Potsherd: Atlas of Roman Pottery

WareAbstractClassSource(s)FromTo
Alice Holt/Farnham grey wares

Grey sandy coarse wares produced at several sites in the area of Alice Holt Forest (Hants/GB) and Farnham (Surrey/GB), from the 1st to the 4th centuries AD, and widely distributed across southern England.

Coarse wares
  • Britain
  • 40400
    Aoste mortaria

    Mortaria manufactured at Aoste (Isère/FR) during 1st century AD; most common in western Switzerland and Rhône valley, but small numbers throughout Gaul, the Rhineland and Britain.

    Mortaria
  • Gaul
  • 5085
    Argonne ware

    Red-slipped wares, most characteristically bowls with roller-stamped decoration, produced in the Argonne region (Ardennes/FR) and widely distributed across north-east Gaul and Britain. 3rd and 4th centuries AD.

    Fine wares
  • Gaul
  • 320410
    B4 amphoras

    A small slender amphora with rounded shoulder, narrow neck, beaded lip and either one or two tight strap handles in a distinctive red-brown micaceous fabric. This is a long-lived type, produced in western Asia Minor from the 1st to 6th centuries AD, with a wide distribution around the Mediterranean and across the northern provinces.

    Amphoras
  • Eastern Empire
  • 200550
    Black-burnished 1

    Coarse-textured hand-formed black sandy wares with burnished surfaces, typically everted-rim jars, plain dishes, flat-rimmed or flanged bowls decorated externally with zones of burnished lattice or intersecting arcs. Produced in the Poole Harbour region (Dorset/GB) and distributed thoughout Britain from the mid-2nd to 4th centuries AD. Everted-rim jars, flanged bowls and dishes derived from BB1 originals become the dominant forms in many Romano-British coarse ware industries during the later 3rd-4th cent. AD.

    Coarse wares
  • Britain
  • 40410
    Black-burnished 2

    Wheel-thrown grey or black sand-tempred wares, typically everted-rim jars with burnished lattice decoration, bead-rim and plain dishes. Produced at sites around the Thames estuary (Kent/GB and Essex/GB)and distributed in south-east England and in northern Britain during the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD.

    Coarse wares
  • Britain
  • 120250
    Camulodunum 189 ('carrot') amphoras

    A small amphora with a conical 'carrot'-shaped body, with horizontal ribbing on the outer surface and two small handles, in a red-brown sandy ware. The type was produced in the eastern Mediterranean, perhaps Egypt or Palestine, and widely distributed around the Mediterranean and across the north-west provinces during the 1st century AD.

    Amphoras
  • Eastern Empire
  • 40100
    Central Gaulish black-slipped ware

    A fine black-slipped ware, commonly beakers and cups with rouletted or barbotine decoration, produced in Central Gaul and widely distributed across Gaul and Britain during the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD.

    Fine wares
  • Gaul
  • 150200
    Central Gaulish coarse micaceous ware

    Jars and bowls in coarse micaceous red-brown or dark-brown wares abundantly tempered with crushed granite, produced in Central France and with wide but thin distribution across central and northern Gaul and southern Britain during 1st century BC and early 1st century AD.

    Coarse wares
  • Gaul
  • -1030
    Central Gaulish colour-coated wares

    Colour-coated cups and beakers with pale brown or white fabrics, darker red-brown or brown slips and barbotine or rough-cast decoration, produced in Central Gaul and widely distributed across Gaul and Britain during the 1st and 2nd centuries AD.

    Fine wares
  • Gaul
  • 40120
    Central Gaulish fine micaceous wares

    Platters, jars and flagons in fine textured micaceous wares, red, white or mica-slipped, produced in Central Gaul and distributed there and occasionally in northern Gaul and southern Britain during the late 1st century BC and early 1st century AD.

    Fine wares
  • Gaul
  • -1530
    Central Gaulish glazed ware

    Green-glazed cups and beakers with pale brown or white fabrics, and barbotine or relief decoration, produced in Central Gaul and widely distributed across Gaul and Britain during the 1st and 2nd centuries AD.

