File:ASSEMBLAGE (FindID 401621).jpg

English:

Introduction

This assemblage of finds represents the contents of an elaborate Late Iron Age or early Roman cremation burial excavated by Canterbury Archaeological Trust ahead of the development of the site now known as Thanet Earth, in the parish of St.Nicholas-at-Wade, Kent (NGR TR287672) on 16^th July 2008 (Rady 2010, 10). The 60 hectare excavation at Thanet Earth was divided into 8 plateaus. This cremation was located on Plateau 1 (site code TEP1 EX 07). The cremation burial G10012 was in the fill of Pit 10688, situated just to the north of Trackway 27. The burial was initially located by a volunteer from the Kent Archaeological Metal Detecting Support Unit (KAMSU). The finds have been examined and catalogued by specialists (Bevan forthcoming; Lyne forthcoming) and the discussions and catalogue presented here are based on their work.

The Burial

The burial was deposited in a sub-rectangular cut [c10688] 0.67 m. wide, 0.91 m. long and 0.24 m. deep, aligned north-east to south-west. The profile consisted of steep sides down to a wide irregular base. The cut contained cremated human bones, eleven pottery vessels, nineteen amber beads, three copper alloy brooches, two brooch pins and a lead object (possibly a weight). From the distribution of finds, it appears that the cremated remains were placed in the burial together with the dress accessories (the brooches and beads, which were all unburnt), perhaps contained within a bag or other perishable container. Three pottery vessels (FN9000, 9005 and 9010) were placed on the base of the grave, with another shattered vessel (a cup, FN9011) placed on top of FN9010 (an intact platter). A second platter (FN9009) had been shattered; some large pieces of this were placed on the base, and upright at the side, of the grave cut. Fragments of pig teeth were found lying on one of the fragments of shattered Terra Nigra platter in the lower, "primary", layer of the burial. Collectively this group appears to represent the primary deposit (Plate I).

Further pottery vessels were then deposited around the edges of the burial (FN9001, 9004, 9006, 9007 and 9008), possibly as the grave was backfilled (Plate II). Another vessel (FN9003) was found shattered within vessel FN9001, whilst parts of vessels FN9001 and FN9007 were found within vessel FN9006. Further parts of platter FN9009 were also distributed across the burial; these must have been deposited as the burial was backfilled with a deposit of orange-brown silty clay (c10687).

The Human Remains

A quantity of cremated human bone was recovered from the burial (SK18). At the time of writing, this cremated material had yet to be submitted to specialist analysis.

The Finds

The finds recovered from the burial comprise three copper alloy brooches (FN112-114), two copper alloy brooch pins (FN159-160), a circular lead object, possibly a weight (FN158), a group of nineteen amber beads (FN143-157, 169-172) and eleven pottery vessels (FN9000-9001, 9003-9011). Additional sherds of pottery recorded from the burial (BF1170, SF9002, SF9135) represented a mix fragments of the eleven accessory vessels that were not identified at the time of excavation plus a few residual coarse sherds from the backfill. Environmental samples from the fills also produced some animal bone (BF1244 from sample <1869>) and daub (BF1260 from sample <1870>).

The brooches include a pair of highly-elaborate rosette brooches (FN 112 and FN 113), dating to around the mid-1^st century A.D., along with a plainer, probably contemporary, brooch (FN114), together with two brooch pins (FN 159 and FN 160). The pair of rosette brooches conform to Mackreth's Type ROS 4b of his typology of Late Iron Age and Roman brooches (Mackreth 2011, 4b, 29, Fig. 17: 5876, 5879, 20). Type ROS 4b is characterised by having an integral lozenge-shaped plate, as opposed to the more common circular plate, which, in both cases, has repoussé sheet decoration (ibid, 4b, 29). The two closest parallels for these brooches come from Cirencester where Mackreth attests that they almost certainly arrived with the army in c. 45 A.D. (ibid, 29, Fig. 17:5876, 5879, 20). This type of 'purely continental' brooch (ibid, 8) was previously unknown in Kent or central Southern England (ibid 2011, 29), therefore the discovery of these brooches at the Thanet site is highly interesting and significant. The third brooch (FN114) is a Langton Down brooch with a plain bow, a 'purely continental' brooch (Mackreth 2011, 9) which conforms to Mackreth's Type LD8 in his typology, the closest design parallel coming from Silchester (ibid, 8, 36, Fig. 21: 6556, 24). In common with dating for rosette brooches (ibid, 8), dating for this type of brooch appears to cluster around the mid- 1^st century A.D. (ibid, 36), making it contemporary with the pair of rosette brooches from the same cremation.

