Roman Cemeteries at Ospringe

( 83 ) THE EOMAN CEMETERIES AT OSPRINGE. DESCRIPTION OF FINDS CONTINUED. BY W. WHITING. No. 80. FLOWER VASE or FLASK, 7| in. high, 5£ in. diameter ; bard, smooth tile-red clay with grey core. The grooved cordon at root of neck, the complete upper portion of this vessel and also the appearance of the ware compare almost exactly with the Belgic Vase with pedestal foot, 1984.10 illustrated pi. iv., Colchester Museum Report for 1910, which is dated first century A.D., but the Ospringe flask is considered to be derived from, and of somewhat later date than, the Colchester example. No. 81. URN, containing calcined bones, 18 in. high, about 18 in. diameter, with indented ornament on shoulder; sandy grey clay. No. 82. Olla-shaped BEAKER, 4 in. high, 3£ in. diameter; hard grey clay. Third century. Near this beaker were several fragments of pottery and apparently the remains of a skull or other bones. No. 83. FLASK, about 3 | in. high, 2f- in. diameter; grey clay. No. 84. FLASK, 44 in. high, 3-g- in. diameter; hard grey clay, coated black. Again traces of bones, apparently a skeleton, were noticed close by this vessel. & 2 3 PLATE X i l l [ U K 84 INCHES THE ROMAN CEMETERIKS AT OSPRINGE. 85 No. 85. Fragments of a WINE AMPHORA,- on which the graffito illustrated can be traced, also some portions of another roofing tile similar to that described with Group XXIIL, found together with:— No. 86. BEAKER, 3|- in. high, 2-| in. diameter; thin hard white clay; the bulge decorated with roulette hatching. Colchester Museum, Joslin Coll., Grave 100/72, 413, A.D. 200—250. GKAFFITO ON NO. 85, (I). GEOUP XXV. No. 87. FLASK, 1\ in. high, 5f in. diameter; drab grey clay, coated black; A.D. 200 or later. No. 88. OUa-shaped BEAKER, 3-| in. high, 3£ in. diameter; soft grey clay. (?) late third century. GEOUP XXVL No, 89. Olla-shaped BEAKER, 3£ in. high, 3£ in. diameter; soft grey clay. No. 90. DISH or PLATTER, 8£ in. diameter, If in. high; hard sandy clay, with black core and red to black surface. Remnants of some bones were observed about 9 inches below these two vessels. PLATE XII THE ROMAN CEMETERIES AT OSPRINGE. 87" GEOUP XXVII. The next find comprised a WINE AMPHORA, from which the neck and handles had been removed to adapt it for it& funerary purpose, and of which the aperture was covered with a red brick or tile, 18 in. long, 13£ in. wide by 1£ in. thick. When the tile was removed it was seen that the' vessel was not filled with earth which had washed in iu the course of centuries, as bad been the ease in almost every other burial examined ; a layer of calcined bones was at the' bottom of this urn, and on them were lying the flask and beaker. Among the bom^s was a disc of very thin glass,- about 2|- in. diameter, slightly concave and comparable with a modern watch glass. The only similar discoveries, so far as the writer is aware, are two recorded in the Antiquaries Journal, vol. iv., p.. 24; but sinee this one was exhumed a further half dozen have been found in the Ospringe Cemetery. £ v i \ R i D {3-EA.FIFfTO ON NO. 9 1 , (£). No. 91. WINE AMPHORA, used as Urn, height and diameter both about 24 in. Scratched on the side of the vessel, previous to its firing, were the lettersillustrated. No. 92. FLASK, 7£ ia. high, 5£ in. diameter; hard darkgrey clajr,' 88 THE ROMAN CEMETERIES AT OSPRINGE. No. 93 OUa-shaped BEAKER, 3£ in. high, 3 | in. diameter; clay similar to last, latticed with a blunt tool on rough middle zone, polished above and below. This burial may be dated about the end of the third century. GROUP XXVIIL No. 94. FLASK, 6§- in. high, 5 | in. diameter; bard sandy clay, drab to black. No. 95. BOWL, 7| in. diameter, H ™- high ; Samian ware, form 