    Fine wares
  • Gaul
  • 4080
    Central Gaulish terra sigillata

    Terra sigillata manufacture commenced in Central Gaul from the Augustan period and during the 1st century AD the distinctive micaceous products of Lezoux are distributed across central and western Gaul, and occasionally to southern Britain. The height of the industry was during the 2nd century AD. when the products of Les Martres-de-Veyre and Lezoux (Puy-de-Dôme/FR) had a wide distribution across Gaul, Germany, Britain and the Danube provinces.

    Terra Sigillata
  • Gaul
  • 40200
    Colchester colour-coated wares

    Colour-coated beakers and other forms produced at Colchester (Essex/GB) and distributed across south and east Britain during the 2nd to 4th centuries AD.

    Fine wares
  • Britain
  • 120250
    Colchester mortaria

    Mortaria manufactured at Colchester (Essex/GB) during 1st and 2nd centuries AD; wide distribution in eastern and northern England and southern Scotland during mid-late 2nd century AD.

    Mortaria
  • Britain
  • 40200
    Colchester terra sigillata

    Terra sigillata manufactured at Colchester (Essex/GB) during mid-late 2nd century AD, with limited distribution in eastern England. Some of the potters working at Colchester had earlier operated at East Gaulish factories such as Sinzig and Trier (DE).

    Terra Sigillata
  • Britain
  • 150200
    Corbridge mortaria

    Mortaria manufactured at or near Corbridge (Northumberland/GB) during the 2nd century AD; distributed across northern England and southern Scotland.

    Mortaria
  • Britain
  • 100190
    Crambeck wares

    Grey wares, white wares and red-slipped produced near Crambeck (Yorkshire/GB) and distributed across northern Britain during the 4th century AD.

    Coarse wares
  • Britain
  • 300410
    Céramique à l'éponge

    A range of fine slipped wares decorated with darker marbled or sponged patterns, produced in western France and distributed across western and northern Gaul and southern Britain during the 3rd and 4th centuries AD.

    Fine wares
  • Gaul
  • 300410
    Dales ware and Dales-type ware

    Jars in coarse shell-tempered wares produced in the Lincolnshire and widely distributed across northern Britain during the 3rd and 4th centuries AD.

    Coarse wares
  • Britain
  • 200375
    Derbyshire ware

    Moulded-rim jars in hard grey wares produced in Derbyshire and distributed across central and northern Britain during the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD.

    Coarse wares
  • Britain
  • 140350
    Dressel 1 amphoras

    A tall cylindrical amphora with angular shoulders, long straight handles and a collar rim. This form is the most important Italian wine amphora of the late Republican period, with a wide distribution around the Mediterranean (with many examples from shipwrecks) and across the north-west provinces.

    Amphoras
  • Italy
  • -150-10
    Dressel 2-4 amphoras

    A tall cylindrical amphora with angular shoulders, characteristic bifid handles and a beaded rim. This is the most important wine amphora of the early imperial period, both produced in many regions (notably Italy, Gaul, Spain and the Eastern Mediterranean, but also southern Britain) and exported widely.

    Amphoras
  • Gaul
  • Iberia
  • Italy
  • Eastern Empire
  • 0100
    Dressel 20 amphoras and allied types

    A large globular amphora with substantial cylindrical handles and a prominent beaded or angular rim in a characteristic granular fabric, produced in the Spanish province of Baetica from the 1st to 3rd centuries and exported in very large numbers around the western Mediterranean and across the north-west provinces.

    Amphoras
  • Iberia
  • 0250
    Dressel 7-11 'salazon' amphoras

    A series of cylindrical two-handled amphoras in pale fabrics produced in southern Spain with a wide distribution around the western Mediterranean and across the north-west provinces during the 1st and 2nd centuries AD.

    Amphoras
  • Iberia
  • 20120
    E-ware

    Jars, bowls and jugs in hard granular grey wares, probably produced in western or central France and distributed across Western Britain (including Wales, Ireland and Scotland) during the 6th and 7th centuries AD.

