Wessex Archaeology

Neolithic 4000BC – 2500BC Do you know your pottery?

Neolithic 4000BC – 2500BC
· Early pottery had rounded bases and
sometimes had carinations (sharp angles
in the vessel wall) and little or no decoration.
· Later pottery had lots of decoration, on the rim
and body, formed by pinching or pressing
objects such as bird bones or whipped cord
into the clay before firing (in a bonfire type kiln).
· Grooved Ware is a particular type of pottery
with incised lines or 'grooved' decoration. These
pots have flat bases and often feel 'soapy' to
the touch. This is because crushed pottery
(grog) has been added to the clay before
making the pot.

Bronze Age 2500BC – 700BC Bronze Age 2500BC – 700BC

· Early pots either have large rims or 'collars'
which are decorated, or are 'beakers' with
round bodies and flaring rims. The clay used
to make these pots often feels 'soapy' or 'sandy'.
· By the Middle Bronze Age pots are either
bucket, barrel or globular jars or 'urns'.
The clay often contains small pieces of flint.
Fingertip or nails were used to decorate the rims
and sometimes used in a horizontal line around
the body of the pot.
· Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age jars or bowls
were decorated with finger tip impressions,
horizontal lines or had been burnished (a shiny
surface was produced by rubbing the clay with
a smooth object before firing).

Iron Age 700BC – 43AD Iron Age 700BC – 43AD

· Early forms were either carinated or rounded
jars and bowls. By the middle Iron Age jars and
bowls were more rounded in shape, or else were
convex or straight sided vessels now commonly
called 'saucepan' pots.
· The potters' wheel was first used in Britain some
time around 100BC. Using the wheel enabled
potters' to make different shaped pots, some of
which were very elegant.
· Decoration on pottery increased during this
period, and included impressed and incised
circles, chevrons, horizontal grooves, geometric
or curvilinear designs and burnished decoration.
In the late Iron Age cordoned decoration was
common, particularly around the neck of jars
and bowls.
 Wessex Archaeology

Romano-British AD43 – 410

Romano-British AD43 – 410
· Most (but not all) pottery was wheelmade very
standardised. The Romans introduced new
forms such as amphora, flagons and mortaria.
· Locally made coarseware jars and bowls were
used for cooking, food preparation and storage.
· Finewares, mainly used for dining, included
bowls, dishes, cups and beakers. A common
early fineware was the shiny red-slipped samian
ware from Gaul (France). During the late Roman
period numerous British industries produced
finewares, sometimes copying samian pottery.
· Decoration was varied and included burnished
zones, wavy lines or lattice patterns, coloured
'slips' (a mix of fine clay and water), and painted
decoration.

Anglo-Saxon AD410 – 1066 Anglo-Saxon AD410 – 1066

· Pottery was handmade (most wheel made
pottery was imported from the continent).
· There was a wide range of shapes and forms,
many similar to the earlier Iron Age vessels.
· Sandy or organic (grass-tempered) fabrics
were common.
· Decoration included impressed, incised and
applied motifs.

Medieval AD1066 – 1500 Medieval AD1066 – 1500

· Pottery was either handmade or wheelthrown.
· There was a wide range of coarseware and
fineware (becoming finer over time).
· The main forms were jugs, jars and bowls,
with a lot of variety. There were also many
specialised forms, such as frying pans,
cauldrons, lamps and chicken feeders!
· Pottery was often decorated with a slip or glaze
(glaze is a glassy coating melted onto the
surface of the pottery). Decoration included
impressed or incised motifs, and some pots
were very elaborately decorated.

Post-medieval 1500 – 1700's Post-medieval 1500 – 1700's

· Introduction of stoneware (very hard, usually
grey, brown or white in colour).
· Tin-glazed wares were plain or decorated with
painted blue, purple, orange, green and yellow
on a white background. Early patterns were
geometric, later patterns were Chinese-inspired
designs.
· Redwares (similar to the fabric used for modern
flowerpots) were common coarseware fabrics
and used for a wide range of purposes.