Canterbury Excavations, June-December, 1947, no. 5 Watling Street

CANTERBURY EXCAVATIONS JUNE-DECEMBER, 1947 No. 5 WATLING STREET By FRANK JENKINS DURING the period June to December, 1947, excavations were carried out by Mr. John Boyle and the writer in theh spare time, on the north side of Watling Street, in the cehar of the blitzed Manse adjoining the Lady Huntingdon Chapel site on the side nearest the Riding Gate. The cehar area was roughly rectangular in shape and measured 28 ft. north-south, and 20 ft. 6 in. east-west, the cehar floor being at 7 ft. 6 in. below the surface level of modern Watling Street (i.e. 35-8 ft. above O.D.).1 The object in choosing this site was to determine the full width of the Roman footings discovered during the August-September, 1945 excavations, and which lie under the modern party wall separating the two sites.2 The excavations were carried out under the auspices of the Canterbury Excavation Committee. FEATURES BY PERIODS : ROMAN THE RUBBISH PITS Pit R I (No. 8 on site plan) A large and shallow pit, oval in plan, was originally dug from the surface of the clean yehow brickearth. (Key deposit No. 1.) The upcast from this pit was found to lie mainly towards Watling Street. The very large quantity of coarse pottery found in the fihing displayed many early characteristics, much of it being assignable to the mid-first century Claudian occupation, especially hi the lowest layer of dark brown loam, but the associated Samian ware did not permit a date earlier than Domitianic times for when the pit was finally filled in. Pits R II and R III (Nos. 6 and 7 on site plan) Of the other Roman pits found on this site, little can be said. Pit R I I lay mainly outside the excavated area under the north wah of the cellar, and R III had been almost completely destroyed when a large Medieval pit was dug. Thus it was practically impossible to determine the exact date at which they were open, and in consequence best left undecided. The fillings of both yielded only Roman pottery of first century type. 1 For convenience in recording the long axis of the site is said to lie North- South, as in the 1946 report, although it is in fact North-east-South-west. 2 Arch. Cant., LX (1947), pp. 87-100. 114 CANTERBURY EXCAVATIONS JUNE-DECEMBER, 1947 THE ROMAN FOOTINGS The Roman footings discovered in the 1945 excavations were found and the east edge was traced for a length of approximately 18 ft. northsouth, but badly mutilated by Medieval pits. Sufficient remained, however, for it to be determined that the total width was about 10 ft. 6 in. Unfortunately, at the southern end they had been destroyed by CANTERBURY EXCAVATIONS 1947 m N9 5 WATLING 5T O m OT \ \ z 70 O U) > in 10 8 Rl o AI M t .r.r /.S-».? FOOTINGS LOAM MODERN P I Ml FOOTINGS NATURAL GRAVEL FIG. 2. Sections A-Al and B-Bl the present site, for from more recent research it seems clear that the suggested waterlogging could not have taken place at this level in Roman times. Though on the present site not a single object of any period was found in this deposit by which it could be dated, it can be assumed with some confidence that the two deposits are homogeneous and are, therefore, of equal date, namely Claudian, as was proved in the 1945 excavations. Deposit No. 2 consisted of brown loamy soil about 1 ft. in thickness. This was dated by a coin of Trajan and a small quantity of pottery, not later than mid-second century in character. The division between this deposit and that which succeeded it (No. 3) was marked by a thin band of clean yellow loam which was taken to be a turf line, for it covered the