Fig. 180.
Fig. 181.
Fig. 182.
Fig. 183.
Roman Pottery, Headington, Oxfordshire.
The pottery, with but one or two exceptions, was in fragments; from these the engravings here given have been carefully restored. One very remarkable feature was the immense assemblage—a cartload at least—of fragments of mortaria. In form and material they differed considerably from those found in other localities. Some were of a fine buff-coloured clay, others of a lead colour, as produced by the smother kiln, and all well studded with broken quartz. In size they varied from seven and a half inches to nearly two feet in diameter. The larger one on Fig. [168] was one foot nine inches in diameter, while the smaller one is only seven and a half inches. The sections of the rims of the Headington mortaria are dissimilar to others, as I have carefully pointed out in the communication referred to. Fig. [171] exhibits a vessel of fine red ware, the rim of which is painted black, on which the white scroll-pattern is laid. The sections of rims which accompany it for comparison sake are, besides its own rim,—1, red with white pattern; 2, a fine red ware; 3, a fine ware, with a metallic surface; and 4 and 5, imported Samian. Fig. [175] is of chocolate colour, and is ornamented with an indented pattern of lines of squares, alternating with flat circles. Fig. [172] is of blue-gray colour, of fine and close and very hard texture; the sides are indented. Fig. [173] is of light buff colour. The curious assemblage of vessels grouped on Fig. [176] are formed of a fine black clay mixed with sand. They are beautifully formed, and many of them are ornamented with surface lines traced on the clay without incision or indentation. The two examples (Figs. [181] and [182]) are of tolerably fine red ware; the taller one (which has had a handle) has been surface-coated with a red pigment. Fig. [178] is of coarse red ware, and, as will be seen, is much the same in form as our modern soup-plates. Fragments of vessels of the form of Fig. [180] were very numerous. They were of coarse buff-coloured ware. Other examples found during the excavations which I carried on are shown grouped on Fig. [183]. Fig. [179], like the rest, restored from fragments, is a small and delicately formed cup, three and a quarter inches in diameter, of rough-cast ware[22]; of these, examples were found, some of red, and others of a chocolate colour.
Some good fragments of Castor ware were discovered, from which the group (Figs. [97 to 99]) has been restored. Fig. [174] is a small cup of buff-coloured ware. Some small fragments of a green glazed ware were also found.