79 Walters, stamped GELSIANI F., (?) A.D. 160—190; O.I.L., xiii., 10010, 520. No. 96. OUa-shaped BEAKER, 3£ in. high, 3 | in. diameter; sandy red-brown clay, with grey core. Fragments of an amphora and a tile were found near this beaker. GROUP XXIX. FLASK or BOTTLE, 7 | in. high, 4f in. diameter; soft tile-red clay. CUP, 4|- in. diameter, 2-| iu. high; imitation of form 33 Drag., unstamped; smooth orange-red clay with mottled surface. (?) New Forest ware, A.D. 250—300. GROUP XXX. No. 99. URN, 6 | in. high, 6 | in. diameter y heavy British gritted ware, light drab to black, with smooth soapy surface. No. 100. BOWL or PLATTER, 5 | in. diameter, If in. high; hard light-grey clay. The urn was over-filled with calcined bones, and the bowl, which had apparently been used as a cover, inverted, was broken into three pieces, which were lying on either side of the urn. No. 97. No. 98. THE ROMAN CEMETERIES AT OSPRINGE. 89 GEOUP XXXI. No. 101. URN, 10| in. high, 11 in. diameter; hard sandy grey clay. No. 102. ONE-HANDLED FLAGON, 74 in. high, 5 | in. diameter; soft tile-red clay, originally white coated. No. 103. Olla-shaped BEAKER, 3 | in. high, 3£ in. diameter ; hard sandy drab-grey clay. In this group the flagon was alongside the urn, the beaker inside the latter on the calcined bones, and among these were found pieces of a thin glass disc similar to that recorded in Group XXVII. No. 104. DOLIUM or STORE VESSEL, used as Urn, 16 in. high, 16 in. diameter; coarse gritty clay with soapy surface, dark brown to black, ornamented with scored latticed lines. The neck of this vessel has been broken off and the aperture covered with lead; among the burnt bones inside the only things found were:— No. 105. The neck of a red ware one-handled FLAGON, and one other fragment apparently of the same vessel. GROUP XXXII. No. 106. Olla-shaped URN, 7-g- in. high, 7£ in. diameter; ha,rd light-grey sandy clay, red brown in places. No. 107. Bowl-shaped URN, 7|- in. diameter, 5 | in. high; clay similar to last. This group is dated c. A.D. 150; both the pofcs were full of calcined bones. GROUP XXXIII. No. 108. URN, 10| in. high, 8-g-in. diameter; light drabgrey clay. No. 109. FLASK, 6 in. high, 4£ in. diameter; soft drab-grey clay, apparently coated black. PLATE XllE lltfillliiinwa i(iiiiiimiiiiiimnmmivHww ww THE ROMAN CEMETERIES AT OSPRINGE. 91 No. 110. BEAKER, 4 | in. high, 3 | in. diameter; hard lightbrown sandy clay, coated with black varnish. This group is dated late second century, and the rim of the urn was only 12 inches below thepresent surface of the ground. GROUP XXXIV. No. 111. URN, 7| in. high, 8 in. diameter; hard, smooth. drab-grey clay. No. 112. URN, 6£ in. high, 5^ in. diameter; coarse, gritty,, drab to black clay, with smooth soapy surface. In this burial the former vessel only contained calcined bones. oNo. 113. ONE-HANDLED FLAGON, 7 | in. high, 5-g-in. diameter;. soft red clay with white coating, which is much better preserved and less eroded than usual. With this flagon were small flakes of metal,. apparently lead or pewter, and traces of unburntbones were observed close by. The whole of the above pieces are recorded strictly in the order in which they were recovered during and previousto November 1921, but the following records show groups found during the early months of 1923, which are beingnumbered as and when the pots are sufficiently restored tobe measured and drawn. GEOUP XXXV. No. 114. URN, containing calcined bones, 12£ in. high, 9 in.. diameter; smooth light-grey clay. No. 115. FLASK, 6£ in. high, 4£ in. diameter; light-grey clay. No. 116. BEAKER, 3 | in. high, 2 | in. diameter; grey clay. No. 117. CUP, form 33 Drag., Terra Sigillata ware, with central stamp NAMIL CROESL* * See May's Silchester Pottery, p. 241. PLATE XIV mmms THE ROMAN CEMETERIES AT OSPRINGE. 