Pottery In Roman Britain

Roman archaeological sites in Britain produced huge quantities of pottery providing vast amounts of information about technology, trade, wealth, industry and lifestyle.

The humble pot sherd can be used to date archaeological sites and to distinguish patterns of manufacture and trade, especially within the Roman Empire. This study is concerned with the history of Roman pottery in Britain and offers a full and accessible evaluation, including actual potters' stamps.

Excavations on any Roman site produce pottery in quantity, both local and imported, fine table ware and cooking pots, resulting in a growing problem for archaeologists: how should they examine and report effectively on the immense quantities of pottery that have resulted from years of rescue excavations? This review critiques the pottery reports of the 1970s and 1980s and assesses the pros and cons of the many quantification methods used by England's archaeological units.