VESSEL

Eardisland History and Heritage Group

Eardisland Excavation 2000-2010

Site Summary: Finds were made during the excavation of a mound in the grounds adjacent to the dwelling: Burton Court Eardisland. The trench in which the majority of artefacts were found measured 5 metres by 3 metres. The stratified assemblage of pottery is of regional importance being especially well preserved and evidence for a domestic non-castle medieval site dating from the twelfth to early thirteenth centuries (1100-1250)

Site number: BC 01

Sector: B

Context number: 107

Nine base sherds of Malvern Chaseware Fabric Type HER (Hereford) B1. from hand made cooking pots.

The largest fragment measure:

59.1mm in high, 33.5mm width, and 11.1 across the base and 6.0mm across the wall: 22.1 grams. The external diameter of the base is 22cm representing 4% of the total circumference.

The smallest fragment measure:

10.6mm in high, 33.6mm width, 6.9mm across base, and 6.9mm across the wall: 7.1 grams. The external diameter of the base is 18cm representing 6% of the total circumference.

The bulk weight: 120.1 grams

___________________________________________________________

Sherd specific details:

Fabric Type: Malvern Chaseware are fabric HER (Hereford) B1.

Fabric Condition: A fine hard fabric with inclusions

Firing Condition:

1. Exterior: Dark grey to brown; Core: Mid-grey; Interior: Mid-brown

2. Dark grey throughout

Surface texture:

1. Exterior: smooth, no sooting; Interior: slightly rough, no sooting, but one small patch of limescale and possible food residue

2. Exterior: smooth, no sooting; Interior: slightly rough, no sooting, lightly limescaled

Condition of sherd.

1. Good

2. Fairly good

Projected Rim Diameters

3. The external diameter of the base is 18cm representing 4% of the total circumference.

4. The external diameter of the base is 18cm representing 8% of the total circumference.

5. The external diameter of the base is 20cm representing 5% of the total circumference.

6. The external diameter of the base is 25cm representing 4% of the total circumference.

7. The external diameter of the base is 22cm representing 5% of the total circumference.

8. The external diameter of the base is 20cm representing 4% of the total circumference.

9. The external diameter of the base is too small to measure meaning the total circumference is unknown.

Inclusions: Abundant small well sorted rounded white quartz grains average size 0.8mm - 1.0 mm, sparse white mica, occasional angular quartz grains (1.0mm). A small quantity of rounded sandstone grains is also present often over 1mm and occasionally up to 4.0mm.

Glaze: None

Class: Malvern Chaseware fabric HER (Hereford) B1.

Comments: Dr. Alan Vince - identified this as Malvern Chaseware HER (Hereford) B1 and states that the most common inclusions within the fabric consists of large angular fragments of igneous rock (up to 4.0mm across) which form up to 10% by volume of the pot. Rounded quartz (up to 1.4mm) is also common at approximately 4% by volume. Other large inclusion sometimes are 1.0mm across include rounded sandstones and metamorphic rocks. Small fragmnets of rounded chert, clay pellets, biotite, and horneblende occur, white opaque iron ore and angular quartz both less than 0.1mm are visible in section. Vessels are usually black or grey thoughout owing to reduction in the firing and the presence of carbon within the fabric.

The earliest 12th century vessels are thin-walled irregularly hand formed and roughly cylindrical cooking pots. Rims are usually everted and angular in profile while a few have a cordon just below the rim. Very little finishing is apparent. The late 12th and 13th century pots are similar although the vessels tend to become slightly larger and thicker walled with smoother profiles

Class: VESSEL
Sub class: Base