Sourcing the clay : Iron Age pottery production around Poole Harbour and the Isle of Purbeck, Dorset, UK
One of the most ubiquitous types of Romano-British coarseware pottery, Black- burnished ware 1 (BB1), was produced around the shores of Poole Harbour, in South East Dorset. Previous researchers have shown that this industry was already well- established by the 1st century BC, while reports documenting excavations at earlier Iron Age sites in Dorset indicate that its roots can be traced back to around 700 BC. However, little is known about the production and circulation of wares during these formative phases of the industry, a topic that is addressed by the research presented here with a specific focus on the clays selected by potters working between 700 BC and 100 BC. A typology of Iron Age Poole Harbour wares has been compiled, drawing together the range of forms found on sites across Dorset. A programme of fieldwork revealed that the landscape of Poole Harbour and the Isle of Purbeck offered a range of clays and sands to the potters. Petrological analysis of 255 sherds of pottery illustrated that the Poole Harbour ware fabrics are characterised by the presence of elongated argillaceous inclusions and a low incidence of silt-sized quartz, with variability in the range of larger quartz grains. Thin sections
Jones, Grace
Sourcing the clay : Iron Age pottery production around Poole Harbour and the Isle of Purbeck, Dorset, UK. One of the most ubiquitous types of Romano-British coarseware pottery, Black- burnished ware 1 (BB1), was produced around the shores of Poole Harbour, in South East Dorset. Previous researchers have shown that this industry was already well- established by the 1st century BC, while reports documenting excavations at earlier Iron Age sites in Dorset indicate that its roots can be traced back to around 700 BC. However, little is known about the production and circulation of wares during these formative phases of the industry, a topic that is addressed by the research presented here with a specific focus on the clays selected by potters working between 700 BC and 100 BC. A typology of Iron Age Poole Harbour wares has been compiled, drawing together the range of forms found on sites across Dorset. A programme of fieldwork revealed that the landscape of Poole Harbour and the Isle of Purbeck offered a range of clays and sands to the potters. Petrological analysis of 255 sherds of pottery illustrated that the Poole Harbour ware fabrics are characterised by the presence of elongated argillaceous inclusions and a low incidence of silt-sized quartz, with variability in the range of larger quartz grains. Thin sections
clay iron_age_pottery production around harbour isle dorset ubiquitous type romano_british pottery black ware produce around shore harbour south east dorset previous researcher show industry already well establish report document excavation earlier iron age sit dorset indicate root trace_back around however_little known production_circulation war formative phase industry topic address present specific_focus clay select potter work typology iron_age harbour war compile draw_together range form find site_across dorset programme fieldwork reveal landscape harbour isle offer range clay sand potter petrological analysis pottery illustrate harbour ware fabric characterise presence elongate inclusion low incidence sized variability range large grain thin_section