Friday 24 April 2009

Volunteer update

Another volunteer has joined the team - welcome Mandy, who will be helping create a period 4 context database for the webpage!

Thursday 2 April 2009

Grog / clay pellet tempered pot




Grog or clay pellet tempered sherds from the rampart settlement (top and middle), and one from a midden deposit near to the western (palisade enclosed) settlement (bottom). In an area of Period 4 activity, but possibly prehistoric.

The bottom sherd might be later 'soft pink grog tempered ware', but there a a few problems with this interpretation. For one, they felt handmade, not wheel-made. The bottom sherd felt soapy, the others more sandy; I can't recall micaceous fabric. In either case, I don't recall the inclusions being particularly angular (they may instead be clay pellets), or the presence of other inclusions, and the sherds were thick-walled. No grey core, either. Although within the distribution zone for 'pink grog tempered', it is outside that of 'late Roman grog tempered' (which is mainly S/SE); though the latter type is often described as 'soapy', the fabric is more commonly dark (grey, brown, or black). Possibly they're (or at least the sandy, buff sherds) earlier (C1) local grog tempered ware? Any ideas?