FABRIC SAMPLES

Photos by Carleton Van Selman

The following photos include some of the main pottery types found in Suffolk, but there are others which are listed in full in the type series database. The Early Anglo-Saxon period is only represented by two fabrics, for example, but other generic groups are used.

Many of the medieval fabrics represent 'new' types which were identified during the course of the Suffolk pot project, although it had been recognised that there were differences between coarsewares in use in different parts of the county previously. Most sherds previously categorised as Hollesley-type ware are coarser than the examples from the kiln site, and these should now be referred to as MESCW or WVSW/WVCWM as appropriate.

The full list of fabric codes, with basic descriptions and date ranges, is available here.

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ESFS - Early Anglo-Saxon Fine Sandy

Generic code for fine sandy EAS wares with few other inclusions.

ESO1 - Early Anglo-Saxon Grass-tempered

Generic fabric code for grass-tempered EAS wares with little or no sand.

SIPS - 'Sandy' Ipswich Ware (Group 1)

Frequent fairly well-sorted angular to sub-angular quartz sand, generally less than 0.3mm but with some larger grains, including some polycrystalline. Also flecks of mica, some small pieces of chert in the same size range as sand, a little quartzite, a few small grains of felspar, iron oxides and occasional fragments of ironstone and fine-grained sandstone. Some sherds contain a few well-rounded light brownish pellets of glauconite. Feel slightly rough. (After Blinkhorn 2012)

GIPS - 'Gritty' Ipswich Ware (Group 2)

A groundmass of moderate to frequent small angular to sub-angular quartz grains, the majority below 0.10mm in size. Some sherds have a sparse to dense scatter of fairly well rounded larger grains up to c.2.5mm across, some of them cracked and polycrystalline in appearance. Others do not have this large added quartz. Also moderate flecks of mica, small pieces of chert, some quartzite, a little ironstone, iron oxides and occasional small grains of felspar. Some sherds contain a few well-rounded light brownish pellets of glauconite. Some rough and 'pimply', some smoother than Group 1. (After Blinkhorn 2012)

THETI - Ipswich Thetford-type Ware

Very fine sandy (white and clear quartz grains) greyware, sparse to moderate mica.

TS description (Patrick Quinn):
Moderately well-packed, generally angular silt-sized inclusions of quartz, iron-stained chert and muscovite mica with less common microcline, plagioclase and amphibole. Silt sized-ferruginous inclusions. Less common rounded sand-sized quartz and polycrystalline quartz also present. Rare rounded natural clay and silty textural features. Non-vitrified, reduction fired
non-calcareous clay matrix. Many meso-elongate voids. Less sandy, more silty than THET.

Example from Ipswich kiln site.

THETS - Thetford-type Ware Sudbury

Very fine sandy micaceous greyware. Quartz grains mainly clear. Burnt-out organics visible in section.

TS description (Patrick Quinn):
Moderately well-packed, angular to sub-rounded silt-sized quartz and iron-stained chert, muscovite mica and rare plagioclase and opaques. Rare rounded sand-sized quartz and polycrystalline quartz. Vitrified, reduction fired non-calcareous clay matrix. Vesicle-shaped voids perhaps from over-firing, plus rare vughs. Less sandy, more silty than Samples 1 an 2. Less well packed than THETI sample.

Example from production waste site in Sudbury.

THETL - Thetford-type Ware (local fabrics)

Miscellaneous non-standard fabrics - to be described in detail when reporting.

TS samples (Patrick Quinn):
Sample 2 (Lowestoft) is coarser, containing occasional very coarse sand-sized inclusions of quartz and polycrystalline quartz, in addition to the finer sand inclusions of these and chert. It features a large iron-rich nodule containing quartz and polycrystalline quartz clasts, plus a soil pisolith. Two charred plant fragments may also be naturally occurring. Non-calcareous, vitrified, weakly oxidised clay matrix. Elongate meso- and macro-drying voids.

Example from Lowestoft.

THETL - Thetford-type Ware (local fabrics)

Miscellaneous non-standard fabrics - to be described in detail when reporting.

TS samples (Patrick Quinn):
Sample 1 (Carlton Colville) is characterised by generally rounded sand dominated by quartz with less common polycrystalline quartz, chert, rare siltstone and possible pottery fragment. Abundant, more angular silt-sized fine fraction dominated by quartz with less common ferruginous inclusions and muscovite mica. Non-calcareous, vitrified, reduction-fired clay matrix. Elongate mesodrying voids.

Example is from Carlton Colville.

THETL - Thetford-type Ware (local types)

Miscellaneous non-standard fabrics - to be described in detail when reporting. This example from Halesworth was originally reported as a THET-EMW transitional type.

NEOT - St Neots-type Ware

See Spoerry (2016).

EMW - Early Medieval Ware

Fine/medium sandy thin-walled handmade wares, as typical in Norfolk (Jennings 1981) and north Suffolk. Coarser quartz present in some, but generally not visible on surface. Occasional calcareous, ferrous, organic and flint/chert inclusions may also be present.

TS sample description (Patrick Quinn):
Medium and coarse well-rounded sand-sized inclusions of quartz, and less common polycrystalline quartz and iron-stained or clear chert, plus rare amphibole. Less common silt-sized inclusions, dominated by angular quartz and muscovite mica, with rare amphibole and plagioclase. Rare sand and silt-sized ferruginous inclusions. The sand-sized inclusions may be temper. Non-vitrified and moderately oxidised non-calcareous clay matrix. Frequent macro and meso-elongate drying voids parallel to sherd margins.

Example from Wortham.

EMWM - Early Medieval Ware Micaceous

Fine sandy micaceous thin-walled early medieval wares, other than Essex types (see EMEMS).

Example from Brettenham.