not necessarily in use at the same time. No. 9 at Richborough is dated A.D. 70-100. The ribbed and flanged bowls, on the strength of a " waster ", No. 23, and the flagon type, No. 48, on account of the number found, twenty-two, may also be ascribed to the factory. These are two common types of the late first and early second centuries. The bowls in the North do not come down later than about A.D. 120, but that need not necessarily be true of other parts of the country. Our specimens are aU late varieties. One would conclude accordingly that the industry was flourishing in the earUer part of the second century and came to an end in the second quarter, probably in the thud or fourth decade. The case for the remainder must rest unproven, though in aU probability many more of the mortaria and jug forms were made here. Of the fine cream-coloured wares, Nos. 62-64, there is Uttle more to be said than what is written in the Register. The Jupiter Ammon head on No. 63 is in perfect preservation and of fine workmanship. They are unlikely to have been made in Britain and are probably imports from the Rhineland. They may be regarded as fair samples of the wealth of interesting material that Ues beneath Canterbury waiting for some enUghtened person or body to provide the relatively small sums required for excavation on sites that become temporarily avaUable. What Dorchester is doing might well be done in Canterbury, and it would be worth doing. From what Uttle this site has provided and from what is in the Museum at Canterbury there is ample evidence that Roman Canterbury was no backward country town existing in barbarous indifference to the great world outside, but a wealthy and progressive community interested in the luxuries from the more sophisticated world across the Channel. 1 2 0 CANTERBURY KILN SITE, THE POTTERY. The drawings are aU quarter-size and the abbreviated references are to Ostwald's Eunesma Colour Album published by Winsor & Newton, London, based on Professor Ostwald's Colour Solid and to Moh's Scale of Hardnesses. Wherever possible, references have been made to Richborough and to Ospringe Cemetery in preference to more distant sites. I am indebted for assistance with the plates to Mr. G. C. Dunning, Mr. G. Webster and Miss A. Stiebel, and to Mr. R. F. Jessup for generous help. REFERENCES. BALMUILDY : Soman Fort at Balmuildy, Miller, 1922. BAENWSIL : Archceologia Aeliana Series, 4, IV, 1927. BmDOSWAiD : Trans. Cumberland and Westmorland Ant. and Arch. Soc, Series 2, X I I I , 1913. BtrsHE-Fox : Mortaria Types in Soc. Ant. Bes. Com. Beport (1) for Wroxeter, 1912. CAERHXTN : Archceologia Cambrensis, June, 1934. CAEELEON AMPH. : Archceologia, LXXVIII, 1928. CHESTEEHOLM : Archceologia Aeliana, 4, XV, 1938. HABDKNOT : Trans. Cumberland and Westmorland, 2, XXI, 1921. ILKLEY : Yorkshire Arch. Journ., XXVIII, 1926. LIMESTONE BANK TTJEBET : Archceologia Aeliana, 3, IX, 1913. O. & P. : Terra Sigillata, Oswald and Pryce, 1920. OSPBINOE : Soc. Ant. Res. Com. Bep., VIII, 1931. RiCHBOEOtroH : Soc. Ant. Bes. Com. Sep., VI, VII and VIII, 1926-32. VERULAMXUM : Soc. Ant. Bes. Com. Sep., XI, 1936. CANTERBURY KILN SITE, SHERD REGISTER. 