    Coarse wares
  • Gaul
  • 500550
    East Gaulish terra sigillata

    Terra sigillata kiln sites were founded in eastern Gaul from the mid-1st century AD, but production for a wider market is only significant during the 2nd and early-mid 3rd centuries AD. There is evidence from the study of stamps and moulds for the movement of potters between production centres, and craftsmen from Sinzig and Trier (Rheinland-Pfalz/DE) were probably responsible for the small Colchester (Essex/GB) sigillata industry during the mid-late 2nd century AD.

    Terra Sigillata
  • Gaul
  • Germania
  • 120260
    Eggshell terra nigra

    Beakers in very thin fine black-slipped wares produced in northern Gaul and distributed across north-east Gaul and south-east Britain during the 1st century AD.

    Fine wares
  • Gaul
  • 55100
    Eifel-region mortaria

    Mortaria manufactured in Eifel region (DE) during 1st century AD with limited distribution along the Lower Rhine and in southern England.

    Mortaria
  • Germania
  • 4065
    Gauloise 12 amphoras

    A flat-based two-handled amphora with a thick projecting rim with multiple grooves on the uppers surface. Produced in Normandy (FR) with a largely local distribution but some specimens in Britain.

    Amphoras
  • Britain
  • Gaul
  • 180300
    Gauloise flat-based amphoras

    Flat-based two-handled amphoras typically in a fine-textured micaceous fabric. Produced at a large number of sites across southern France (Languedoc and Provence/FR), and very common in the north-west provinces during the 2nd and 3rd centuries.

    Amphoras
  • Gaul
  • 50250
    German marbled wares

    Jugs and flagons in a fine slipped ware decorated with darker marbled decoration produced in the Mosel region (DE) and distributed across the lower Rhine and south-east Britain during the 3rd and 4th centuries AD.

    Fine wares
  • Germania
  • 250400
    Hadham red-slipped wares

    Red wares produced in the area of Hadham (Herts/GB) and distributed across south and east England during the 3rd and 4th centuries AD.

    Fine wares
  • Britain
  • 200410
    Haltern 70 amphoras

    A tall cylindrical two-handled amphora with a collared rim, grooved handles and a solid spike, in a distinctive granular fabric. Produced in the Spanish province of Baetica and widely distributed across the north-west provinces during the 1st century AD.

    Amphoras
  • Iberia
  • 40100
    Italian mortaria

    Mortaria manufactured in central Italy during 1st and 2nd centuries AD, with wide distribution around western Mediterranean; also Gaul, Rhineland and southern Britain

    Mortaria
  • Italy
  • 40160
    Italian-type (Arretine) sigillata

    Classic terra sigillata (`arretine') production commenced at Arezzo (Toscana/IT) during the early Augustan period. Additional workshops were set up in Italy, at Pisa (IT) and elsewhere, and also in southern Gaul, particularly at Lyon (Rhône/FR). Study of stamps and moulds suggests the movement of potters between workshops.

    Terra Sigillata
  • Gaul
  • Italy
  • -2030
    Kapitän II ('Hollow foot') amphoras

    A cylindrical two-handled amphora with tapering neck and a short, hollow foot in an orange-red fabric. Probably produced in the Aegean region (GR) and widely distributed around the eastern Mediterranean, but less common in the west.

    Amphoras
  • Eastern Empire
  • 250350
    Late Roman Mayen ware

    Jars, jugs and bowls in a hard coarse ware produced in the Eifel region (Rheinland-Pfalz/DE) and widely distributed in north-east Gaul, the lower Rhine and south-east Britain during the 3rd and 4th centuries AD.

    Coarse wares
  • Germania
  • 300410
    Late Roman grog-tempered wares

    Coarse textured hand-formed grog-tempered jars, bowls and dishes produced in south-east England during the 3rd and 4th centuries AD.

