PLAN SHOWING DISPOSITION OF POTTERY &p. IN ROMANOBRITISH
CEMETERY DISCOVERED ATOSPRINGEIN 1920.
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A ROMAN CEMETEHY AT OSPHtNGE". 7
No. 8. BOTTLE, 5£ in. diameter, 7f in. high; earthy grey
clay, coated black.
Colchester Museum, Joslin Collection, group 68,
396-7; A.D. 40—70*
No. 9. BOWL or PATERA, 7\ in. diameter, 2-|in. high; hard
Terra Sigillata, or pseudo-Samian ware, retaining
illegible impression of potter's stamp. Form
31 Drag.
Silchester Pottery, p. 92, pi. xxxii., 32; ' about
A.D. 200.
GEOUP II.
No. 10. URN or OLLA, containing calcined bones, 9^ in.
diameter, 12 in. high; earth-grey sandy clay,
apparently coated, with traces of faintly scored
latticed lines just perceptible.
Colchester Mus., Joslin Coll., group 56, 312;
A.D. 133—200.
No. 11. BEAKER, minus upper portion of rim, 3 in. diameter,
about 4£ in. high; red clay, with grey-black
coating.
In September the pieces numbered 12 to 19 were found
in a further small excavation, and the depth and arrangement
of the various groups were even better observed and
noted. All the foregoing pieces (except No. 6, to which
reference will be made again later) were between 2^ ft. and
3 ft. below the surface; Nos. 17, 18 and 19 were less than
2 ft. down, with the result that the rims and upper portions
of the urns had apparently been disturbed and dispersed in
the cultivation of the soil.
No. 12. URN, OLLA or STORE VESSEL, . containing calcined
bones, 9 in. diameter, 11 in. high; sandy grey
clay.
* Catalogue of the Joslin Collection, Colchester. By J. E. Price. (188S.)
PLATE III
SESHJSBBSS
HJSSKE
A ROMAN CEMETERY AT OSPRINGE. 9
GEOUP III.
No. 13. URN, full of calcined bones, 9 in. diameter, 6fin.
high; of gritty, earthy grey clay, coated.
No. 14. FLAT BOWL or PLATTER, 7 in. diameter, 2 in. high;
. gritty coated black ware, with wavy line scored
round it.
Curie, Newstead, p. 259, fig. 32, 7; about
A.D. 130.
No. 15. STUNTED BULBOUS BEAKER, 4 in. diameter, 2| in.
high; earthy grey clay, with black lines and two
engine-turned bands. Abnormally outbulged and
without parallel for its type. End of second, or
beginning of third, century.
Mederbieber, type 33; c. A.D. 190—260.
No. 16. FLASK or BOTTLE, considerably misshapen, 4 | in.
diameter, 6-±- in. high; of earthy grey clay, with
black lines and one engine-turned band.
The positions of the vessels in this group were particularly
noted. The patera was standing on the beaker,
the latter being empty; they were touching the east side of
the urn, and the bottle was touching both the urn and the
patera on the north side of the latter.
GEOUP IV.
No. 17. Lower portion of large URN, about 10 in. diameter;
clay, soft, sandy, reddish-grey.
No. 18. OLLA-SHAPED BEAKER, S\ in. diameter, 3£ in. high;
fine grey sandy clay. Late second century type.
No. 19. Base of an URN, fine grey clay, soft.
The late Mr. George Payne had been notified of all the
abore finds as they were discovered, and it was hoped that
he would visit the site. His unfortunate decease preventing
this, the matter was mentioned to a Fellow of the Society of
Antiquaries, with the result that funds were forthcoming for
further excavations to be undertaken; otherwise no more
PLATE IV.
aV*
ir
INCHES •4QZtF-ni$«* a 6U
A ROMAN CEMETERY AT OSPRINGE. 11
would have been carried out, the purpose for which they
were first begun having been effected. The Eesearch Fund
of the Society of Antiquaries later repaid this expense, and
the result must be considered satisfactory; during November
six more groups in all were unearthed, pieces numbered
20 to 37 being recovered, as well as evidence of burials by
inhumation among the later finds.
