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More British Samian Ware by the Aldgate-Pulborough Potter

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 November 2011

Peter V. Webster
Peter V. Webster
Affiliation:
Department of Extra-mural Studies, University College, Cardiff
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Extract

Recent work on the samian ware from a settlement site at Wiggonholt, Sussex, has revealed fragments from a number of vessels by one of the few potters to attempt the production of samian in Roman Britain. This man was called the ‘Aldgate Potter’ by Dr. Grace Simpson on the basis of a waster from the Aldgate, London, now in the British Museum. However, Dr. Simpson also illustrates mould-fragments belonging to this potter from Pulborough, Sussex, only about one mile from the find-spot of the Wiggonholt fragments which are the subject of this article. As neither waster nor moulds seem likely to have travelled far from the kiln site, it is not at present possible to be certain whether the centre of this potter's production should be sought in London or Sussex, or whether perhaps he operated in both places at different times. However, the Wiggonholt material shifts the geographical balance of known find-spots of the work of this man strongly in favour of Sussex and, in view of this, it seems reasonable to give the Sussex mould-fragments equal significance with the Aldgate waster. The potter is, therefore, called here the ‘Aldgate-Pulborough Potter’.

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Type
Articles
Information
Britannia , Volume 6 , November 1975, pp. 163 - 170
Copyright
Copyright © Peter V. Webster 1975. Exclusive Licence to Publish: The Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies

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References

1 Excavations by Miss Jane Evans for the Dept. of the Environment. For a brief summary see JRS lv (1965), 220; the full report will shortly be published as an occasional paper of the Sussex Archaeological Society. I am most grateful to Miss Evans for showing me the Wiggonholt samian and discussing the site with me.Google Scholar

2 Simpson, G., JRS xlii (1952), 68–71, hereafter Simpson 1952.Google Scholar

3 British Museum Accession No. M.1546. I am most grateful to Miss C. Johns for help and discussion in connection with this piece.

4 In this the fabric is identical with the Aldgate waster which has begun to collapse through overfiring. It also shares many of the characteristics of a ‘mouton’ of fused bowls from Les Martres-de-Veyres, also in the British Museum and kindly shown to me by Miss C. Johns.

5 Contexts are as follows: No. 9, WS27; No. 10, DA/4; No. 11, D12; No. 12, A20C10; No. 13, WS40/41; No. 14, A9/2; No. P1, A20c; No. P2, A17; No. P3, WS3; No. P4, A17b3; No. P5, B1a4; No. P6, DA/4. A full definition of the various site codes will be found in the final report; it is sufficient here to record that the contexts of Nos. 9, 11, 13, 14. P1-3 and P5 are road works and therefore unstratified, No. 12 is probably residual in a later pit and P4 is without useful associations.

6 See, Simpson, G. and Rogers, G., Gallia, xxvii 1969, 3–14, particularly fig. 1.Google Scholar

7 Cf. the list of figure-types above and the table of figure-types on signed Central Gaulish bowls, CGP pp. 285–92.

8 Cf. Arch. Ael.4, xlix (1971), 113–4Google Scholar, Britannia iii (1972), 34.Google Scholar

9 The figure D.403, the column in No. 13 and details g and n.

10 Attianus figures D.158, D.818 bis, D. 834; Acaunissa: ovolo a, figure D.247, detail p. I have omitted D.868 and D.969 ter which were included by Dr. Simpson in her 1952 list as these do not occur on signed bowls of Attianus listed in CGP pp. 285–92.

11 Ovolo b, figures D.210, D. 969 ter, details i and m.

12 Figures D.217, D.290, details q and s.