    Coarse wares
  • Britain
  • 270410
    Lincolnshire mortaria

    Mortaria manufactured at several sites in and around Lincoln (Lincs/GB) during 2nd century AD; wide distribution across northern England and southern Scotland;

    Mortaria
  • Britain
  • 100200
    London 555 amphoras

    A cylindrical two-handled amphora with a groove just below the rim, handles with a groove on the outer face and a solid spike, in pale fabrics. A relatively rare type, only recently recognised as a class on sites in Britain and Gaul.

    Amphoras55125
    London-Essex stamped wares

    Fine textured grey or orange wares with roller stamped decoration produced in the south-east England during the 2nd century AD.

    Fine wares
  • Britain
  • 70125
    Lower Rhineland (Cologne) colour-coated ware

    Beakers with barbotine, rough-cast and rouletted decoration in fine white wares with dark colour-coated surfaces, produced in the Cologne area (Nordrhein-Westfalen/DE) and distributed across north-east Gaul and Britain during the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD.

    Fine wares
  • Germania
  • 80250
    Lyon ware

    Cups and beakers in a fine pale colour-coated ware with darker colour-coated, decorated with barbotine or rough cast, produced at Lyon (Rhône/FR) and widely distributed across Gaul, the Rhineland and Britain during the 1st century AD.

    Fine wares
  • Gaul
  • 4070
    Mancetter-Hartshill mortaria

    Mortaria manufactured at Mancetter and Hartshill (Warks/GB) from the 2nd to 4th centuries AD; extensive distribution in midlands and northern England.

    Mortaria
  • Britain
  • 100350
    Mid-Roman Campanian amphoras

    A cylindrical two-handled amphora with oval-section handles and an almond-shaped rim. The class (only recently recognized) was produced in Italy and has been recorded in gaul and Britain. 3rd century AD.

    Amphoras
  • Italy
  • 200300
    Nene Valley colour-coated wares

    Fine table wares in a pale fabric with darker colour coat, often decorated with barbotine or painted decoration, produced in the Nene valley (Hunts/GB) and widely distributed across Britain during the 2nd to 4th centuries AD.

    Fine wares
  • Britain
  • 150410
    Nene Valley mortaria

    Mortaria manufactured in the Nene Valley potteries (Hunts/GB) from 2nd to 4th centuries AD; wide distribution in eastern England.

    Mortaria
  • Britain
  • 110400
    New Forest mortaria

    Mortaria manufactured in New Forset potteries (Hants/GB) during 3rd and 4th centuries AD; distributed across southern Britain.

    Mortaria
  • Britain
  • 260370
    New Forest slipped wares

    A wide range of fine tables wares produced in the New Forest (Hants/GB) and distributed across southern Britain during the 3rd and 4th centuries AD.

    Fine wares
  • Britain
  • 260370
    North African cylindrical amphoras

    Cylindrical two-handled amphoras of various forms in red fabrics with a distinctive white wash on the outer surface. Produced in Tunisia and widely distributed around the western Mediterreanean and across the north-west provinces from 2nd to 5th century AD.

    Amphoras
  • Africa
  • 140550
    North African red-slipped ware

    A wide range of fine red-slipped table wares and coarser cooking wares produced in Tunisia and widely distributed around the Mediterranean and across the north-west provinces during the 2nd to 6th centuries AD.

    Fine wares
  • Africa
  • 80550
    North Gaulish grey wares

    Jars, beakers, jugs and bowls in grey wares produced in the Picardy, Nord and Pas-de-Calais (FR) and distributed across northern Gaul and south and east England during the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD.

    Coarse wares
  • Gaul
  • 70300
    North Kent shell-tempered storage jars

    Large storage jars in coarse shell-tempered fabrics produced in northern Kent (GB) and distributed in south-east England and along the east coast during the 1st and 2nd centuries AD.

    Coarse wares
  • Britain
  • 60150
    Oxfordshire red/brown-slipped wares

    A wide range of red-slipped tables wares, often decorated with rouletting, stamps or white slip, produced in the Oxfordshire potteries (Oxon/GB) and widely distributed across Britain during the 3rd and 4th centuries AD.

