Colchester Archaeological Report 2: The Roman small finds

Fig 32 Gadrooned beads (1:1)
546 Fig 33 SF BKC 5746, V1161 L149. Dump? Period 4. Length
10.0mm, diameter 20.0mm. Dark blue translucent glass
with marvered white paste zig-zag trail (ibid, 63-4, Group 5A).
548 Fig 41 SF BUC 13(C), A7 G1. Grave deposit. Period 2. Length
13.0mm, diameter 17.0mm. Opaque dark blue glass with
marvered mid blue glass zig-zag trail. The trail is bordered on
each side by a very thin line of red glass. A thick bun-shaped
bead, threaded on a two-strand cable armlet, Fig 41,1610.
Plain annular beads (Fig 33; 549-558). These beads
derive from contexts varying in date from the mid 1st to
the late 4th century.
549 Fig 33 SF LWC 3931, ?E unstratified. Length 4.0mm,
diameter 13.0mm. Mid blue translucent glass.
545 0 1cm
I I
Fig 33 Annular beads (1:1)
32
551 Fig 33 SF BKC 4259, N257 F2? Period 5b2 or 6. Length
8.0 mm, diameter 24.0 mm. Translucent dark green glass.
553 Fig 33 SF BKC 4959, V59. Unstratified. Length 8.0mm,
diameter 18.0 mm. Natural translucent greenish glass.
555 Fig 48 SF BUC 53(C), A360 G15. Grave deposit. Period 2.
Length 5.0mm, diameter 13.5mm. Natural translucent
greenish glass. Found on an iron armlet, Fig 48,1738.
DISC BEADS (length less than 1
/ 3 diameter)
Oblate disc bead (Fig 34; 559)
559 Fig 34 SF BUC 53(C), A360 G15. Grave deposit. Period 2.
Length 4.0mm, diameter 17.0mm. Amber, weathered.
SHORT BEADS (length more than 1
/ 3 but less than
9
/ 10 diameter)
Short oblate beads (Fig 34; 560-624). These
generally belong to the 3rd and 4th centuries. The
majority of those catalogued derive from graves dated
to the last three-quarters of the 4th century.
562 Fig 34 SF BKC 210, A78 L4. Topsoil and town ditch (F19)f ill.
Post-Roman. Length 4.5 mm, diameter 5.5 mm. Opaque mid
blue glass.
614 Fig 34 SF BUC 202(C), B290 G69. Grave deposit. Period 2.
Length 2.5 mm, diameter 5.5 mm. Jet.
615 Fig 34 SF BUC 186(C), B306 G69. Grave deposit. Period 2.
Length 4.0mm, diameter 7.5mm. Jet. Pierced three times.
At one end there are five small indentations which, with the
two outer perforations, form a circle.
617 Fig 34 SF BUC 1518, H231 G503. Grave deposit. Period 2.
One of a group of six, with 618-22, from an armlet. Average
length 13.0mm, average diameter 16.0mm. Jet. All but one
of the six are worn round the perforation to a barrel-shaped
longitudinal -
section.
Short barrel beads (Fig 34; 625-649)
628 Fig 34 SF BKC 80, A43 L5. Topsoil and town ditch (F16) fill.
Post-Roman. Length 3.0mm, diameter 5.0mm. Opaque
'black' glass.
634 Fig 34 SF BUC 53(C), A360 G15. Grave deposit. Period 2. One
of a pair with 635. Length 5.5mm, diameter 11.5 mm.
Amber, weathered. Worn to a wedge-shaped longitudinal
section.
Short biconical beads (Fig 34; 650-802). All the
catalogued examples, with the exception of Fig 34,
650, derive from graves in the later Butt Road
cemetery. The type is found in dark blue translucent
glass throughout the Roman period (ibid, 97), and the
early date of 650 suggests that it was also current in
other colours.
650 Fig 34 SF LWC 3774, K507 F287. Gully. Period 3? Length
3.0mm, diameter 5.0mm. Opaque mid green glass.
656 Fig 34 SF BUC 39(C), A225 G16. Grave deposit. Period2. One
of a group, with 657-65, of twenty large biconical beads.
Average length 3.0mm, average diameter 6.0mm.
Translucent dark blue glass.
666 Fig 34 SF BUC 39(C), A225 G16. Grave deposit. Period2. One
of a group, with 667-82, of seventeen biconical beads.
Average length 2.5mm, average diameter 4.0mm.
Translucent dark blue glass.
Short cylinder beads, circular section (Fig 34; 803-
805). The catalogued examples are all jet and almost
certainly belong to the 3rd and 4th centuries.
803 Fig 34 SF BKC 3137(C), J61 L1. Site clearance. Length
6.0 mm, diameter 10.5 mm. Jet, with three shallow, evenlyspaced,
transverse grooves.