Romano-British Pottery Workshop
by Jason Monaghan
The workshop was held at the Dartford District Archaeological Group Centre on the 24th March, under the auspices of the K.A.S. The meeting was in an open format with an emphasis on informal discussion. Seven short talks were given at hourly intervals. For the remainder of the time, visitors took the opportunity to inspect pottery displays and make contact with others working on ceramics.
Dr Richard Pollard gave a slide talk on the pottery from Lullingstone villa which he is preparing for publication. Jason Monaghan delivered some personal thoughts on the examination and classification of coarse pottery. Chris Breen described how the DDAG approach pottery studies and how their research relates to more wide-ranging works.
Rosemary Jefferies started the afternoon session by showing slides of the Mucking kilns and describing their products. Alec Miles followed this by relating the history of excavations at Cooling, whilst Dr Paul Hayes commented on the restoration of the pottery recovered. Marion Green gave the audience an illustrated description of pottery found at Canterbury. Paul Sealy rounded off the lectures by recounting the investigation of an olive-filled amphora found in the sea off Whitstable. Dr Pollard summed up and Ted Connell closed the meeting. It was rewarding to have some fifty people in attendance including several from Essex.
It is hoped to repeat the experiment next Spring at a different venue and details will be given in this Newsletter. A more detailed account of the meeting may be obtained from Ted Connell.