In one piece


In one piece


17/01/2017

Wherever excavation is undertaken on site, artefacts are recovered and these can date anywhere from Mesolithic times to the present day. Very recent work has included the excavation of a Roman well - the first time one has been investigated in the project. Wells are very useful, especially in providing information about the environment at the time they were in use.

 
The stone-lined well is thought to date from the 2nd to the 4th Century. Included in the material found were small animal bones, insects, stems, roots, seeds and two complete vessels as well as a large number of broken ones.

Pots are fragile by their very nature and they are generally recovered only as sherds (broken pieces).

When whole vessels are recovered they are usually found in the original kiln, in graves or in a well. In the case of the latter, the pots are usually there by accident, maybe falling in from the top or during the process of being lowered into the well on a cord. Once in the well the owner would have found it hard to retrieve the item and their 'low value' meant they would just be left there, awaiting excavation by an excited 21st century archaeologist!

The two complete pots were made locally, Roman Britain had thriving ceramic industries, with the Nene Valley being one such centre.