    Fine wares
  • Britain
  • 240410
    Oxfordshire white-ware mortaria

    Mortaria manufactured in Oxfordshire potteries (Oxon/GB) from 2nd to 4th centuries AD; wide distribution across midlands and southern England.

    Mortaria
  • Britain
  • 100410
    Pascual 1 amphoras

    A cylindrical two-handled amphora with a tall collared rim in either dark red or pale cream-coloured wares. Produced in Catalonia (ES), and more rarely in southern Gaul (FR), and distributed across the north-west provinces during the 1st century AD.

    Amphoras
  • Iberia
  • 040
    Phocaean red-slipped ware

    Fine red-slipped table wares produced in western Asia Minor and widely distributed around the eastern Mediterranean (and more rarely in the west) during the 5th and 6th centuries AD.

    Fine wares
  • Eastern Empire
  • 475550
    Pompeian-Red ware fabric 1

    Platters (and accompanying lids) in a coarse red-brown fabric tempered with black sand, with a red-slip on the inner surface, produced in Campania (IT) and widely distributed around the Mediterranean and across the north-west provinces during the 1st century AD.

    Coarse wares
  • Italy
  • 4080
    Pompeian-Red ware fabric 2

    Platters (and accompanying lids) in a coarse micaceous ware with red-slipped internal surface, distributed around the Mediterranean and across the north-west provinces during the 1st century AD.

    Coarse wares
  • Italy
  • 4080
    Pompeian-Red ware fabric 3

    Platters (and accompanying lids) in a fine-textured brown micaceous fabric with red-slipped internal surface, produced in Central Gaul (FR) and widely distributed across Gaul and Britain during the 1st and 2nd centuries AD.

    Coarse wares
  • Gaul
  • 40130
    Portchester fabric D ware

    Jars, bowls and dishes in a coarse cream or yellow fabric, produced in the Surrey-Hampshire border region (GB) and distributed in southern England during the 4th century AD.

    Coarse wares
  • Britain
  • 300410
    Rhodian (Camulodunum 184) amphoras

    A two-handled amphora with peaked handles, a cylindrical neck and beaded rim. Produced on the island of Rhodes (GR) and adjacent parts of the Asia Minor, and widely distributed around the Mediterranean and across the north-west provinces during the 1st and 2nd centrury AD.

    Amphoras
  • Eastern Empire
  • 0150
    Rhône valley mortaria

    Mortaria manufactured in central France, probably in middle Rhône valley during 1st century AD; distributed in southern Britain.

    Mortaria
  • Gaul
  • 50100
    Richborough 527 amphoras

    A short cylindrical amphora with small handled and an almond-shaped rim with coarse rilling on the outer body, in a distinctive ware with a greenish tinge and abundant inclusions of volcanic glass. Produced in the Eolian Islands (near Sicily/IT) and distributed around the western Mediterreanean and across the north-west provinces during the 1st to 3rd centuries AD.

    Amphoras
  • Italy
  • 20230
    Rossington Bridge Black-burnished ware

    Jars and dishes in a hard grey sandy fabric produced at Rossington Bridge (nr Doncaster, Yorkshire/GB) with limited distribution in northern Britain during the 2nd century AD.

    Coarse wares
  • Britain
  • 140180
    Rossington Bridge mortaria

    Mortaria manufactured at Rossington Bridge (nr Doncaster, Yorks/GB) during 2nd centuries AD; distributed in northern England and southern Scotland;

    Mortaria
  • Britain
  • 135190
    Savernake-type grey wares

    Jars, bowls and dishes in a coarse grey ware produced at several sites in Wiltshire (GB) during the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD.

    Coarse wares
  • Britain
  • 40300
    Severn Valley wares

    A range of orange or red-brown wares produced along the middle Severn valley and distributed across western Britain (and sparsely in northern Britain) from 2nd to 4th centuries AD.