whole of the excavated area. Deposit No. 3 which consisted of dirty brown soil and which varied from 9 in. to 1 ft. 6 in. in thickness appeared to have been dumped in one operation, for it contained a considerable 117 CANTERBURY EXCAVATIONS JUNE-DECEMBER, 1947 quantity of late thhd-early fourth century pottery and a coin of Salonina. The final deposit (No. 4) survived to a thickness varying from 9 in. to 1 ft. 6 in. below the modern cellar floor, was black soil. This was dated by late' fourth-century pottery, associated with coins of Constantine I and Valens. Thus the ground level hereabouts had been raised during the Roman period some 4 ft. from Claudian times to the end of the fourth century. THE SAMIAN WARE (a) FROM P IT R I (No. 8 on site plan). DECORATED 1. Form 30. Style of MVRRANVS, two groups of gladiators : (1) O.1020 and 1013 G, with dropped shield. (2) O.1013 A and 1013 B. Ornament below similar to that on Form 29 his style London (B.M.). Dogs (0.1963) and a smaller dog (0.1964); Griffin (O.880). His special ornament in St. Andrews Cross as on 29 OF MVRRAN retrograde, Richborough ; and on 29 OF MVRRAN retro : London (G.H.) The piece, however, shows some affinity to the work of LICINVS. Period Claudian, A.D. 40-50. (Fig. 3, No. 1.) 2. Form 30. Style of LICINVS, Sheep (0.1855) ; and monkey (0.2145), together as on Form 30 Kempben with his ovolo. (Knorr, T.S.1919, 95 B). Hare (O.2071). Period Claudian, A.D. 40-50. (Fig. 3, No. 2.) 3. Form 29. , Style of MVRRANVS. The lower frieze is identical with that of a Form 29 stamped OF MVRAN retro. ; Mainz. (Behrens, Maimer Zeitschrift, X, 1915, Abb. 24). Bear (0.1586) in upper frieze. Same arrowheads as on Form 29, OF MVRRA, London (L.M.). High glaze. Period Claudian, A.D. 40-50. (Fig. 3, No. 3.) 4. Form 37. Style of VITALIS. His ovolo and festoons as on Form 29 stamped OF VITA Neuss (Knorr T.S. 1919, 83 D). His ovolo and serrated leaves with a rosette above and between the leaves on Form 37 VITALIS style, London (G.H.). His tendril binding. Goose (O.2220) ; hare in festoon (O.2107) ; dog (O.2034) ; hare in scroll (0.2104 smah). Period Vespasian, A.D. 70-80. (Fig. 3, No. 4.) 5. Form 37. Probably by M CRESTIO. It has been much blurred in extraction from the mould. The dog (O.1920) and the hare (O.2072) occur on Form 37 stamped M CRESTIO at Holt (Grimes, Holt No. 70), and the same ovolo. The same dog and hare occur together on Form 37, M CRESTIO, Mainz (Knorr T.S. 1919 Text Fig. 17 E). The two cupids are 0.434 and 0.393 smah variety. Period Domitian, c. A.D. 90-100. Note a smah fragment of this bowl was found in the 1945 excavations on the adjacent site (cf. Arch. Cant., LX, PI. VI, p. 96), where it was tentatively dated as Vespasianic. [With the 118 CANTERBURY EXCAVATIONS JUNE-DECEMBER, 1947 ''W^M IWaUIWJIUMJIwJ! O0OH0KP «* 5A sAssesss^ uvvvuuvntjmiiijv £SiE!ll FIG. 3. Decorated Samian Ware (J) 119 CANTERBURY EXCAVATIONS JUNE-DECEMBER, 1947 finding of most of this bowl in the present excavations it is evident that the former piece is simharly dated, and in consequence the date must be brought forward to Domitianic times (F.J.).] (Fig. 3, No. 5 and 5A.) 6. Form 27. Two examples with the same peculiar stamp which is meant to read the same when the cup is reversed GMOIVD. The slanting strokes do not join together and this is apparently intentional. It has been deciphered as CN01SD by Loumy at Vertault (Hermet, p. 234), by Hermet himself at La Graufesenque, (Hermet 202) and at Avenchen (Lausanne Museum) (Hermet 242). It may, therefore, be a stamp of the potter CNOIVS, this stamp also occurs at Vertault. The stamp CNOIVS occurs on a Form 37 at Bonn and Mainz. Since these two cups have a groove on the foot-stand they would be earlier than Vespasian and may be regarded as Neronic, c. A.D. 60-70. 