9& GEOUP XXXVI. No. 118. WINE AMPHORA, used as Urn, similar to No. 91. No. 119. FLOWER VASE or FLASK, 8£ in. high, 6£ in.. diameter; smooth drab-grey clay. No. 120. BEAKER, 4£ in. high, 3f in. diameter; smoothdrab- grey clay with red-brown core. No. 121. BOWL, 1{ in. diameter, 2\ in. high; form 31 Drag., Samian ware ; no potter's stamp. This group is dated c. A.D. 150. GEOUP XXXVII. No. 122. WINE AMPHORA, used as Urn. No. 123. CUP with Pedestal Foot, 5 | in. high, 3-g- in.. diameter; red ware, coated black; decorated en barbotine with drooping heart-shaped leavesand spikes of blossom or corn on long curved slender stalks, within a stud-bordered zone around the bulge. This cup may be compared with Walter's- Catalogue, M. 140, in the British Museum, and May's No. 12, pi. ix., York Museum Catalogue j. neither of these latter, however, has the graceful pedestal foot. No. 124. FLAGON, with 5-ribbed band handle, 10f in. high,. 7f in. diameter; bright red clay, apparently with white slip coating eroded. No. 125. BEAKER, 3|- in. high, 2f in. diameter; brown-grey clay, black coated. No. 126. BOWL, 6f in. diameter, 2-i- in. high ; form 31 Drag., Samian ware; central stamp PRIMULI. Primulus is the name of a Lezoux potter, c. 75—110 A.D.,* but this group of pottery generally is dated about the end of the second century. * Wroxeter Report, 1912, p. 58, and Corinium Museum Guide, 1922, p. 29. PUTE XV Q THE ROMAN CEMETERIES AT OSPRINGE. 95 Two ivory dice and 24 counters—consisting of 12 white ones, 4 yellow, 4 black, 1 blue and 1 green one, all of vitreous paste, and 2 of bone—were found in the bottom of the amphora, and had apparently been dropped in before the •calcined bones; among these also there were a few hobnails. The four pieces of pottery were lying on the bones, the beaker being in the mouth of the flagon like a stopper. It is interesting to compare the pieces in this game with the three dice and apparently 36 counters in the Joslin collection, Colchester Museum, grave group 94; paste counters are also illustrated in Curie's Newstead, pi. xciii. As to the common use of the game, see " British Museum Guide to Greek and Eoman Life" (1920), p. 204. GEOUP XXXVIII. No. 127. WINE AMPHORA, used as Urn. No. 128. BOWL, form 51 Drag., Samian ware; 6| in. diameter, 1|- in. high; no stamp. No. 129. ONE-HANDLED FLAGON, 7-| in. high, 5-| in. diameter; buff clay. No. 130. ONE-HANDLED FLAGON, 7^in. high, 5^ in. diameter; buff clay. See British Museum " Guide to Eoman Britain," p. 121, pi. xii., Nos. 13 and 14. No. 131. Olla-shaped BEAKER, 3-| in. high, 3£ in. diameter; smooth drab-grey olny, reddish-brown near surface. No. 132. Olla-shaped BEAKER, 3-| in. high, 3^ in. diameter; clay as last, but showing black core where fractured and traces of lattice marking around bulge. This group may be dated c. A.D. 200; among the bones was found a glass disc as before described, but only 1£ in. diameter, the smallest so far seen. 96 THE ROMAN CEMETERIES AT OSPRINGE. GEOUP XXXIX. No. 133. FLASK, with neck missing, 4£ in. diameter; drabgrey clay with grey core. No. 134. BEAKER or THUMB POT, with five indentations, 4-g- in. high, 8-| in. diameter; drab-grey clay* reddish-brown near surface, with black core. No. 135. CUP, form 46 Drag., Samian ware, 4 in. diameter,. If in. high. British Museum " Guide to Eoman Britain,"1 p. I l l , fig. 125, A.D. 140—190. No trace of urn nor unburnt bones could be seen near these pieces of pottery, but iron nails and two small brass, bracelets near by may have been connected with the group. OSPRINGE CEMETERY Cup, Dice and Counters, see Grave Group XXXVII.