Fabric and technology
Most commonly a hard, almost pure white or cream wheel-thrown fabric (2.5Y 9/0) with sparse red inclusions and clean or slightly laminar fracture – identical to that of white Central Gaulish colour-coated ware (CGCC). The surfaces are covered with a translucent lead glaze (0.25 to 0.5mm thick) which varies from pale yellow-green to a dark olive green in colour. On cups and beakers the glaze covers the entire surface, but on enclosed flagons only the external surface is covered. Some vessels mould-made, using the same technology (and forms) as contemporary samian wares. Others have appliqué motifs or barbotine decoration.
Forms
Greene’s type-series (1979; 1978) covers the forms found in Britain:
| Type | Form | Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Small flagon | Déch. 61 |
| 2 | Flagon | Déch. 60 |
| 3 | Flagon | Déch. 62 |
| 4 | Handled bowl | Déch. 59 |
| 5 | Carinated bowl | Drag. 29 |
| 6-7 | Handled bowls | |
| 8-9 | Hemispherical cups | |
| 10 | Carinated handled cup | |
| 11 | Straight-sided beaker | |
| 12-16 | Beakers | |
| 17 | Lamp filler | |
| 18 | Large bowl |
Chronology
Generally pre-Flavian in Britain, but a few examples from Flavian sites. Production probably commenced in the Tiberian period.
Source
Two regions of Central Gaul – the Allier valley and Lezoux. A few vessels from Britain are probably products of Lezoux (e.g. Greene 1978, 39) but the majority from St Rémy-en-Rollat/Vichy in the Allier valley.
Distribution
Widespread in Britain, but sparse. The continental distribution covers northern France (north and east of the Loire), the Rhineland and western Switzerland.
Aliases
Cirencester fabrics 60 and 75. JRPS bibliography fabric cgg. Leicester fabric LG1. Milton Keynes fabric 13c. Kent fine fabric 3a. Silchester fabric E32.
Bibliography
General introduction to the ware given by Greene (1979, 86-103) who discusses the moulded ware in more detail in Greene 1978. It has been suggested that the flagons (one of the more widespread forms) may have carried water from the spa at Vichy (Symonds and Wade 1999).
References
Greene 1978. Greene, K. T., ‘Mould-decorated Central Gaulish glazed ware in Britain’ in Early Fine Wares in Roman Britain, ed. P. R. Arthur and G. D. Marsh, British Archaeological Reports. British Series, 57, BAR, Oxford, (1978), pp. 31-60.
Greene 1979. Greene, K. T., The pre-Flavian fine wares, Report on the excavations at Usk, 1965-1976, 1, University of Wales Press [for] the Board of Celtic Studies of the University of Wales,, Cardiff:, (1979).
Symonds and Wade 1999. Symonds, R. P. and Wade, S. M., Roman pottery from excavations in Colchester, 1971-1986, Colchester Archaeological Reports, 10, Colchester Archaeological Trust Ltd, Colchester, (1999).