GEOUP V.
Base of an URN; clay similar to fragment A.
Base of (?) Us . grey clay.
BEAKER, 2-| in. diameter, 4Jin. high; fine grey clay.
Colchester Mus., Joslin Coll., group 59, 322;
pomegranate form; second century.
GEOUP VI.
CUP, 3f in. diameter, 2 in. high; terra sigillata
ware with a good glaze.
Conforms to late second century type. Atilianus
in Pudding Pan Eock Series, Proc. Soc. Antig,,
xxi., xxii; dated in Antonine Period, A.D. 160—
190.
FLASK or BOTTLE, 4f in. diameter, 5f in. high;
good clay with black core, reddish near surface,
and black coated.
Colchester Mus., Joslin Coll., group 49, 284;
A.D. 50—100; moulded foot.
OLLA-SHAPED BEAKER, 3 in. diameter, 8% in. high ;
similar clay to last, but with blacker coating.
Second century type.
Lower portion of URN, about 9|- in. diameter;
similar clay to the two foregoing.
These last were all from 2 ft. to 21 ft. below the surface,
but the next group, No. VII., was about 3 ft. down. The
three pieces of pottery were all touching a skull, No. 27
No. 20.
No. 21.
No. 22.
No. 23.
No. 24.
No. 25.
No. 26.
1 2 A ROMAN CEMETERY AT OSPRINGE.
being west, No. 28 south, and No. 29 east of it. The way
the skull itself was lying could not be seen; in fact No. 27
was so soft and fragile that its form could not be ascertained
in the hole, and as much earth round it as possible was taken
up so that it could be examined in the light. It was then
that its nature was discovered, and on sorting out the fragments
three or four rusty nails were picked out of the earth,
but no other bones nor remains of any kind could be traced.
The clay adhering so firmly, and the condition of the bone
being unfortunately extremely decayed and rotten, it is.
doubtful whether it will be possible to clean it or to gather
any particulars from it. If this interment was subsequent
to the one by cremation in urn No. 26, it only missed by
about 6 inches disturbing that pot.
GEOUP VII.
ONE-HANDLED FLAGON, soft red clay; part not
drawn is in about 80 to 100 fragments.
Too incomplete for comparison, but apparently
early second century type.
DISH or PLATTER, 7 in. diameter, 1-f in. high;
gritty clay, coated black.
OLLA, 4|- in. diameter, 5-| in. high; clay similar to
No. 24, well coated black, the upper and lower
portions well smoothed, the centre belt having
eight sets of three parallel, slightly oblique lines
scored, one set of four, and one set of three not
parallel.
Colchester Mus., Joslin Coll., group 56, 312;
dated A.D. 133—200.
The two small vessels comprising Group VIII. were 8£ ft.
below the surface. The root of a large tree had thrust itself
down between them, so after recognizing the human remains
in the previous group as much earth as was practicable
around the root was carefully removed, sifted, and washed
through a % in. mesh sieve, to insure recovering anything
that might be there. Some human teeth and iron nails were
No. 27.
No. 28.
No. 29.
A ROMAN CEMETERY AT OSPRINGE. 13
found by this means, confirming our suspicions, and it was
then regretted that the absence of an urn was not observed
in Group VI. and similar precautions taken in that instance.
GEOUP VIII.
BEAKER, 3± in. diameter, 3 | in. high; fine clay,
light grey at base merging to purple-grey at rim,
uncoated, with four indentations made by the
potter's thumb; and interesting as being the only
indented Beaker found on this site.
Waiters, Cat,, M171, pl.xix.; second century.*
OLLA-SHAPED BEAKER or DRINKING MUG, 3^ in.
diameter, 3-i- in. high; fine grey clay, uncoated.
Late second century type.
Beaker No. 6 was noted as being 3 ft. 4 in. .below the
surface; in view of this later experience in seems probable,
from its position and depth, that it may also have been part
of a burial by inhumation.
