The humble pot sherd can be used to date archaeological sites and to distinguish patterns of manufacture and trade, especially within the Roman Empire. This study is concerned with the history of Roman pottery in Britain and offers a full and accessible evaluation, including actual potters' stamps.

A rich portrayal of how Romans used their pottery and the implications of these practices on the archaeological record, considering an array of evidence including Latin and ancient Greek texts and representations in Roman art. It will appeal to specialists and academics interested in archaeology, Roman pottery and ceramics.

This book employs new archaeological and historical evidence to explain how and why Roman Britain became Anglo-Saxon England.

"An examination of the transformations in lowland Britain's material culture over the course of the long fifth century CE during the late Roman regime and its end"--

Roman archaeological sites in Britain produced huge quantities of pottery providing vast amounts of information about technology, trade, wealth, industry and lifestyle.

With the help of over 100 illustrations, many of them little known, Martin Henig shows that the art produced in Britannia--particularly in the golden age of Late Antiquity--rivals that of other provinces and deserves comparison with the art of metropolitan Rome. The originality and breadth of Henig's study is shown by its systematic coverage, embracing both the major arts--stone and bronze statuary, wall-painting and mosaics--and such applied arts as jewelery-making, silversmithing, furniture design, figure pottery, figurines and appliques. The author explains how the various workshops were organized, the part played by patronage and the changes that occurred in the fourth century.

List of figures -- List of tables -- Preface -- Acknowledgements -- 1. Apéritif -- 2. The food itself -- 3. The packaging -- 4. The human remains -- 5. Written evidence -- 6. Kitchen and dining basics : techniques and utensils -- 7. The store cupboard -- 8. Staples -- 9. Meat -- 10. Dairy products -- 11. Poultry and eggs -- 12. Fish and shellfish -- 13. Game -- 14. Greengrocery -- 15. Drink -- 16. The end of independence -- 17. A brand new province -- 18. Coming of age -- 19. A different world -- 20. Digestif -- Appendix : data sources for tables -- References -- Index

Helps the student understand the numerous artefacts from Roman Britain and what they reveal about life in the province.