The group of amber beads comprises 13 complete beads and fragments from another six beads (FN 143-FN 157) and probably represents a single necklace. The complete beads were all of a cylinder disc form, flat in shape, with fairly precise central perforations. Of these, five were quite large in size, having diameters ranging from 14-20 mm and heights (thicknesses) of 7-11 mm. A slightly smaller bead, which could be described as medium sized, measured 13 mm in diameter, with a height of 6 mm (FN 143), and the remaining seven complete beads were all small in size, ranging from 6-8 mm in diameter, with heights ranging from 3-4 mm. The beads were presumably intended to be worn as a necklace, perhaps in an arrangement of alternating larger and smaller beads, with the largest bead (FN 147) at the centre, assuming that other necklace elements have not been lost. Roman amber jewellery in Britain was not common (Johns 1996, 70), though it was used for necklaces, an example of which is known from London which comprised 70 beads of Baltic amber strung on a flax string (ibid, 100; Chapman 1974, 273-7). Similar amber beads to the ones from Thanet have been found in Romano-British burials, for example at Colchester, although these dated to the later Roman period, c. 320-c.450 (Crummy 1983, Fig. 34: 559, 634, 32-33), rather than the earlier Roman Period as seen in the Thanet cremation.

The eleven pottery vessels in the cremation appeared to be arranged in two distinct layers (see above). The 'primary' layer included a shattered and incomplete neck-cordoned jar in a local fabric (FN9000), a stamped Terra Nigra cup (FN9005), a stamped Terra Nigra platter (FN9010) and a very fine grog-tempered cup (FN9011). The 'secondary' layer comprised a Gallo-Belgic Whiteware beaker (FN9001), a small-necked beaker in grey North Kent Fineware fabric (FN9003), a Terra Nigra stamped cup (FN9004), and three butt-beakers in Gallo-Belgic Whiteware fabric (FN9006-8). A second Terra Nigra platter (FN9009) had been shattered and distributed throughout the burial.

Catalogue

Metal Finds, all from (c10687).

FN112. Copper alloy rosette brooch, one of a pair with FN113 below, with a lozenge plate which is unusual in retaining all of its original 'repoussé sheet which is both curved in section and cut with holes designed to look like vesicas' (Mackreth 2011, 29). The brooch has the characteristic reeded decoration on the shoulder and foot and, in addition, a series of decorative triangular motifs across the bow, each enclosing small circular motifs, which were probably originally enamelled. The brooch, which is complete apart from the missing pin, is also unusual in retaining the copper alloy 'bolt' which was inserted behind the bow, a decorative feature that seldom survives in this form of brooch (Mackreth 2011, 29). This type of brooch, along with FN113 below, conforms to Mackreth's Type ROS 4b of his typology of Late Iron Age and Roman brooches (Mackreth 2011, 4b, 29, Fig. 17: 5876, 5879, 20). Type ROS 4b is characterised by having an integral lozenge-shaped plate, as opposed to the more common circular plate, which, in both cases, has repoussé sheet decoration (ibid, 4b, 29). The two closest parallels for these brooches come from Cirencester where Mackreth attests that they almost certainly arrived with the army in c. 45 A.D. (ibid, 29, Fig. 17:5876, 5879, 20). This type of 'purely continental' brooch (ibid, 8) was previously unknown in Kent or central Southern England (ibid, 29), therefore the discovery of these brooches at the Thanet site is highly interesting and significant. Late Iron Age/Early Roman in date. Length: 75 mm, width: 55 mm, average thickness: 0.5 mm.

