Noles on the Discovery of Romano-British Kilns and Pottery. 295 afterwards, whilst excavating laterally and in a southerly direction, he found, 6yds. from the spot where he discovered the first urn, more black earth, and partially uncovered another urn, which was inverted like the one first discovered, and about 12in. below the surface of the ground. It was very much broken up-probably some farm implement had struck it in past years. It was left in situ, till I had an opportunity of visiting the spot. After removing more of the earth we found that the urn was encased in a hole lined with clay, which had evidently been burnt. In this hole were a large number of pieces of pottery. The hole was globular in shape. Near the surface, or upper part, the cavity measured 2ft. 6in. across, and its diameter was 3ft. 6in. in the widest part-near the centre. The depth was 2ft. 6in. The burnt clay lining averaged 2in. in thickness. The appearances indicated that the clay had been fixed in position in the cavity whilst soft, and that afterwards a fire had been lighted and kept alight for a considerable time, as the clay was baked quite through, and had burnt to a decided red brick colour.' This kiln, as it may be called, was filled to the top with black burnt earth and innumerable bits of pottery surrounding the urn. In clearing out this stuff a flint knife, or scraper, was found, and one or two small fragments of Samian pottery, together with several small sharp-pointed fragments of flint like small drills. Having cleared this kiln out completely it was found to be connected with a small channel, or flue, about 1ft. wide and 14ft. deep, about half-way up the north wall of the cavity, and pursuing this some little distance another kiln was discovered, and in its centre another urn, similar in shape to the first found though much smaller. This also was inverted and surrounded with pieces of pottery, burnt wood, &c. This kiln was much the same in shape as the other one, though the thickness of the earth above it was only about 9in. At its widest part its diameter was 32in., the depth was 27in., and the thickness of the clay lining at the bottom 24in. In some places 1 Specimens of this clay lining, now in the Museum, show the marks of the sticks, fern leaves, &c., impressed upon it when the clay was wet. the clay lining measured 3in., and in others under 2in., showing great inequality. The urn had apparently been imperfectly baked, and fell to pieces when it was removed. I have since been able to restore it, and it is by far the best example, as it is quite complete except a small piece of the rim These kilns were apparently in a row and connected with each other by flues, or narrow channels. Pursuing the last kiln northwards it was found to get narrower as the excavation proceeded; 4ft. from the entrance, or rather, the side which I first came upon it, it measured 32in. across, and two feet further on 25in., and further on still it ultimately contracted to 14in. It therefore was not so globular as the previous kiln, but shaped more like an egg set lengthways. I did not excavate further, as it appeared that at this point we had reached the end of the series of kilns in that direction. I, however, made another excavation 19ft. in a direct line from this kiln, and found a small flue or channel which seemed to be a continuation of the small passage leading from the kiln. It was filled with black earth and bits of pottery, and was about 16in. below the surface. A similar excavation 10ft. further northward produced similar results. An excavation at another 10ft. to the north led to no results. The growing crops prevented an extensive system of trenches. In addition to the urns and numerous pieces of pottery, masses of a fine clayey mixture, turf fibres, and pieces of burnt clay were found. The upper greensand stratum at Broomsgrove contains horizontal bands of sandstone and cherty rock, probably corresponding to the "Potterne Rock" in the neighbourhood of Devizes and elsewhere, as described by Mr. Jukes-Brown in Wilts Mag., vol. xxv., p. 322. These horizontal layers would greatly facilitate the construction of the globular-shaped kilns, as they would to a considerable extent prevent the falling in of the looser sand. Taking into consideration the discovery as a whole, together with its situation, we may safely draw the following conclusions :-the This is the smaller of the two urns in the accompanying illustration. |