7. Form 18. Stamped MARTIALIS W, by Martialis of La Graufesenque. Diameter 264 mm.; Period Nero-Vespasian, A.D. 60-70. 8. Form 27. Stamped OF SEVERI retrograde. There were two potters of this name at La Graufesenque (Nero-Flavian) and at Lezoux (Hadrianic), respectively. If the date of this cup is the latter then the presence of one hah of the base in Pit R I and the other in Key Deposit No. 2 low level, may be explained by regarding it as a stray piece which found its way into the pit when the site was eventually levelled off. 9. Form 23. Diameter 114 mm., closely similar to Ritterling 11A, (cf. Ritterling, Hofheim, XXXI, 11A, and O. & P., L, 6). Period Claudian, A.D. 40-50. 10. Form 35. Diameter 88 mm. (cf. O. & P., LIII, p. 8) High glaze. Period Domitian, c. A.D. 90-100. 11. Curie 11. Without barbotine leaves; with weh marked moulding undercut as 0. & P., LXXI, 14, and similar generahy to this specimen from Pfunz, but larger, diameter including flange 120 mm. High glaze. Probably Domitianic, c. A.D. 90-100. (b) FROM BROWN SOIL INTO WHICH FOOTINGS WERE SUNK 12. Form 29. Style of BILICATVS. A piece of this bowl was in the cohection from the adjacent site. (Cf. Arch. Cant., LX, PI. VI, 2, p. 94), identified by Dr. Oswald as the work of BILICATVS. On this frieze just the head of the same cock is visible in the medallion, and giving the nearly complete St. Andrews Cross as well as the same straight wreath in the upper frieze. Period Claudian, A.D. 40-50. (Fig. 3, No. 6.) (c) INCORPORATED IN THE ROMAN FOOTINGS 13. Form 37. Probably by VITALIS, his chevron wreath and trefoil wreath. Period Vespasian, A.D. 70-80. (Fig. 3, No. 7.) 120 CANTERBURY EXCAVATIONS JUNE-DECEMBER, ]947 14. Form 18. (Cf. 0. & P., XLV, 12). Probably Vespasianic, c. A.D. 70-80. 15. Form 27. Too small for exact dating, but probably Vespasianic. (d) FROM IMMEDIATELY OVER FOOTINGS IN BROWN SOIL 16. Form 37. Rather thick. Ovolo of DIVIXTVS as on Form 37 his style at Bahnuhdy (cf. Miher, Balmuildy, XXXIII, 21), and on 37 DIVIX F, Carlisle and Leicester. Period Antonine, A.D. 140-50. 17. Form 27. Cf. O. & P., XLIX, 16. Period probably Trajanic, A.D. 110-20. (e) KEY DEPOSIT No. 2 18. Form 37. Figure, legs only. Probably Trajanic, c. A.D. 110-20. 19. Form 18/31. Diameter c. 184 mm. ; side 33 mm. Probably Trajan-Hadrian, c. A.D. 110-20. 20. Form Ludowici Tg, similar to O. & P., LX, 1. Period Antonine, c. A.D. 140-50. 21. Form 27. Stamped [DON]TIOIIICI (i.e. Dontio Feci), by DONTIO of Lezoux. Period Hadrian-Antonine, c. A.D. 130-40. (/) KEY DEPOSITS No. 3 22. Form 45. Of. 0. & P., LXXIV, 1, but with a little smaller side, 44 mm. Quartz gritted on the interior. Lezoux ware. (g) UNSTRATIEIED, FROM PIT NO, 1. 23. Form 18. Stamped OF ING by INGENVVS of La Graufesenque. Period Claudian, A.D. 40-50. COARSE POTTERY (a) GREY BROWN LOAM BENEATH ROMAN FOOTINGS (Fig. 4, Nos. 1-20 inclusive) 1. Cooking-pot, slightly thickened rim ; off-set at base of rim ; smooth soapy black ware with combed decoration. Belgic. Cf. Richborough I, 21. Claudian. 2. Imitation Gaho-Belgic platter; soapy reddish-brown ware. Claudian. (b) INCORPORATED IN ROMAN FOOTINGS 3. Imitation Gaho-Belgic platter; soapy reddish-brown ware. Claudian. 121 CANTERBURY EXCAVATIONS JUNE-DECEMBER, 1947 ^ 8 / ^^ I 10 2 n 13 t \ 5 14 r»i v\ «5 17 16 a •UST'XS&ZSi. 19 18 y \\ ^ / ^ 20 FIG. 4. First-century Coarse Pottery (J) 122 CANTERBURY EXCAVATIONS JUNE-DECEMBER, 1947 (c) KEY DEPOSIT No. 1 SURFACE 4. Small carinated jar with sharp off-set at base of neck. Sandy light reddish-brown ware. Claudian. 