FN113. Copper alloy rosette brooch with a lozenge plate, the companion to FN112, above, identical in size and form but less well-preserved since only a corner of the original repoussé sheet (Mackreth 2011, 29, Fig. 17: 5876, 5879, 20) which is present on FN112, has survived. Again, this brooch has the characteristic reeded decoration on the bow and foot and probably also similar decoration to that of FN112 on the shoulder although in this case the surface of the metal is less well-preserved. Again, this example is unusual in retaining the copper alloy 'bolt' which was inserted behind the bow, a decorative feature that seldom survives in this form of brooch (Mackreth 2011, 29). Late Iron Age/Early Roman in date. Length: 77 mm, width: 56 mm, average thickness: 0.5 mm.

FN114. Copper alloy Langton Down brooch with a plain bow, intact apart from the missing pin, though not as well-preserved as FN112-113 above. This type of 'purely continental' brooch (Mackreth 2011, 9) conforms to Mackreth's Type LD8 in his typology of Late Iron Age and Roman brooches, the closest design parallel coming from Silchester (ibid 2011, 8, 36, Fig. 21: 6556, 24). In common with dating for rosette brooches (ibid, 8), dating for this type of brooch appears to cluster around the mid- 1^st century A.D. (ibid, 36), making it contemporary with the pair of rosette brooches from the same cremation, FN112-113 above. Late Iron Age/Early Roman in date. Length: 52 mm, width at shoulder: 22 mm, thickness: 1-2 mm.

FN159. Two joining fragments from a copper alloy brooch pin, one of which is curled into a loop at one end. Late Iron Age/Early Roman in date. Length of longer fragment: c. 20 mm, length of shorter fragment: 10 mm.

FN160. Copper alloy long brooch pin tapering to a point at one end. Late Iron Age/Early Roman in date. Length: 60 mm, diameter at widest end: 2 mm.

FN158. Lead object, possibly a weight, roughly circular in shape with a central perforation. Diameter: 34-35 mm, thickness: 11 mm- 15 mm. Weight: 90 grams.

Amber beads, complete and fragmentary, all from (c10687).

FN143. Amber bead, complete, cylinder disc-shaped, broken at one side. Diameter: 13 mm, height: 6 mm, diameter of hole: 3 mm.

FN144. Large amber bead, complete, cylinder disc-shaped. Diameter: 14 mm, height: 7 mm, diameter of hole: 4 mm.

FN145. Large amber bead, complete, cylinder disc-shaped. Diameter: 18 mm, height: 8 mm, diameter of hole: 2 mm.

FN146. Large amber bead, complete, cylinder disc-shaped. Diameter: 16 mm, height: 7 mm, diameter of hole: 3 mm.

FN147. Large amber bead, complete, cylinder disc-shaped. Diameter: 20 mm, height: 11 mm, diameter of hole: 3 mm.

FN148. Small amber bead, complete, cylinder disc-shaped. Diameter: 6 mm, height: 4 mm, diameter of hole: 1 mm.

FN149. Small amber bead, complete, cylinder disc-shaped. Diameter: 7 mm, height: 4 mm, diameter of hole: 2 mm.

FN150. Small amber bead, cylinder disc-shaped, in two joining fragments. Diameter: 7 mm, height: 4 mm, diameter of hole: 1 mm.

FN151. Small amber bead, complete, cylinder disc-shaped, the exterior of which is very degraded. Diameter: 8 mm, height: 3 mm, diameter of hole: 1 mm.

FN152. Small amber bead, complete, cylinder disc-shaped, the exterior of which is very degraded. Diameter: 6 mm, height: 3 mm, diameter of hole: 1 mm.