121 AT ^^ * * *K Stomp AtZiJTA 8 ^ 8a 9 IO ~ s ^ I 12 i 3 ^ 15 Eigs. {•$ actual size. CANTERBURY KILN SITE. SHERD REGISTER. BY J. S. KTRKMAN, M.A. to No. Description, Colour and Ost.1 Coat, Surface and Ost.1 Mob.2 Note. Reference. ROTJGH HotFSEHOKD P O B E E I . MORTAMIA, all studded with grits on the inside of the bowl. 1 Cream clay, grits on rim Cream coat, 2 ca 4 2 Grey clay, hard baked, 4 ge Cream coat, 2 ea 3 Buff clay, 2 ge Buff coat, 3 ea 4 Grey clay, 0 e 5 Buff clay, 2 ge 6 Buff clay 7 Greenish gault day, 22 ca 8 Grey elay, 1 ge 9 Yellow clay, 4 ga 10 YeUovr clay, 4 ga Cream coat, 1 ea Cream coat, 2 ea Buff clay coat, 3 ea Yellow coat, 1 ee Cream coat, 2 ea Cream coat, 2 ea 11 Grey clay, 0 i, fired bright red Buff coat, 3 gc 12 Grey clay, 2 ge Buff coat, 1 ca 13 Grey clay, 2 ge Buff coat, 1 ca 14 Grey clay, 2 ge, no surface Buff coat, 1 ca grits 5 5 5 5 4 4 4 Fir tree stamp on flange 4 Same stamp 4 Same stamp 4 5) Chesterholm 58, Flavian. Richborough 354. A.D. 40- 60. Barnwell Mort. 9.9. Late second or early third century. Bushe-Fox 98. Late second century. Bushe-Fox 110. A.D. 180- 270 Barnwell Mort. 9.11, undated. Balmuildy XL, Mort. 1. " Herring-bone or conventional leaf.'' Second century. Richborough 358. A.D. 70- 100. Richborough 358. A.D. 70- 100. Nos. 12-14 are similar to Hardknot 24, first half of second century, and Birdoswald 1-3, Hadrian Q % W s M P CO W a o w co •3 1 Eune sma Colour Album. 8 Moh's Scale of Hardnesses. tel CANTERBURY KILN SITE, SHERD REGISTER. 123 -Stamp ?o AT: 21 22 ^ % 23 26 24 25 V> §27 29 Figs. J-Jr actual size. No. Description, Colour and Ost. Coat, Surface and Ost. Moh. Note. Reference. to (£. Q H tel W W d w p CO M tel co W tel W W tei CO 8 15 Yellow clay, 3 gc 16 Yellow clay, 3 ga 17 Grey clay, 3 ec Cream coat, 2 ec Cream coat, 3 ea 18 Grey clay, 0 g, fired brick red Grey coat, 0 e MOBTABIA BOWLS. 19 Pink clay, 3 ea, friable 20 Pink clay, 5 ia Cream coat, 2 ea 21 Red clay, 5 lc. Decorated Buff coat, 3 gc on outside with wide, shallow grooving BIBBED FLANGE BOWLS. 22 Red clay, 5 le 23 Grey clay, 0 g Grey coat, 0 i Buff coat, 3 ga 24 Red clay, 6 ne. Traces of Buff coat on inside, 3 gc reddish paint outside, 61e 25 Grey clay, 0 i Darker grey coat, 0 n 26 Red clay, 4 ga 27 Buff clay, 4 le 28 Grey clay, 0 i Hard baked grey coat, 0 i Richborough 359. A.D. 90- 140. 5 Stamp similar to Nos. 8-10 Scorched and twisted by faulty firing Limestone Bank Turret, PI. m , 3. Flavian- Trajan. Caerbun 146. Late Flavian. Caerleon Amph. 10, early second century. Nos. 27 and 28 have a similar character to Verulamium 42. First half of second century. CANTERBURY KILN SITE, SHERD REGISTER. 125 FT? 8 Irlch^s Fisrs. -14 aotual size. No. Description, Colour and Ost. Coat, Surface and Ost. Moh. Note. Reference. to C5 Q a tei 9 W a p i-3 tei co W tei W tei d M co H3 tei W LAMGE BOWL. 29 Coarse grey clay, 0 i. nished round Up outside DISHES. Burand on 30 Grey clay, ge. Fired red 31 Grey clay, 0 i OLLAE. 32 Grey clay, 0 c 33 Brown clay, 5 ie 34 Grey clay, 0 e 35 Red clay, 61c Black coat, 0 1 Cream coat, 2 ec Darker grey coat, 0 n Grey coat, 0 1 Grey coat, 0 g Grey coat, 0 g 5 5 5 6 5 5 5 Complete 36 37 38 Grey clay, 0 e Grey clay, 0 g, shiny black burnished surface on lip and upper part of vessel to just below carination Pink clay, 4 gc, sporadic burnishing BEAKEB. 39 Fine grey clay, 0 e, with lighter surface and rectangular groups of small clay studs common on poppy-head beakers 5 Probably intact when deposited 4 Probably intact when deposited Ospringe 13. Ass. with late second or early third century beaker. Richborough 267, A.D. 75, 100. Nos. 33-35 are first century types not continuing beyond about A.D. 120. Richborough 77. First half of second century. CANTERBURY KILN SITE, SHERD REGISTER. 