VESSEL

A base sherd fragment from a Roman Gaulish samian ware cup or small bowl possibly Dragendorff Form 27 or 33 dating to AD 40- 80 There is the remains of a maker's stamp consisting of [P]RIWI this is stamp 35h from the Potter Primus iii, the stamp is worn. The fragment has a pink fabric and is coated in a red slip on both the inside and outside which is abraded.

Dimensions: length: 29.85mm; width: 30.25mm; thickness: 4.53mm; weight: 3.63g.

Oswald & Pryce (1920:189-190) "This form is probably related to the Arretine cup, Loeschcke Type 10 a (Fig. 1), but its development may have been more strongly influenced by the early Gaulish non-Sigillata product in black ware, as found at Mont Beuvray (Fig. 2). Owing to its long life, considerable variations are met with in the detail-elements of this type." The authors continue "Although relatively rare in the first century, it becomes common in the second and third centuries. About the middle of the second century it had entirely supplanted the cup Drag. 27, which is so plentifully found on first century sites.
Its proved life was a long one-perhaps the longest of all the plain forms- extending from the reign of Claudius down to the end of the Sigillata period. Stamps are numerous, and we append, in illustration of the continuity of the type."

References: Oswald, F. and Pryce, T. Davies 1920. An introduction to the study of terra sigillata, London.

de la Bedoyere, G. 1988. Samian Ware. Shire Publications Ltd, Aylesbury.

Webster, P. 1996. Roman Samian Pottery in Britain. Practical Handbook in Archaeology 13. Council for British Archaeology, York.