Fabric and technology
Somewhat variable, but generally deep orange-red dense fabric with darker core, a tendancy to slight blistering and pimply at the surface, with a dull flaking slip.
Forms
Decorated bowls (Drag. 30, 37) and plain wares (Drag. 18 or 18/31, 33, 35, 36, Curle 11 and others).
Stamps
Two name stamps, G. Se.- Verian(us) and Acapa, on plain wares.
Chronology
The elements employed on the decorated bowls are ‘borrowed’ from vessels made by potters working at Les Martres-de-Veyre and Lezoux (Central Gaul), probably by copying from finished bowls (/ The dating of these ‘source’ vessels suggest activity in the period c. AD 120-150.
Source
Discovery of mould fragments at Pulborough (Sussex) suggests production in that area. The ‘waster’ from Aldgate may suggest a further workshop in London.
Distribution
Limited; most findspots are in Sussex and lower Thames valley, with outliers to west (Sea Mills, Avon) and north (Hockwold-cum-Wilton, Norfolk).
Aliases
Bibliography
The Aldgate waster: Walters 1908, 291-2, M 1546; basic discussion: Simpson 1952; production sites: RCHM gazetteer F485, F632; distribution: Webster 1975; Bennett 1978; Williams 1979; Dickinson in Gurney 1986, 74; Dickinson in O’Connell and Bird 1994, 137
References
Bennett 1978. Bennett, J., ‘A Further Vessel by the Aldgate-Pulborough Potter’, Britannia, 9, (1978), pp. 393-4.
Gurney 1986. Gurney, D., ‘Settlement, religion and industry on the Fen-edge; Three Romano-british sites in Norfolk’, EAA, 31, (1986).
O’Connell and Bird 1994. O’Connell, M. G. and Bird, J., ‘The Roman temple at Wanborough, excavation 1985-1986’, SurreY Arch Colln, 82, (1994), pp. 1-168.
Simpson 1952. Simpson, G., ‘The Aldgate potter: a maker of Romano-British samian ware’, JRS, 42, (1952), pp. 68-71.
Walters 1908. Walters, H. B., Catalogue of the Roman pottery in the Department of Antiquities, British Museum, British Museum, London, (1908).
Webster 1975. Webster, P. V., ‘More British Samian Ware by the Aldgate-Pulborough Potter’, Britannia, 6, (1975), pp. 163-70.
Williams 1979. Williams, D. F., ‘Petrological analysis’, Transactions of the London Middlesex Archaeological Society, 30, (1979), pp. 186-7.
