Colchester Archaeological Report 2: The Roman small finds

Transverse grooves (Fig 50; 1769-1773)
a) continuous
1770 Fig 50 SF BKC 2981(C), J26 L1. Site clearance. Cast.
Internal diameter 20.0mm; D-shaped section, height
2.0mm, thickness 1.5mm.
b) in groups
1771 Fig 50 SF LWC 3376(C), J1108 F365. Pit. Period 4.
Penannular. Internal diameter 16.0mm, the section varies.
The broad decorative part of the hoop bears transverse
grooves across the two broadest points.
1773 Fig 50 SF LWC 2299(C), L31. Post-medieval. Penannular,
slightly distorted. Internal diameter 17.0mm; D-shaped to
rectangular section, height 1.5 to 2.0mm, thickness 1.5 to
1.0mm. Each flattened terminal bears a decoration of two
groups of transverse grooves separated by a cross. Possibly
post-Roman.
Chevrons (Fig 50; 1774)
1774 Fig 50 SF BUC 382(C), B1044 G168. Grave fill. Probably
disturbed grave deposit or item of dress from an earlier
grave. Period 1 or 2. Penannular. Internal diameter
16.5 mm; rectangular section, height 2.0mm, thickness
1 .0mm. The decoration is on the inner face of the hoop and
each terminal shows a fairly rough cut or broken face. This
ring has almost certainly been cut down from an armlet. The
decoration consists of lightly incised lines forming a chevron
pattern.
With glass or enamel setting (Fig 50; 1775-1786)
1777 Fig 50 SF LWC 3010(C), L326 F198. Oven. Period 4(2).
Fragment. Most of the decorative element of the ring
survives, showing two droplets of corroded blue glass in cast
settings, with part of the setting for a third.
1778 Fig 50 SF BKC 397(C), A95 L4. Topsoil and town ditch (F19)
fill. Post-Roman. Fragment with an elliptical bezel filled with
Champlevé enamel of ?yellow round a white spot. The
surviving part of the hoop has decorative moulding. Similar
to Neal and Butcher 1974, fig 60, 115.
1779 Fig 50 SF BKC 1625(C), E897 L250. Road metalling. Periods
2 and 3a. In five fragments. Internal diameter 21.5mm; the
hoop is of roughly circular section, 3.0mm thick. The large
bezel is inset with principally translucent dark blue glass,
with two pieces of translucent mid yellow glass on one side.
The glass is now cracked and damaged, but appears to have
originally had an irregular surface.
1780 Fig 50 SF BKC 2249(C), G171 F31. Postpit. Period 5c.
Fragment. The bezel contains an intaglio of translucent dark
blue glass. The surviving fragment of hoop has decorative
mouldings. Of the intaglio Dr Martin Henig writes: The
intaglio consists of random grooves, perhaps derived from a
human figure. Such imitation gemstones seem to have been
manufactured in Britain (Henig 1978,133, with distribution
map fig 2, catalogue nos 572-576).'
1781 Fig 50 SF BKC 5112(C), V250 F59. Slot? Period 5? Fragment.
The bezel is filled with ?yellow enamel, now green flecked
with red, and the surviving part of the hoop has decorative
mouldings.
1782 Fig 50 SF BKC 5363, V702 L22. Dump. Late Period 5. Small
intaglio of translucent mid green glass. Dr Henig writes:
'Although the intaglio may be a 'Romano-British imitation'
as unidentifiable as 1780, it might, alternatively, have been
intended to show two corn ears (Henig 1978,272, catalogue
nos 722-724; two of these come from Essex but one is a
carnelian of early imperial date from the second Bartlow
Barrow and another is a later Roman nicolo paste from
Terling Place).'
1783 Fig 50 SF CPS 556(C), 576 F115. Occupation. Period 4. In
two fragments. Internal diameter 15.0mm; rectangular
section, height 2.0mm, thickness 1.0mm. The broad
element of the the hoop probably had a decorative setting
soldered to it (cf Fig 52, 1791).
1784 Fig 50 SF CPS 761, 723 L182. Destruction of Period 4.
Fragment. All that survives is a fragment of bezel and an
inset of corroded 'opaque mid green glass with a large
marvered central spot of ?opaque ?yellow glass.
49
1785 Fig 50 SF BUC 392(C), B1081 G173. Grave fill. Period 2.
Cast. Internal diameter oval, 16.0 by 17.5 mm; D-shaped
section, height and thickness vary. The bezel contains a field
of ?yellow enamel round a central copper-alloy spot. The
hoop to either side of the bezel has a winged moulding and
cable decoration.
1786 Fig 50 SF IRB 15(C), F13. Grave fill. Early medieval grave.
Cast. Internal diameter oval, 14.0 by 18.0mm; D-shaped
section, height and thickness vary. The broad part of the
hoop is set with a translucent dark blue glass intaglio. The
ring has cracked in one place. Of the intaglio Dr Henig
writes: 'The intaglio, also a 'Romano-British imitation',
shows a standing human figure (see Henig 1978,133, 255,
catalogue nos 539-543, and especially no 552 from Great
Chesterford, Essex).'
Inscribed (Fig 51; 1787)
1787 Fig 51 SF BUC 1181(C), E441 L29. Destruction debris.
Probably first half of the 5th century. Mark Hassall writes:
The ring, originally approximately 18.0mm in diameter, is
made of a thin copper-alloy strip 5.0mm wide at the bezel
and reduced to 2.5 mm at the narrowest part. On the oblong
bezel, 10.0 by 5.0mm, two lines of lettering have been
produced, apparently with tiny punches, within and
separated by three scored guide lines. The reading is
ASV/ASVS.'
^ ^ ^ ^ ^ 1 7 8 7
0 1cm
I I
Fig 51 Inscribed copper-alloy finger-ring (1:1)
WHITE-METAL FINGER-RINGS
Plain (Fig 52; 1788)
1788 Fig 52 SF BKC 3165(C), J124 F7. Foundation or dump.
Period 5c/6. Cast. The hoop is oval internally and an
irregular octagon externally. Internal diameter 18.5 by
17.0mm; rectangular section, varying in thickness and
height. Polygonal hoops appear to be generally 4th-century
in date (Waugh and Goodburn 1972,. fig 32, 25; Wilson
1968, pl 42, 160, 161).
Crenellated (Fig 52; 1789)
1789 Fig 52 SF BUC 403(C), B1127 G174. Grave deposit. Period 2.
In two fragments. Internal diameter oval, 15.5 by 17.0mm;
rectangular to D-shaped section, height and thickness vary.
The central decorative element of three crenellations is
flanked by transverse grooves. The hoop is fixed by a
soldered lap joint.
Transverse grooves (Fig 52; 1790)
1790 Fig 52 SF BUC 1574, H414 G537. Grave deposit. Period 2.
Internal diameter 15.0mm; circular section, thickness
2.0mm. The single thick bezel-like moulding has traces of
plating, perhaps gilding, and is flanked by transverse
grooves. The ring is fixed by a soldered lap joint. Similar to
Neal and Butcher 1974, fig 60, 120.
With glass setting (Fig 52; 1791-1792)
1791 Fig 52 SF BUC 1678, H848 G647. grave deposit. Period 2. In
fragments. D-shaped, internal diameter 16.0 by 18.5 mm; Dshaped
section, height 2.5 mm, thickness 1.5mm. The ends
of the curve of the D have been beaten flat and bear a
decoration of crude incised lines. The straight element
carries a setting of corroded glass, possibly originally
translucent and dark blue, in a silver frame. The setting was
fixed with iron solder.