Concise Oxford Dictionary of Archaeology (636 page)

Output from a substantial Roman pottery industry focused in northwest Wiltshire, especially the area now known as Savernake Forest. A number of kilns have been excavated and together suggest a nucleated industry comprising many separate workshops. The pottery itself is typically light grey in colour, flint-tempered, with clay pellets and grog visible in the fabric. Typical products include jars, bowls, flagons, butt beakers, and platters. Output starts at about the time of the Roman conquest or a little before and continues through into the later 2nd century
ad
.

 
Back
  -  
 
New Search

Savory , Hubert Newman
(1911–2001)
[Bi].

British archaeologist specializing in the prehistory of Wales. He joined the National Museum of Wales in 1939 as Assistant Keeper. During WW2 he was involved in military intelligence because of his expertise in cartography and aerial photography. In 1955 he became Keeper of the Department of Archaeology at the National Museum of Wales, a post he held until his retirement in 1976. In addition to publishing several catalogues of prehistoric material held by the National Museum of Wales, he excavated several sites, including the Neolithic tomb at Penywyrlod, Powys, and the Iron Age hillfort of Dinorben, Clwyd.
[Obit.:
The Times
, 12 March 2001]

 
Back
  -  
 
New Search

Long narrow trench or pit, usually lined with planks, over which large tree-trunks could be placed in such a way that they could be sawn into sections using a long rip-saw with one end worked by someone standing in the pit underneath the trunk while the other end was worked by someone standing on top of the trunk.

 
Back
  -  
 
New Search

General term for pottery produced in the period
c.
ad 850 through to ad 1150. During this time the use of the fast wheel became widespread and numerous local and regional industries emerged. The most distinctive pottery of the period is
THETFORD WARE
,
STAMFORD WARE
, and
WINCHESTER WARE
.

 
Back
  -  
 
New Search

Germanic people whose homeland was in the north German coastal plain, especially between the rivers Elbe and Wester. During the 5th century
ad
groups from these communities migrated to Britain either by invitation or invasion and in due course founded kingdoms which can generally be recognized by the fact that their names have the suffix ‘sex’ (e.g. Wessex). Those who remained in Saxony were absorbed into the Frankish kingdom during the 8th century
ad
.

 
Back
  -  
 
New Search

A term applied to the coast of southeast England from the Wash round to Southampton which from about ad 200 onwards was subject to raids by Saxon pirates. The name derives from the Latin term
litus saxonicum which occurs in a late Roman history. The Saxon Shore was defended by a series of stone forts from the early 3rd century onwards.

 
Back
  -  
 
New Search