Ceramics
Derek Hall has almost completed the initial spot dating of the large assemblage from the Horsecross excavation. It contains the first examples of an 11th/12th century fabric from Ely in the Fens (identified by Alan Vince). Interestingly enough the Blackfriars charters refer to a property in this area being owned by Thomas de Lynn in the 1420’s.
The assemblage also includes some rare examples of late medieval imported wares from Iberia and Green Glazed stonewares from Siegburg in Germany. This site also produced several pieces of kiln furniture, suggesting that the potters are out there somewhere on the northern limits of Perth!
This year the Scottish group of medieval ceramicists held a seminar in Edinburgh where they discussed their concerns regarding the continuing plough damage to the White Gritty Ware pottery production centre at Colstoun in East Lothian. Derek has submitted a project design to Historic Scotland detailing the problem and suggesting mitigation or failing that, full excavation.
Historic Scotland are funding a Scottish Redware sourcing project which is a follow-on from the very successful pilot study of 1997. The project team includes Derek Hall, Lis Thoms, Charlie Murray, George Haggarty, Alison Cameron of the Aberdeen Unit and Dr Simon Chenery of the British Geological Survey. Sample collection is well underway and is being passed on to the British Geological Survey.