    Coarse wares
  • Britain
  • 40410
    Soller mortaria

    Mortaria manufactured at Soller (Nordrhein-Westfalen/DE) during 2nd century AD; distributed on lower Rhine valley and southern Britain.

    Mortaria
  • Germania
  • 150220
    South Devon burnished ware

    Jars and bowls in a hard grey or black ware produced in south Devon (GB) and distributed in south-west England during the 3rd and 4th centuries AD.

    Coarse wares
  • Britain
  • 60410
    South Gaulish (La Graufesenque) terra sigillata

    Terra sigillata was manufactured at La Graufesenque (nr Millau, Aveyron/FR) from the Augustan period and the products achieved a wide distribution during the Tiberio-Claudian period. The height of the industry is reached during the mid-late 1st century AD, when the distribution covers most of the western Empire, the Mediterranean littoral, and beyond.

    Terra Sigillata
  • Gaul
  • 40120
    South Gaulish (Montans) terra sigillata

    Terra sigillata produced at Montans (Tarn/FR) and distributed across western Gaul, northern Spain and Britain during the 1st and 2nd centuries AD.

    Terra Sigillata
  • Gaul
  • 50180
    South Gaulish colour-coated ware

    Mould-made hemispherical cups in a fine buff or orange-brown fabric with a pale golden slip, produced at the South Gaulish sigillata factories at Millau (Aveyron/FR) and Montans (Tarn/FR) and distributed across Gaul and Britain during the 1st century AD.

    Fine wares
  • Gaul
  • 4070
    South Midlands shell-tempered wares

    Jars, bowls and dishes in coarse shell-tempered wares produced in eastern England and distributed widely in Britain during the 3rd and 4th centuries AD.

    Coarse wares
  • Britain
  • 300410
    South-east England glazed ware

    Flasks, beakers and bowls in a green-glazed grey ware, decorated with white barbotine, distributed in southern England during the 2nd century AD.

    Fine wares
  • Britain
  • 70120
    Spanish colour-coated ware

    Cups and beakers in a fine textured pale brown ware with golden-brown slip, typically decorated with floral motifs in barbotine, produced in southern Spain and widely distributed around the western Mediterranean and across the north-west provinces during the 1st century AD.

    Fine wares
  • Iberia
  • 4080
    Terra nigra

    Plates, cups and beakers in fine black slipped wares produced in northern Gaul and distributed across north-east Gaul and south-east Britain during the late 1st century BC and 1st century AD.

    Fine wares
  • Gaul
  • -2070
    Terra rubra

    Plates, cups and beakers in fine red-slipped wares produced in northern Gaul and distributed across north-east Gaul and south-east Britain during the late 1st century BC and 1st century AD.

    Fine wares
  • Gaul
  • -2060
    The 'London ware' style

    A range of fine-textured grey or black wares with incised or compass drawn decoration produced at a number of sites in south and east England during the 2nd century AD.

    Fine wares
  • Britain
  • 70150
    Trier black-slipped ware ('Moselkeramik')

    Beakers and cups in a fine black-slipped ware, commonly decorated with rouletted or barbotine decoration, produced in the Trier region (Rheinland-Pfalz/DE) and widely distributed in lower Germany and Britain during the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD.

    Fine wares
  • Germania
  • 180250
    Verulamium-region mortaria

    Mortaria manufactured at Brockley Hill (Middx/GB) and St Albans (Verulamium, Herts/GB) and surrounding region during 1st and 2nd centuries AD; wide distribution in southern Britain and (more rarely) northern England and southern Scotland.

    Mortaria
  • Britain
  • 50200
    Verulamium-region white ware

    Flagons, bowls and jars in a pale granular wares produced at Brockley Hill (Middx/GB) and the St Albans (Verulamium, Herts/GB) region and distributed in south-east England during the the 1st and 2nd centuries AD.

    Coarse wares
  • Britain
  • 50200
    Wilderspool mortaria

    Mortaria manufactured at Warrington (Ches/GB) with distribution in north-west England, north Wales and southern Scotland during 2nd century AD.

    Mortaria
  • Britain
  • 110190
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