5. Jar with everted rim and off-set at base of neck ; brown ware, light reddish-brown at surface. Burnished soapy coating on neck ; decorated with row of stab marks on shoulder ; combing below. As pieces of this pot also occurred in Pit R I it was evident that from the surface of this deposit the pit was originally dug. Claudian. (d) PIT R I (No. 8 on site plan) A large quantity of pottery representing many types of vessel occurred in the filling of this pit. Owing to hmitations of space in this report only the more significant pieces are illustrated. • 6. Bead rim jar in hard sandy grey ware, light reddish-brown at surface ; slight off-set at base of short neck ; burnished on rim and neck ; combing below. Belgic. Claudian. 7. Bead rim jar in hard brown ware, fumed black at surface ; traces of black varnish on neck; horizontal grooving below. Belgic. Claudian. 8. Imitation Gaho-Belgic platter ; coarse grey ware with soapy light brown surface (Claudian). This came from the primary filling of this pit. 9. Flagon top with two-ribbed handle. Buff ware. Flavian. 10. Wide-mouthed carinated bowl with tall everted neck, and short shoulder ; decorated with a zone of burnished lattice lines below. Thick native ware with smoothed soapy coating. Cf. Camulodunum Form 223. Claudian. 11. Imitation Gaho-Belgic bowl with slightly rising base and outward curved side ; small half round moulding at base of inner wall and on upper side of base. No foot-ring. Hard grey ware, no doubt in imitation of terra nigra fabric, but inferior in quality. Claudian. 12. Upper part of an amphora with cylindrical neck and peaked handles. Pale buff ware. This type occurred at Hofheim (11 B.CA. D. 16), and at Richborough, mid-first century A.D. ; cf. Richborough I, No. 25. 13. Small carinated beaker in thin brittle black varnished eggshell ware. Illegible stamp on under-side of base. Claudian. Cf. Camulodunum Form 120. 14. Carinated beaker in grey ware, decorated with zones of sawtoothed wavy lines and rouletting. 15. Small jar with thickened bead rim. Hard sandy grey ware. 16. Hemispherical cover in hard grey ware. 17. Smah bowl with upright neck and pronounced carination. Hard grey ware. 123 CANTERBURY EXCAVATIONS JUNE-DECEMBER, 1947 18. Storage jar with tah outward curved neck, with rudimentary cordon at base of neck ; stabbed decoration and combing below. Coarse native ware; burnished soapy coating on neck. Belgic. Claudian. 19. Large straightish walled bowl with rounded carination, grooved above and below, and having everted rim slightly beaded to accommodate a lid. Fine buff ware. Cf. Camulodunum Form 243. Pre-Flavian. One other example of similar form having a level rim but in sandy, fumed grey ware also came from this pit. 20. Part of the side and base of a large storage jar, in coarse grey ware, corky in the break, with soapy, hght reddish-brown coating. A zone of horizontal ruling just above base, burnished hnes on body and with pyramidal bosses placed at intervals around ghth decoration of incised herring bone pattern. The pottery described below also came from Pit R I, but is not illustrated. A platter in terra rubra, coated on the upper side with red colour coating, evidently a copy of Drag. Form 18. The lip is delimited internahy by a groove. Three examples of native bowls in imitation of Drag. Form 30, in grey ware. Decorated with obliquely placed finely combed bands on the body, or with a saw-toothed wavy line pattern as on No. 14 above. Appear to be dated to the period