Roman Pottery Kilns

The earliest archaeological evidence for local ceramic production in the region of Serdica date to the Late Roman period. Single kilns were found near the Eastern fortification wall of the town, also in the modern neighbourhoods of Druzhba and Lozenets, and in a newly discovered Roman villa near the village of Dragovishtitsa. Two larger manufacturing centres were also discovered in the territory in question. The first one was excavated near the village of Golemo Bouchino, while the second one was located in the modern neighbourhood of Lozenets.
The epigraphic data for the development of the craft in the vicinities of Serdica comprise mostly bricks with writings, containing the number of items in one batch and the date of their forming.

Grolimund, Urs Rosemann und unter Mitarbeit von Clara Saner) geoelektrische Prospektion der Parzelle 484 im «Buebechilch» (2017.006), die überraschende Resultate lieferte, die Begehung des ländlichen Hei-ligtums auf der Flühweghalde (2017.008) sowie die Dokumentation von Trockenspuren beim Basler Ruderclub mit einer Drohne (2017.011). Zu-letzt ist ein erneuter experimentalarchäologischer Versuch der Vindonissa-Professur der Universität Basel zu erwähnen. Der römische Schacht MR 6/MR 32 der Grabung 2011–2013.001 Auf der Wacht wurde ver-suchsweise mit Schnee und Eis befüllt, um auf diese Weise dessen pos-tulierte Funktion als Eisschacht nachzuweisen (2017.002).

Excavations conducted by Archaeological Solutions Ltd at Fosters End Drove, East Winch on the Greensand Belt in north-west Norfolk, revealed a Romano-British pottery production site — part of the Nar Valley industry — as well as more limited evidence of iron smelting and possible habitation. The principal features were a trackway, potentially linking the site to the nearby iron smelting site at Ashwicken, and part of a ditched enclosure containing an aisled building, a stone-founded workshop, and a well. Four Nar Valley kilns were present and also a single drying oven.

The pottery assemblage adds considerably to current understanding of the Nar Valley industry. Of principal importance is the occurrence within the pottery assemblage of tightly dated imports which assist in developing a chronology for the Nar Valley industry. Archaeomagnetic dating of one of the kilns indicated a last firing at some point between AD 200 and 250.

A decline in pottery production in the later Roman period seems to have coincided with a renewed emphasis on iron smelting nearby and the disposal of quantities of tap slag on site.

Excavations at East Winch on the Greensand Belt in north-west Norfolk, revealed a Romano-British pottery production site — part of the Nar Valley industry — as well as more limited evidence of iron smelting and possible habitation. The principal features were a trackway, potentially linking the site to the nearby iron smelting site at Ashwicken, and part of a ditched enclosure containing an aisled building, a stone-founded workshop, four Nar Valley kilns and a drying oven.

The pottery assemblage adds considerably to our understanding of this industry. Of principal importance is the occurrence within the pottery assemblage of tightly dated imports which assist in developing a chronology for the Nar Valley industry. Archaeomagnetic dating of one of the kilns indicated a last firing at some point between AD 200 and 250.

A decline in pottery production in the later Roman period seems to have coincided with a renewed emphasis on iron smelting nearby and the disposal of quantities of tap slag on site.

This article explores the archaeological evidence of urban ceramic workshops in the Roman province of Thrace, discovered in the modern territory of Bulgaria. Three major types of data are taken into account – the overall location, the internal organisation and the production repertoire of the potteries in question. The analysed information is then compared to published material about urban ateliers in other provinces of the Roman Empire. In conclusion some general remarks are made on the scale and chronology of the ceramic manufacture in the towns of provincia Thracia.

The so-called Diagonal or Central road was built after the Roman conquest of Thrace in c. AD 45-46, during the reign of Emperor Nero at the latest. Pottery was one of the first products to be distributed along this route. The earliest imports, found in the town of Serdica, were Italian and Gaulish sigillata wares, dated to the 1st – the beginning of the 2nd c. AD. Vessels of Eastern origin (mostly Chandarli ware) were attested in the city of Phillipopolis, as well as in rural sites like the ones at Nova Nadezhda, Preslavets, Georgi Dobrevo etc. At the latter, the presence of imported African Red Slip wares was also affirmed.
The available archaeological data indicates that local ceramic production along the Diagonal road started from the last decades of the 1st c. AD onwards. Workshops and kilns dated to the 2nd – first half of the 3rd c. were excavated in both urban (Phillipopolis, Hadrianopolis) and rural (Nova Nadezhda, Georgi Dobrevo) context.
This presentation is aimed at analysing the archaeological evidence for the supply of local and imported pottery along one of the two main roads in the province of Thrace during the Principate.

The earliest archaeologically attested rural workshops in the Roman province of Thrace were dated to the late 1st – early 2nd c. AD. However, most of the discovered kiln sites were in operation during the second half of the 2nd and the first half of the 3rd c. AD. After the Gothic invasions of the mid- 3rd century the production of ceramic artefacts became more common for the urban and suburban zones of the province.
  In contrast to Moesia Inferior’s large production centres, situated in the countryside, most of the workshops in rural Thrace were middle to small scaled enterprises with more limited production output and distribution options. The rural ateliers were situated within villas, villages and most probably also in separate artisanal settlements, usually located in proximity to a road or a navigable river. They were specialised in the production of almost all varieties of ceramic products, including fine wares, coarse wares, building ceramics, oil lamps, terracotta figurines and transport containers, most of which were designated for satisfying the daily needs of the local population.
  This presentation is focused on the archaeological evidence for ceramic production in the countryside of provincia Thracia, exploring the workshops’ layout and used production facilities. It is going to pay specific attention to the types of manufactured items and the possible routes for their distribution.

Касноантичка керамичка радионица у селу Суваја, састојала се од три керамичке пећи, које су, у односу једна на другу, биле су постављене у облик тролиста, тако да су ложишта пећи усмерана у средишњи део одакле се  приступало ложиштима пећи.  Пећи су са кружном основом. Две пећи су са решеткастим роштиљем који обухвата половину радног простора. Једна пећ има компактну, јединствену подницу и делимично сачуван горњи калотасти део од печене земље. У кругу око пећи, и у самим пећима, пронађена је искључиво груба, кухињска керамика, без икаквих украса. У једној од пећи пронађен је бронзани новац ковање Аркадија, 384-387. год.

Les darreres campanyes que s’han dut a terme a la bòbila romana d’Ermedàs (Cornellà del Terri), han tingut com a objectiu principal la voluntat d’exhaurir la potència arqueològica del jaciment i, en definitiva, deixar enllestits al màxim els dubtes pendents per tancar la recerca programada.