FN153. Small broken fragment from an amber bead, original form unknown. Length: 7 mm, width: 5 mm, thickness: 3 mm.

FN154. Several small broken fragments from an amber bead, original form unknown. Length of largest fragment: 3 mm.

FN155. Large amber bead, complete, cylinder disc-shaped. Diameter: 15 mm, height: 7 mm, diameter of hole: 3 mm.

FN156. Small amber bead, cylinder disc-shaped. Diameter: 8 mm, height: 3 mm, diameter of hole: 2mm.

FN157. Small amber bead, cylinder disc-shaped. Diameter: 8 mm, height: 3 mm, diameter of hole: 2mm.

FN169. Several small broken fragments from an amber bead, original form unknown. Length of largest fragment: 10 mm.

FN170. Several small broken fragments from an amber bead, original form unknown. Length of largest fragment: 7 mm.

FN171. Two broken fragments from an amber bead, original form unknown. Length of largest fragment: 10 mm.

FN172. Several small broken fragments from an amber bead, original form unknown. Length of largest fragment: 10 mm.

Pottery vessels, distributed in primary and secondary layers (corresponding to fills (c10722) and (c10687) respectively), with one shattered vessel dispersed across both layers. All vessels were allocated individual context numbers during excavation, as were their fills. Individual find numbers were then allocated to them during post excavation.

Primary layer (pl.I):

FN9000. Shattered and incomplete neck-cordoned jar with shoulder cordon in very underfired brown Thanet Dry fabric BER 16 fired polished black. External rim diameter 140 mm. c.AD.0-70. Vessel (c10736) containing fill (c10737).

FN9005. Terra Nigra CAM 56/7 cup with two line stamp TORNOS/VOCARI in base. Largely intact. External rim diameter 135 mm. c.AD.10-43/48. Vessel (c10734) containing fill (c10735).

FN9010. Terra Nigra CAM 2B platter with faint central and illegible two line stamp. Complete. External rim diameter 260 mm. C. 20 BC-AD 45. Vessel (c10738) containing fill (c10739).

FN9011. Cup of Thompson form E1-4 in brown very-fine-grog-tempered fabric B1 fired polished black. Shattered. External rim diameter 100 mm. c.AD.0-50. Contained in fill (c10739) of vessel (c10738).

Secondary layer (pl.II):

FN9001. Lid-seated CAM 114 beaker in cream Gallo-Belgic Whiteware fabric BER 5 with herringbone barbotine on girth and pinkish-orange colourcoat on shoulder and lid-seated rim. External rim diameter 90 mm. c.20BC-AD.45. Vessel (c10726) containing fill (c10727). Some fragments recovered from the fill (c10733) of vessel FN9006.

FN9003. Small-necked beaker of Monaghan type 2I5.2 in grey North Kent Fineware fabric R16. External rim diameter 60 mm. c.AD.43-70. In fill (c10727) of vessel (c10726).

FN9004. Terra Nigra CAM 56/7 cup with two line stamp CANICO/S.FNAI in base. External rim diameter 135 mm. c.AD.10-43/48. Vessel (c10724) containing fill (c10725).

FN9006. Large butt-beaker of Stead and Rigby form 2E2 in Gallo-Belgic Whiteware fabric BER 10 with orange patches on rim and surface greying. External rim diameter 140 mm. c.AD.30-70. Vessel (c10732) containing fill (c10733), which contained further fragments from vessels FN9001 and FN9007.

FN9007. Butt-beaker of Stead and Rigby form 2D4 in similar fabric. External rim diameter 110 mm. c.AD.30-70. Vessel (c10730) containing fill (c10731). Some fragments recovered from the fill (c10733) of vessel FN9006.

FN9008. Butt-beaker of form 2E2 in similar fabric. External rim diameter 120 mm. c.AD.30-70. Vessel (c10728) containing fill (c10729).

