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The National Roman Fabric Reference Collection: a Handbook

Hand specimen picture panel
Thin section picture panel

References

Appendix 1: Keywords and Definitions
Appendix 2: Physical Layout of Sherds Housed in the NRFRC

 

Pulborough samian (PUL SA)

Two samples

General appearance

This fabric has a tendency to be overfired. It is maroon (10R 5/4) in the break with red-brown surfaces, slightly purplish (10R 5/8) in cast. As a result of overfiring it is hard and smooth to the feel. The fracture is very dense and sintered, with a concoidal break. Slip is of good quality with a silky feel, though not very glossy, and small blisters sometimes form on it. Brush marks are clearly visible. Decorated forms occurring in this fabric are Dragendorff 30 and Dragendorff 37, while plain wares comprise Dragendorff 18 (or more probably 18/31), Dragendorff 33, Dragendorff 35 and Curle 11 (Webster 1975, 167–8).

Hand specimen

Inclusions are barely visible in the sintered matrix: a few grains of quartz, black iron-rich fragments, limestone and silver mica, all 0.1–0.2mm, can be seen.

Thin section

An isotropic clay with rare muscovite mica is viewed under the petrological microscope. The matrix contains common silt-sized quartz, and fewer opaques and limestone. Rare larger grains of quartz and feldspar measure up to 0.3mm, while several siltstones, up to 0.6mm, are visible.

Source

Although no kilns are known, samian moulds have been found near Wiggonholt, Sussex and distribution of the finds also supports Sussex as the source for this fabric (Webster 1975, 163).

Donor

Worthing Museum and Art Gallery

Museum

Worthing Museum and Art Gallery

References

Marsh, G D, 1979 Three vessels by the Aldgate-Pulborough potter from London, Trans London Middlesex Archaeol Soc 30, 185–7

Simpson, G, 1952 The Aldgate potter: a maker of Romano-British samian ware, J Roman Stud 42, 68–71

Webster, P V, 1975 More British samian ware by the Aldgate-Pulborough potter, Britannia 6, 163–70

Williams, D F, 1979 Petrological analysis, in Three vessels by the Aldgate-Pulborough potter from London (G Marsh), Trans London Middlesex Archaeol Soc 30, 186–7

Plate 155: Fresh sherd break of PUL SA (width of field 24 mm). Click to see a larger version

Plate 155: Fresh sherd break of PUL SA (width of field 24 mm)

Plate 155.1: Photomicrograph of PUL SA (XPL) (width of field 1.74 mm). Click to see a larger version

Plate 155.1: Photomicrograph of PUL SA (XPL) (width of field 1.74 mm)


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