Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 3.djvu/145

Rh signaculum of lead, on which is the inscription, (fig. 17). Several small vessels of earthenware have been found at Woodperry, which may be regarded as curious examples of medieval date; the ware being wholly distinct from the remains of "Samian," or Anglo-Roman fabrication, of which beautifully ornamented fragments have occurred; and some even superior, though in the same style of ornament, were discovered by the late Sir Alexander Croke, nearly six or seven years since, in the middle of a wood, now called "the New Wood," on the brow of the opposite hill, about a mile distant; but these excavations were not pursued so far as might have been desired, and the traces of buildings were in fact but faint and inconsiderable. A very common form of these medieval vessels will be found represented in the plate, page 62 of No. 9 of the Journal, being that of the two smallest of the four, though the neck in general is somewhat narrower. Very many fragments of them occur, and of different sizes, the ordinary height being about six inches, as near as can be guessed from the more perfect specimens: it is, however, to be observed of all, that they are tinted with green colour and slightly glazed, immediately below the neck. Of pottery, however, really Anglo-Roman, the varieties were very many, especially of the finest or Samian ware; for beginning with that on which figures had been worked in relief, fragments of plain pateræ were turned up of almost every degree of fineness, the best being composed of a highly coloured red clay, and other specimens presenting a fainter and fainter hue, precisely in proportion to their goodness, the palest being always the worst. Still, in every case, the clay had been admirably well tempered; and it should be observed, by the way, that what is found at Brill, between four and five miles distant, is considered to be of excellent quality, and this had probably been procured from that quarter. Be this, however, as it may, there certainly was a Roman pottery five or six miles to the north, at Fencot upon Otmoor ; and if that situation did not offer the very finest materials, the establishment at least gave the opportunity of baking vessels which had been manufactured from better clay found elsewhere. In addition to what may be called, by way of distinction, the red ware, other fragments of pottery discovered,