This volume publishes papers relating to new research on Roman period ceramics. Two papers present evidence of Late Iron Age and early Roman pottery forms and fabrics from west and east Kent: from West Malling, including transitional wares, and by Sholden villa, with groups of second century date including samian. Ceramic fire-dogs discovered in the area of the Dutch Lowlands and Flanders brings to attention a type of find that may prove to be more common than previously noted. The same may be the case with portable Roman ceramic ovens and baking plates recorded in recent years in Britain; these two papers contribute to a growing corpus and debate on Roman cooking, ‘fast-food’ and functions. Amphorae from the eastern Mediterranean in northern Europe and pottery used in Roman ritual and religion noting distinct types and trends often involving symbolism are discussed. Details of the pottery production site at Snape, Suffolk, and the types produced, are described. This volume also features ‘retrospectives’ as Beth Richardson, Peter Webster and Christopher Young reflect on their careers and experiences working with pottery, looking to the future and the volume also contains reviews and obituaries.
Editorial
Obituaries
David Peacock by Roberta Tomber
Cathy Tester by Jo Caruth
Phil Jones
The import and distribution of eastern amphorae within the Rhine provinces
Tyler V. Franconi
Roman pottery in ritual contexts: types, fabrics and manipulations
Constanze Höpken and Manuel Fiedler
An early Romano-British double flue pottery kiln at Church Road, Snape, Suffolk
Antony Mustchin and Andrew Peachey, with John Summers
Roman pottery groups from the excavation of pits, a cremation and other features at Sholden, Kent
Rob Perrin
Bread and circuses, cutlets and sausages? Romano-British pre-formed ovens and ceramic baking plates
Jane Evans with Alison Heke and Andrew Peachey
Curved ceramic firedogs from Flanders and the western Netherlands
Jeroen van Zoolingen
A Late Iron Age and early Roman pottery assemblage from Leybourne Grange, West Malling, Kent
Edward Biddulph
Pottery Retrospectives
Beth Richardson
Peter Webster
Christopher Young
Reviews
The Arverni and Roman Wine. Roman amphorae from Late Iron Age sites in the Auvergne (Central France): Chronology, fabrics and stamps by Matthew Loughton, 2014
Reviewed by Robin P. Symonds
Insight from Innovation: New light on archaeological ceramics, edited by E. Sibbesson, B. Jervis and S. Coxon, 2016
Reviewed by Edward Biddulph
Steven Willis is Senior Lecturer in Archaeology at the University of Kent, England, and former President of the Study Group for Roman Pottery. He obtained his PhD from Durham University and, in addition to a specialization in Roman ceramics, his main areas of expertise are in the archaeology of settlement, society and material culture in the Iron Age and Roman era in western Europe.
