VESSEL

28 sherds of South East Dorset Black Burnished Ware, generally small and abraded, recovered in association with a large quantity of other Roman coarseware sherds from a small 1.5m square patch of garden. 18 are plain undecorated body sherds, mosty with burnished surfaces and generally black or dark grey in colour. These body sherds range in size from 16.64 x 17.89 x 4.79mm thick (1.52g) to 37.55mm x 28.22mm x 5.08mm thick (7.25g). Two slightly larger body sherds have burnished parallel line decoration. They measure 39.32mm x 33.01mm x 6.16mm thick (11.75g) and 36.85mm x 30.01mm x 4.60mm thick (7.04g). The assemblage also includes 3 flat base sherds, dark grey in colour and generally externally wiped, although one sherd is also burnished. These base sherds range in size from 31.12mm x 23.37mm x 6.17mm thick (6.74g) to 46.47mm x 36.22mm x 4.13mm thick (9.93g). There are also two everted rim sherds, two beaded rim sherds and the complete profile of a flat rimmed bowl. The two everted rims, although small, appear to be quite widely everted and may derive from a Greyhound Yard type 3 jar datable from the 3rd to 5th centuries AD. They measure 32.75mm x 16.78mm x 7.98mm thick (5.41g) and 35.62mm x 26.54mm x 6.04mm thick (9.10g). The two beaded rim sherds are upright in profile and externally burnished. They could derive from a number of different bowl types, all generally datable to the 1st-2nd centuries AD. They measure 25.12mm x 21.40mm x 6.47mm thick (3.88g) and 39.68mm x 35.83mm x 6.21mm thick (12.74g). The complete profile of the Greyhound Yard type 22 flat rimmed bowl is generally datable to the mid 2nd century AD, although it may have continued into the third century. It is internally burnished and externally wiped with external burnished continuous arch decoration. It measures 63.70mm x 60.34mm x 7.86mm thick (47.89g). The vessel had a diameter of approximately 220mm. The whole assemblage weighs 198g.