Further excavations not being practicable immediately
adjoining the explored part, it was decided to try a fresh
hole about 7 ft. south of the previous diggings, in what was
at the time the only convenient adjacent spot. Groups IX.
and X. were found here: the rim of No. 32 was 2 ft. below
the surface. It was so filled with burnt bones that they had
overflowed, and some were found between the two vessels.
GEOUP IX.
No. 32. URN, full of calcined bones, 9 | in. diameter, 11 in.
high; fine grey clay, uncoated.
The hollow-turned under surface of the standplate
and false cordons suggest that this is a late
development of the cordoned Aylesford types
described by Sir Arthur Evans, Archceologia,
vol. Hi.
* Catalogue of Roman Pottery in the British Museum. By H. B. Walters,
(1908.)
No. 30.
No. 31.
1 4 A ROMAN CEMETERY AT OSPRINGE.
No. 33. BOTTLE, 5 in. diameter1, 6-| in. high; brownish grey
clay; between the cordons on neck and a black
band on shoulder are faint traces of a whitish
coating.
No. 34. Apparently the stand plate only of an urn; sandy
grey clay. This was 2 ft. down and all the upper
part of this pot had disappeared.
In the midst of the last group, No. X., a mass of the
brick earth was observed to be stained a yellowish colour.
On examining this, hobnails were identified, so, although the
shape could not be defined, it had doubtless originally been
a sandal. The stained appearance of the earth may possibly
have been caused by the decayed leather, or by iron rust.
A nail was also found in or close to this group; the earth
for some distance around was removed in small quantities
with a trowel, but although it was believed to have been
moved before and the edge of the pot-hole was traced, no
traces of a cist, bones or other remains could be seen.
GEOUP X.
No. 35. ONE-HANDLED FLAGON, 6£in. diameter, 7f in.high;
gritty, hard, light brown-red or buff clay; airhole
at base of neck, which is very constricted
internally; this vent would facilitate filling, and
also drinking from the vessel if held by its handle
in the right hand.
Silchester Pottery, p. 149, pi. lxiv., 124.
Coll. Antiq., i., pi. ix., fig. 9.*
No. 36. OLLA-SHAPED BEAKER, 3-£ in. diameter, 3-*-in. high;
gritty dark grey clay.
Colchester Mus., Joslin Coll., group 72, 411.
* Collectanea Antigua. By C. Roach Smith. (1848—88.)
PLATE V.
s&
HUM et 4tc
1 6 A ROMAN CEMETERY AT OSPRINGE.
No. 37. BOWL, 7-J in. diameter, 2-f in. high ; terra sigillata
ware; clay poor, soft, light pinkish-red; the
glaze in darker red and almost decayed away.
Impression of potter's stamp quite illegible.
Eesembles the Eheinzabern Bowl of Florentinus
in having a continuous curve from the top
to base inside. Oelmann, Niederbieber, type 1,
pi. i., lb, A.D. 190—260, and may be dated about
A.D. 200*
The pottery can at present be seen at the offices of
Messrs. Whiting Bros., Builders, Ospringe, adjoining the
site where it was found; it is hoped that it may in the near
future be placed for permanent exhibition in the public
reading room at the Institute, East Street, Faversham.
Thanks must be expressed to Mr. Mill Stephenson, F.S.A.,
and to Mr. Eeginald Smith, F.S.A., of the British Museum,
not only for editing these notes, but also for twice visiting
the site, identifying the hobnails, giving innumerable suggestions
and being of the greatest possible assistance in
many other ways; to Mr. Thos. May as before mentioned;
to Mr. H. Elgar of Maidstone, and to the Curators of several
other museums for information and assistance in various
directions.
Since the above report was concluded further discoveries
have been made in this cemetery, but as it is possible still
more excavating may yet be done, details of later finds must
await our next volume.
* Bie Keramik des Kastells Niederbieber. By P. Oelmann. (1914.)
Group VI Par t of
Group VII
Group XX
No. 5
Group VIII
No. 6
Group X
*4#{4*