A.D. 80-100. Fragments of thin, pinkish-buff ware with applied decoration of dots and chcles on barbotine. Cf. Wroxeter, II, PI. XV, 9. Pieces of native butt-beakers in fine hard, white clay, but too small for identification of exact form. Jars with cordoned necks, in fine grey ware, as also in thick native ware, Flavian and Claudian types. For the former cf. Arch. Cant., LX, p. 80, Fig. 6, Nos. 3 and 4. Fragments of two-handled flagon identical in shape and fabric with one found at 47 Burgate Street Canterbury and at Richborough. Cf. Arch. Cant., LXIII, p. 103, Fig. 12, No. 40 ; and Richborough III, No. 188 ; dated A.D. 50-80, probably earher in the period. Finally the usual large native storage jars which are a feature of the first century deposits in Canterbury, were represented by a large quantity of fragments. (e) FROM KEY DEPOSITS Nos. 3 AND 4 (Fig. 5, Nos. 21-35 inclusive) Pottery from these deposits was found in quantity, especially Deposit No. 3. The examples hlustrated are representative of the collection. Key Deposit No. 3 contained a coin of Salonina, and No. 4, coins of Constantine I and Valens. 21. Cavetto rim jar. Hard grey ware with burnished black 124 CANTERBURY EXCAVATIONS JUNE-DECEMBER, 1947 coating extending over neck to inner edge of lip. Several examples were found in this deposit.- Key Deposit No. 3. 22. Funnel-necked beaker in fine, hard grey ware, with polished black coating. Key Deposit No. 3. 23. Mortarium in buff ware. Wroxeter type 174. Cf. Wroxeter I, Fig. 20, p. 79. A.D. 270-330. 24. Mortarium in buff ware. Rim section simhar to one found at 47 Burgate Street, Canterbury, but with more pronounced bead. Cf. Arch. Cant., LXIII, p. 105, Fig. 13, No. 57. This type, to the present Avriter's knowledge, had until quite recently only occurred in fourthcentury deposits in Canterbury, but the presence of one example in an Antonine deposit just west of Whitehall Road shows that the former are almost certainly survivals in rubbish, and in consequence may be dated to the end of the second century. Key Deposit No. 3. 25. Mortarium, hammer-head type. Greyish buff ware. Key Deposit No. 3. 26. Mortarium in pinkish-buff ware with vertical rim and hooked, beaded lip on inside. A second example with the same rim section in similar ware, but with a smooth white coating (not illustrated), came from the same deposit. Key Deposit No. 3. Cf. Richborough IV, No. 515, not later than c. A.D. 275-300. 27. Mortarium with small, almost vertical rim. Hard grey clay, fired duh red at surface. A slightly larger example was found with it. {Not ihustrated.) Key Deposit No. 3. 28. Mortarium, bead and flange type ; grey clay, light red at surface and coated with cream coloured slip. Quartz gritted on inner surface. Fourth century. Key Deposit No. 4. 29. Mortarium, bead and flange type, in same fabric as No. 28 above, which was found with it. Fourth century. Key Deposit No. 4. 30. Mortarium in hard light red clay, much flint gritted on inside and having a reeded, beaded rim. Key Deposit No. 3. 31. Mortarium with hemispherical body, corrugated on exterior. Hammer-head type ; in buff ware with horizontally grooved rim. Fourth century. Key Deposit No. 4. 32. Platter of light brown clay with dark red coloured coating. Fourth century. Key Deposit No. 4. 33. Funnel-necked folded beaker, with small weh moulded lip and band of rouletting on shoulder. Fine, thin cream-coloured ware with dull copper coloured coating. Key Deposit No. 3. 34. Large bowl in coarse grey ware decorated with burnished lines on neck. A.D. 300-40. A simhar bowl occurred in the fourth century orchestra filling at the Verulamium theatre. Cf. Archaologia, LXXXIV, Fig. 11, No. 17. Key Deposit No. 4. 