Colchester Archaeological Report 2: The Roman small finds

Stone vessel? (Fig 79; 2079)
2086 Fig 79 SF BKC 1126, E118 L51. Ditch (F29)fill. Late Period 6
or Anglo-Saxon. Stone unidentified. Fragment of the base of
a ?jar.
Stone pestles (Fig 80; 2087-2088)
2087 Fig 80 SF MID 570, B2100 F691. Pit. Post-medieval. A
complete worn Purbeck marble elbow-shaped pestle
(Dunning 1968, 112). Length 91.5mm. Possibly post-
Roman.
2088 Fig 80 SF MID 612, A2237 L273. Demolition debris. Period 3
destruction. A fragment of the long arm of an elbow-shaped
pestle. Length 113.5 mm.
Fig 80 Purbeck marble pestles (1:2)
LAMPS
All the lamps recovered are ceramic. As many more
lamp sherds are likely to be recovered during the postexcavation
processing of the pottery only the more or
less complete, or particularly interesting, examples
are published here. Finds of 1st-century moulds and
lamps discovered during excavations in advance of
the construction of the Telephone Exchange (West
Stockwell Street) in 1964 and 1966 (Dunnett 1971,
33-5, 37 note 3) indicate the probable site of a lamp
factory in the town. Since these finds have yet to be
thoroughly examined and published, it is not
proposed to consider here in any detail the 1stcentury
lamps from recent excavations. The recovery
of three 'rosette' lamps from the Butt Road site (Fig
83) suggests the presence in the Colchester area of a
4th-century (or possibly late 3rd-century) lamp
factory (pp 79-80).
Picture lamps (Fig 81; 2089-2099). These are all
1st-century in date. Some are imports from the
continent, while some are probably locally made,
being of fabrics comparable to early Colchester
colour-coat ware.
77
a) with voluted angular nozzle (Loeschcke Type 1) 3
2089 Fig 81 SF BKC 5300, T97 F35. Postpit. Period 3. A fragment
of a Loeschcke Type 1c lamp, with the ends of the volutes
forming divergent tangents (the ends of the volutes of Types
1a and 1b form acute and less acute angles respectively).
Coarse pinkish-white fabric with (brick-)red slip. Most of the
discus is missing and no design can be distinguished.
Probably of local manufacture.
b) with voluted rounded nozzle (Loeschcke Type 4)
2090 Fig 81 SF LWC 3550, J1488. Make-up. Period 1 or 2. Most of
the lamp survives. In common with Type 1, Type 4 reached
Britain with or soon after the conquest, and continued to the
end of the 1st century or even into the Trajanic period.
Smooth buff fabric with an orange slip. The discus shows an
erotic group (Loeschcke 1919, Taf 8, 422). Possibly made
locally.
c) nozzle missing, either Loeschcke Type 1 or Type 4
(probably the latter in most cases). All belong to the
second half of the 1st century
2091 Fig 81 SF LWC 4285, B710 F260. Pit. Period 4. Fragment.
Coarse red fabric, no slip. Probably of local manufacture. The
discus fragment, from the left side of the lamp, shows a
gladiator in a pose similar to that of the left-hand figure of a
pair of gladiators in combat on a lamp from Camulodunum
(Hawkes and Hull 1947, pi 44, 14).
2092 Fig 81 SF LWC 4112, J1002 F318. Pit (?sinkage). Period 2 or
1. Fragment from the right-hand side of the lamp. The discus
shows an old woman, probably Odysseus disguised
(Loeschcke 1919, 367, Taf 7, 84). Smooth buff fabric with an
orange slip, fired in places to brown. Probably locally made.
2093 Fig 81 SF LWC 3350, J1035. Uncertain but before Period 4b.
fragment; most of the discus survives. The design has been
described by Hull as 'Mars defending ?rampart' (Hawkes and
Hull 1947, 201) and by Bailey as a 'soldier stepping behind
an ?altar' (Bailey 1974, 294). A male figure in a cuirass and
military kilt with a Corinthian helmet is leaping to the right.
He holds a spear in his right hand and carries a round shield
on his left arm ; A sword hangs at his left side. There is a
curved rectangular ?shield, (Hull's ?rampart) on the ground
in front of the figure. Coarse buff fabric with traces of an
orange slip, in places fired to dark reddish-brown. Probably
locally made.
2094 Fig 81 SF LWC 3573, J1490. Occupation. Period 1. Most of
the discus survives. The picture is of Minerva standing to the
left, with a spear in her right hand and a round shield on her
left arm (as Loeschcke 1919, Taf 4, 331; Hawkes and Hull
1947, pl 44, 6). Smooth buff fabric, with a yellowish-brown
slip fired in most places to dark brown. From Lyons?
2095 Fig 81 SF LWC 3716, J1650. Dump or occupation. Period 1.
Fragment from the centre of a discus with a mask of Bacchus
(as Loeschcke 1919, Taf 5, 29). Smooth buff fabric with an
orange slip, fired to dark reddish-brown in places. Probably
of local manufacture. The upper part of a mould from the
Telephone Exchange site of a Loeschcke Type 1b lamp with
this mask is in private hands. A complete example from
Colchester is in the British Museum (Walters 1914, no
576). 4
2096 Fig 81 SF BKC 4734, T471. Period 2? As 2095. Probably of
local manufacture. These two small pieces may have been
rough counters or toys produced from broken lamps.
2097 Fig 81 SF BKC 5778, V484 L17. Sandy clay floor? Period 1 to
early 4. Fragment from the outside edge of a discus, with a
design of a mussel (Loeschcke 1919, Taf 14, esp 551). Fine
white fabric with an orange slip fired in places to dark
reddish-brown. Probably an import.
2098 Fig 81 SF CPS 892, 1001 L177. Period 1 or 2. A fragment
with part of the discus and the volutes. The design is of a
wreath (ibid, Taf 11, 190, 191). Fine light grey fabric with
dark grey slip. Probably locally made.
d) nozzle and discus missing.
2099 Fig 81 SF LWC 3574, J1486 F438. Pit. Period 1. Fragment
with a complete profile from shoulder to base. The wide
shoulder has ring-and-dot decoration. Possibly from a