The shattered remains of the following vessel were purposely dispersed over both layers within the pit:

FN9009. Terra Nigra CAM 2 platter with two radial stamps of IVLIOSAV. External rim diameter 290 mm. c.AD.20-45. Vessel (c10723).

Dating

The closely datable objects in this assemblage comprise the three copper alloy brooches and the pottery vessels. Table 1 below summarises the dating of these finds:

<tbody></tbody>

Find No.	Object Type	Layer	Date
FN112-113	Rosette brooches x2	Primary?	Mid-1st century AD
FN114	Langton Down brooch	Primary?	Mid-1st century AD
FN9000	Neck-cordoned jar	Primary	AD 0-70
FN9005	Terra Nigra cup	Primary	c. AD 10-43/48
FN9010	Terra Nigra platter	Primary	c. 20 BC-AD 45
FN9011	Cup	Primary	c. AD 0-50
FN9001	Lid-seated beaker	Secondary	c. 20 BC-AD 45
FN9003	Small-necked beaker	Secondary (in FN9001)	c. AD 43-70
FN9004	Terra Nigra cup	Secondary	c. AD 10-43/48
FN9006-9008	Butt-beakers x3	Secondary	c. AD 30-70
FN9009	Terra Nigra platter	Primary & Secondary	c. AD 20-45

Table 1: Dating summary

The presence of the small-necked beaker FN9003 suggests a terminus post quem for the overall assemblage of AD 43, with specialist opinion being that the pottery as a whole provides a date for this cremation burial of c. AD 43-50+. The rosette and Langton Down brooches would certainly be consistent with such a date range.

Conclusions

Notwithstanding the impression of a primary and secondary layer of pottery vessels within this burial, the evidence suggests that this assemblage was deposited as a single event, representing the final act of a longer funeral ceremony. Following cremation of the body, a probable sequence of deposition is that the cremated bones were gathered and placed in a bag or sack, along with the deceased's unburnt dress accessories. This was then placed in the base of the open pit along with a number of pottery vessels, including parts of a shattered Terra Nigra platter (FN9009). Pig teeth appear to have been placed on one of the pieces of this platter. The pit then began to be backfilled, with further pottery vessels (including more pieces of platter FN9009) being placed in as backfilling progressed. There is no positive evidence of any subsequent disturbance, or of any later insertions of objects, into the grave.

This assemblage was reported as potential Treasure on the basis that the cremation could date to before AD 43. If that was the case the find would be considered Treasure under the terms of the Treasure Act (1996) and its 2002 amendment due to the presence of multiple metal objects within a single context. However, specialist analysis of the finds strongly suggests that this cremation was almost certainly deposited during or soon after AD 43. On that basis it is suggested that this assemblage does not constitute a find of Treasure under the terms of the 1996 Act and its amendments.

Bibliography

Bevan, L. Forthcoming The Small Finds. Unpublished specialist report, prepared for inclusion in forthcoming publication by Canterbury Archaeological Trust on the excavations at Thanet Earth, 2007-8.

Chapman, H. 1974 Three Roman Objects from the City of London. Transactions of the London and Middlesex Archaeological Society 25, 273-277.

Crummy, N. 1983 The Roman Small Finds from Excavations in Colchester 1971-9. Colchester Archaeological Report 2. Colchester Archaeological Trust.

Johns, C. 1996 The Jewellery of Roman Britain. University of Michigan Press, Ann Arbor.

Lyne, M. Forthcoming The Roman Pottery from Thanet Earth. Unpublished specialist report, prepared for inclusion in forthcoming publication by Canterbury Archaeological Trust on the excavations at Thanet Earth, 2007-8.

Mackreth, D. F. 2011 Brooches in Iron Age and Roman Britain. Volumes 1 and 2. Oxbow Books, Oxford.

Rady.J, 2010, 'Thanet Earth, Monkton' Canterbury's Archaeology 2008-2009, 1-16.

Stead, I.M., and Rigby, V. 1989 Verulamium: the King Harry Lane site. English Heritage Archaeological Report No.12.