125 CANTERBURY EXCAVATIONS JUNE-DECEMBER, 1947 35 and 35a. Castor ware hunt cup. Late second to third century. Key Deposit No. 3. (/) FROM PIT No. 5 (S I) (Fig. 5, No. 36) 7 21 23 ; 22 FIG. 5. Roman Coarse Pottery from stratified deposits except No. 36 from lato Saxon Pit No. 5 (J) 36. Hand-made and uneven cooking-pot with neck splayed outwards at a sharp angle to the shoulder. Dark grey, fairly hard, much gritted clay with smoothed black surface extending over rim to inner edge of lip. The associated pottery consisted of a small quantity 126 CANTERBURY EXCAVATIONS JUNE-DECEMBER, 1947 of fragments indeterminate as to form, but certainly of late Roman date. Associated smah finds were a smah tanged knife-blade of scramasax form and a fragment of a clay bun-shaped loomweight of ninth-tenth century type (qv). THE COINS By B. H. ST. J. O'NETL, F.S.A. 1. CUNOBELINUS Obv. CVN. Victory 1. Rev. Eagle-gryphon. (Cf. Evans, British Coins Supplement, PL XXII, 12.) Pit R I. Gravel below primary filhng. 2. TRAJAN Obv. Emperor's bust laureate, r. IMP TRAIANO AVG. GER DAC PM TRP. Rev. Aequitas with cornucopia and scales. 1. COS V PP SPQR OPTIMO PRINC. (Cf. B.M.C., Roman Empire III, p. 71, Nos. 281-287). A.D. 101-111. Key Deposit No. 3. 3. SALONINA Obv. SALONINA AVG. Bust diad. dr. r. on crescent. Rev. illegible. Antoninianus. A.D. 253-268. At 1 ft. 4 in. in Key Deposit No. 3. 4. CLAUDIUS II Obv. IMP. C. CLAVDIVS AVG. Head rad. r. Rev. FELICITAS AVG. Felicitas 1. with long caducous and cornucopia, mint Rome. M&S 32. Antoninianus. A.D. 268-70. Pit M I. 5. CONSTANTINE I Obv. IMP. CONSTANTINVS AVG. Bust helmeted cuir. 1. Rev. VICTORIAE LAETAE PRINC. PERP. Two victories facing and holding shield. Mint PEN (London) 3iE. A.D. 320-24. Key Deposit No. 4. 6. CONSTANTINE I Obv. ]TI NVS MAX AV[G. Bust diad. dr. cuir. r. Rev. GLORIA EXERCITVS. Two soldiers and standard. 3 ^. Mint ., j ' A.D. 335-37. Pit M I. 127 CANTERBURY EXCAVATIONS JUNE-DECEMBER, 1947 7. PROBABLY BARBAROUS FEL. TEMP. REPARATIO Legionary spearing fallen horseman. 4iE size (small), c. A.D. 350 or later. Key Deposit No. 4. 8. VALENS Obv. D.N. VALEN S. PF. AVG. Bust diad. and draped, r. Rev. SECVRITAS REIPUBLICAE. In field OF I. Securitas 1. Mint LVGP (Lyons). A.D. 364-78. Key Deposit No. 4. ANIMAL REMAINS Animal bones from this site were submitted to the British Museum (Natural History Dept.) for examination. The following animals were represented in the cohection : PitRI Sheep, Pig, Ox, and Roe Deer. Pit R II Ox (juvenile). Key Deposit No. 3 The lower jaw and femur of a very young dog. SMALL FINDS OBJECTS OF BRONZE (a) Pit R I 1. Bronze spoon. (Fig. 6, No. 6.) 2. Bronze tweezers, length 5 in. (Fig. 6, No. 5.) 3. Bowl of spoon. 4. Tweezers, length 1-25 in. (since crumbled). Thin strip metal with in-turned tips. 5. Bronze pin. 6. Bronze pin, length 3 in. 7. Two bronze pins or nails, length f in. 8. Angular object. 9. Nail cleaner, once part of a chatelaine. 10. Smah umbo or boss. (b) Key Deposit No. 4 1. Finger-ring with key attached. (Fig. 6, No. 8.) 2. Tweezers, 2-5 in. in length. (Fig. 6, No. 4.) 3. Nail, c. 1-25 in. in length. 4. Spht ring, c. 1 in. outside diameter. 5. Penanular brooch with conical-shaped terminals. 128 CANTERBURY EXCAVATIONS JUNE-DECEMBER, 1947' (c) Key Deposit No. 3 (surface) 1. Bronze mount in the form of three trumpets derived from the classical pelta motif. Has three rivets on back for attachment to leather or some other material (Fig. 6, No. 7). This design is not Q Q $ 4 7 5 8 •EFT U 2 o 3 14 15 VH "T