Colchester Archaeological Report 2: The Roman small finds

CATEGORY 17: OBJECTS AND WASTE MATERIAL ASSOCIATED
WITH THE MANUFACTURE OF POTTERY
VESSELS OR PIPECLAY OBJECTS
No objects have been found which relate to the
manufacture of pipeclay objects. Any items related to
the making of pottery vessels will be dealt with in the
pottery report.
CATEGORY 18: OBJECTS THE FUNCTION OR IDENTIFICATION OF
Finds in this category include objects which can be
assigned to several of the preceding categories, and
objects of which the uses are speculative, unknown,
or uncertain.
RINGS (Fig 197; 4396-4423)
4396 Fig 197 SF LWC 936(C), A292. Period 3b. Copper-alloy ring
of roughly circular section. Worn in one place. Internal
diameter 13.0mm.
4397 Fig 197 SF LWC 386(C), B117. Cellar (F70) backfill,
contaminated. Period 5+. Copper-alloy ring of stilted Dshaped
section. Internal diameter 14.0mm.
4399 Fig 197 SF LWC 1974(C), H150. ^Probable remains of
demolished wall of Roman building. Roman. Copper-alloy
ring of ovoid section. Internal diameter 25.0mm.
4400 Fig 197 SF LWC 2469(C), J385. Demolished building. Period
4b destruction. Iron ring of circular section. Internal
diameter elliptical, 45.0 by 51.0mm.
4402 Fig 197 SF LWC 4306, J452. Demolition debris. Period 4b
destruction. Iron ring of rectangular section. Internal
diameter 24.0mm.
4403 Fig 197 SF LWC 3020(C), J806. Occupation of first gravelled
footway surface. Period 4a. Copper-alloy ring of ovoid
section. Internal diameter 16.5 mm.
4420 Fig 197 SF MID 117, C468 F158. Pit. Roman. Fragment of a
bone ring of D-shaped section with an internal ridge.
Internal diameter 22.0mm.
4423 Fig 197 SF BUC 1723, H1065 G693. Grave fill? Period 1. A
corroded iron ring of ?D-shaped section. Internal diameter
33.0 mm. Possibly a coffin-fitting.
CHAINS (Fig 198; 4424-4445)
Copper-alloy chains were used for the suspension of
scale pans (Ward-Perkins and Claridge 1976,
catalogue no 248) or of metal lamps (ibid, catalogue
no 135). They could support jewellery or amulets
worn round the neck (Fig 113, 2950), or themselves
could be jewellery. Descriptions of the types of chain
used in jewellery can be found in Higgins 1976. Iron
WHICH IS UNKNOWN OR UNCERTAIN
161
chains could also be used for a variety of purposes,
such as the suspension of iron cauldrons, or as part of
harness. Small single rings could be suspension
loops rather than links of a chain.
4424.Fig 198 SF LWC 565, A133. Topsoil over tessellated
pavement. Probably late Roman, but possibly early
medieval. Two copper-alloy penannular links of thin Dshaped
section (the D lying horizontally) and a fragment of a
third. Internal diameter 6.5 mm.
4427 Fig 198 SF LWC 3986(C), R324. Demolition debris. Period 4
or post-Roman. A length of copper-alloy chain of oval
penannular links of circular section. One end link is larger
than the others. Internal dimensions of small links 2.0 by
5.0mm. Internal dimensions of large link 3.5 by 6.0mm.
4429 Fig 198 SF BKC 292(C), A75 F16. Town ditch fill. Anglo-
Saxon or Period 6. Two links of a copper-alloy chain. Each
link is made of wire coiled twice and with the ends twisted
together. Internal diameter 3.5mm.
4432 Fig 198 SF BKC 3289(C), J186 F13. Large pit. Period 5b.
Copper-alloy loop or hook from the end of a chain (Ward-
Perkins and Claridge 1976, catalogue no 248). Length
41.5 mm.
4440 Fig 198 SF CPS 656(C), 641 L88. Burnt make-up. Period 4. A
copper-alloy suspension loop probably from the end of a
chain. Part of the loop is missing. Length 28.5mm.
4441 Fig 198 SF BUC 70(C), A319 L2. Period 2. Five lengths of
copper-alloy double loop-in-loop chain. One length only is
illustrated.
4442 Fig 198 SF BUC 63, A323 F75. Pit. Post-Roman. A short
length of iron chain of three figure-of-eight links and one
rectangular link. Possibly post-Roman.
4443 Fig 198 SF BUC 410, B1148 G177. Grave fill. Period 1. Five
copper-alloy oval penannular links of D-shaped section.
Internal diameter 6.5 by 9.0mm.
4444 Fig 198 SF BUC 477, C309 G284. Grave fill. Period 2. A
length of copper-alloy double loop-in-loop chain.
COPPER-ALLOY WIRE (4446-4462)
Some of the catalogued fragments of wire may be
from brooch pins or springs, distorted armlets or other
larger objects. None has been illustrated. In
microfiche catalogue.