POST MEDIEVAL VESSEL

1500

Four complete miniature ceramic vessels of uncertain date. All are of similar size, form and fabric and were recovered as a group whilst gardening. They have a combined total weight of 218.77g.1) A wheelmade miniature vessel, probably a jug, formed from relatively coarse fabric with white inclusions that has fired brick red at the core and has pale cream/white surfaces. It comprises a conical body with high shoulders, tapering to a flaring foot that has a crudely finished underside where it has been removed from the potter's wheel. Extending from the shoulders is a separately thrown and elongated tubular, straight sided neck and rim. From one side of the rim is a separately applied strap handle that is oval shaped in section and joins the body at the shoulder. The entire object measures 73.16mm in height, 41.18mm in width/diameter (at shoulder, 27.57mm at foot, 27.73mm at rim), 4.08mm in thickness at rim, and weighs 62.87g.2) A wheelmade miniature vessel, probably a jug, formed from relatively coarse fabric with white inclusions that has fired red/pink at the core and has pale cream/white surfaces that are slightly yellow in places. It comprises a conical body with high shoulders, tapering to a flaring foot that has a crudely finished underside where it has been removed from the potter's wheel. Extending from the shoulders is a separately thrown and elongated tubular, straight sided neck and rim. From one side of the rim is a separately applied strap handle that is oval shaped in section and joins the body at the shoulder. The entire object measures 78.49mm in height, 40.16mm in width/diameter (at shoulder, 24.86mm at foot, 25.12mm at rim), 3.58mm in thickness at rim, and weighs 58.05g.3) A wheelmade miniature vessel, probably a jug, formed from relatively coarse fabric with white inclusions that has fired red/brown at the core and has pale cream/white surfaces that are slightly yellow in places. It comprises a conical body with high shoulders, tapering to a flaring foot that has a crudely finished underside where it has been removed from the potter's wheel. Extending from the shoulders is a separately thrown and elongated tubular, straight sided neck and rim. From one side of the rim is a separately applied strap handle that is oval shaped in section and joins the body at the shoulder. The entire object measures 75.41mm in height, 37.26mm in width/diameter (at shoulder, 24.87mm at foot, 24.84mm at rim), 3.49mm in thickness at rim, and weighs 50.57g.4) A wheelmade miniature vessel, probably a jug, formed from relatively coarse fabric with white inclusions that has fired slightly pink at the core and has pale cream/white surfaces that are slightly yellow in places. It comprises a conical body with high shoulders, tapering to a flaring foot that has a crudely finished underside where it has been removed from the potter's wheel. Extending from the shoulders is a separately thrown and elongated tubular, straight sided neck and rim. From one side of the rim is a separately applied strap handle that is oval shaped in section and joins the body at the shoulder. The entire object measures 73.39mm in height, 39.36mm in width/diameter (at shoulder, 25.93mm at foot, 24.70mm at rim), 3.41mm in thickness at rim, and weighs 47.28g.Two additional vessels of identical form were recovered from the same findspot at a later date to the first group of four vessels, bringing the total number to six vessels and total weight of 344.39g. They are as follows:5) A wheelmade miniature vessel, probably a jug, formed from relatively coarse fabric with white inclusions that has fired slightly pink at the core and has pale cream/white surfaces that are slightly yellow in places. It comprises a conical body with high shoulders, tapering to a flaring foot that has a crudely finished underside where it has been removed from the potter's wheel. Extending from the shoulders is a separately thrown and elongated tubular, straight sided neck and rim. From one side of the rim is a separately applied strap handle that is oval shaped in section and joins the body at the shoulder. The entire object measures 79.93mm in height, 40.91mm in width/diameter (at shoulder, 26.90mm at foot, 26.03mm at rim), 3.98mm in thickness at rim, and weighs 65.87g.6) A wheelmade miniature vessel, probably a jug, formed from relatively coarse fabric with white inclusions that has fired slightly pink at the core and has pale cream/white surfaces that are slightly yellow in places. It comprises a conical body with high shoulders, tapering to a flaring foot that has a crudely finished underside where it has been removed from the potter's wheel. Extending from the shoulders is a separately thrown and elongated tubular, straight sided neck and rim. From one side of the rim is a separately applied strap handle that is oval shaped in section and joins the body at the shoulder. The entire object measures 77mm in height, 41.99mm in width/diameter (at shoulder, 26.75mm at foot, 26.26mm at rim), 4.33mm in thickness at rim, and weighs 59.75g.The precise date range for this group of objects remains uncertain. Miniatures like this are known from Roman contexts, however these examples do not appear to be of Roman form or fabric, at least within Suffolk contexts. A Medieval date also seems unlikely as, although some parallels are known for miniature vessels dating to the Medieval period (Pearce et al., 1982: fig. 9; Pearce and Vince, 1988: fig. 133), the form differs slightly as does the fabric. A further possibility is that the group are not of British origin but were brought to the region from further afield, perhaps as antiquarian losses. However, Beverley Nenk (Curator, British Museum) suggests they may instead be of late Medieval to early Post-Medieval date, their form perhaps suggesting imitation of Rhenish stoneware vessels. Whether they served simply as miniatures or as containers for ointments or similar remains uncertain. This would suggest a possible 16th century AD date for the vessels, although a date range slightly earlier or later cannot be ruled out entirely.