127 J \ actual size. TTio-a, XX n.rrt.iml flizo. axnarrfc "FTP*. 4.0. No. Description, Colour and Ost. Coat, Surface and Ost. Moh. Note. Reference. AMPHOBA AND TWO-HANDLED JABS. 40 Bright red clay, 5 na, incised and stamped decoration 41 Buff clay, 4 ie 42 Greyish clay, 2 ge, unevenly fired 43 Buff clay, 3 ie 44 Red clay, 5 ne, two ribbed Yellow coat, 3 gc handles, girth grooves at level of base of bandies 45 Red clay, 5 ia, 4-ribbed Cream coat, 2 ea handles 46 Grey clay, 0 e, fired red, 4-ribbed handles JUGS OB FLAGONS. 47 Orange clay, 4 ga, 4-ribbed Yellow coat, 3 go bandies 48 Yellow clay, 3 ea, fired red, 4-ribbed handles 49 Grey clay, 2 ge Grey coat, 2 ec 50 Grey clay, 0 g 51 Buff clay, 3 ga, fine paste, thumb groove handle Buff coat, 2 ig Buff coat, 3 ga 52 Pink clay, 5 ia Perhaps analogous to Ospringe 543, second half of second century. Ilkley, Fig. 43, I I , undated. Balmuildy, XLm, 3, Flavian- Trajan. Richborough 36. Mid-late first century. Richborough 204, A.D. 70- 100. Richborough 143 and Corbridge98. First century type derived from Belgic bottle. Perhaps analagous to Ospringe 549. Early third century. Sigillata form, Ospringe 309. A.D. 175-250. to 00 o tei & W fed w p co tei co W tei fed O fed tei O I-I co 1-3 tei fed CANTERBURY KILN SITE, SHERD REGISTER. 129 SO 52 54 53 \ 55a No. Description, Colour and Ost. Coat, Surface and Ost. Moh. Note. Reference. PITCHEBS. 53 Yellow clay, 4 le, fired grey 54 Brown clay, 5 Ig, thumb groove handle SPOUTED JUGS. 55 Grey clay, 0 e. Cream coloured blotches, 2 ea, on outside. Figure-ofeight mouth 56 Orange clay, 4 ia, fired bright red. Open mouth BOTTLES. 57 Yellow clay, 3 ga, unevenly fired 57a Brown clay, burnished, 4 lc 576 Brown clay, burnished, 4 le 58 Grey clay, 2 ig 59 Bowl, highly burnished, with ring base. Grey clay, 0 i 60 Bowl, highly burnished, with grooved and rouletted flange. Red clay, 61c Grey coat, 0 1 Buff coat (?) 3 ga Buffcoat(?)3ea Yellow coat, 3 ga Cream coat, 5 ea 4 4 4 4 5 Balmuildy, XLIII, 6. Richborough 207. A.D. 50- 80. (?) Drilled hole in bottom DECOBATED AND FUSEB WARES. Red coat, 6 ne 4 Red coat, 4 ic And similar bowl of grey clay, grey-black surface. Imitation of Dragendorff 36 Ospringe 643, and analagous to Ospringe 543. Second half of second century. Ospringe 4. Unstratified. o Q 1> !z! >-3 tei fed td d fed K| W P CO M tei CO W tei fed b fed tei & M CO tei fed CANTERBURY KILN SITE, SHERD REGISTER. 131 t. 5 8 T 57b m>jmj®. Q\ 61a Figs. H actual size. \ No. Description, Colour and Ost. Coat, Surface and Ost, Moh. Note. Reference. 05 to Q tei g 1 CO a tei CO fed £P oo 61 011a with frill under lip and presumably four threeribbed handles. Fine pink clay, 4 ge 62 Wide bowl, 9-2" diameter, with handles and wide band at level of base of handles. Serrated plate above handles decorated with red clay studs, 5 ng. Cream clay, 2 ea 63 Moulded Jupiter Arnrnon head and rim of bowl. Cream clay, 2 ec 64 Barrel-shaped jug on horizontal axis with two handles and feet of clay studs, decorated with pattern of strokes and circles in sepia, 5 ne to black. Fine white clay, Oa 65 Form 33 Lezoux ware with stamp PAVUM Cream coat, 2 ea Cream coat, 2 ea Cream coat, 3 ea Cream coat, 3 ea Richborough 65. Unstratified. Probably an imitation of a glass vessel and imported from the Rhineland See additional notes. SAMIAN. 0. & P. L1.12 from Margidunum. Trajan-Hadrian. Second quarter of second century. CANTERBURY KILN SITE, SHERD REGISTER. 133 o