Fabric and technology
Hard, smooth, fine-textured cream-coloured (10YR 8/2 to 5Y 8/2) fabric with conchoidal fracture; abundant fine quartz and white limestone and sparse red and black particles and mica. Gritted with abundant milky quartz on lower internal surface. Wheel-thrown.
Forms
Mortaria. Most characteristic form has relatively small diameter, deep thin curving flange, and finely moulded spout, Gillam 236, but other hooked flange forms also produced.
Stamps
Stamped across the flange. Three potters are known: G. Atisius Gratus, G. Atisius Sabinus and L. Atisius Secundus.
Chronology
AD 50-85.
Source
Aoste (Isère).
Distribution
Most abundant in the Saône valley, Isère and western Switzerland. A scatter along the Rhône valley, the Rhineland, through western and northern France; occasional in Britain.
Aliases
Cirencester fabric 69. Exeter mortarium fabric FC22. Gloucester fabric TF9Z. JRPS bibliography fabric aom. Sheepen mortarium fabric 18. Usk mortarium fabric 7.
Bibliography
Hartley 1973, 46; for the kiln site: Laroche 1987.
References
Hartley 1973. Hartley, K. F., ‘The marketing and distribution of mortaria’ in Current research in Romano-British coarse pottery: papers given at a C.B.A. Conference held at New College, Oxford, March 24 to 26, 1972, ed. A. Detsicas, Research reports/Council for British Archaeology, 10, Council for British Archaeology, London, (1973), pp. 35-91.
Laroche 1987. Laroche, C., ‘Aoste (Isère). Un centre de production de céramiques. Fin du Ier siècle avant J.-C. - fin du Ier siècle après J.-C. Fouilles récentes, 1983-1984’, RANarb, 20, (1987), pp. 281-348.
