The basic record is a rapid analysis that is detailed enough to produce a report that will inform an understanding of the site and any structural evidence, as well as indicate the significance of the pottery assemblage as evidence for site activities, modes of distribution, and social and economic conditions.
If the entire assemblage has already been assessed, unstratified material can be excluded from further analysis, although it should be available for study, eg to match cross-fitting sherds. If there has been no assessment, unstratified material should be scanned to record the presence of unusual or significant types.
It is possible to produce a basic record for part of an assemblage, while selected groups are the subject of a detailed record. The assessment exercise will identify which parts of an assemblage merit which type of record.
Aims
- Characterise an assemblage rapidly and in sufficient detail to produce a meaningful, publishable project report
- Quantify an assemblage rapidly and in sufficient detail to produce a meaningful, publishable report that could contribute to broad synthetic studies
Method
Record data using consistent terminology, so that the same attributes are recorded in the same ways every time. The methods listed below are described in more detail in Approaches to recording. See Downloads and resources for the Pottery record template, which includes the Basic record form template.
- Characterise and sort the pottery according to these criteria:
- contextual unit identifier
- ware name, ware type or ware group (eg Ipswich ware, oxidised sandy ware, white ware, amphorae) in accordance with relevant local fabric type series
- full fabric identification may be appropriate at this basic level for some assemblages, especially for prehistoric material
- ware date range (the earliest date and the latest date)
- sherd type (rim, body, base, etc)
- vessel class (bowl, flagon, jar, jug, etc)
- vessel type, where appropriate (eg Samian forms)
- vessel size (usually by rim diameter)
- surface treatment (burnishing, glaze, etc)
- decoration (method and motif)
- Quantify the pottery by
- sherd count
- sherd weight in grams
- number of vessels (eg Estimated Vessel Equivalent, such as rim EVE based on rim percentage; maximum vessel count; minimum vessel count)
- Note specific features of the assemblage:
- cross-fitting sherds from different contextual units and joins within context
- evidence for use (sooting, limescale, wear marks, etc)
- sherd condition (abraded, water-worn, freshly broken)
- Identify and separate pieces that require
- illustration or photography
- scientific analysis
Results
- A digital basic record of the pottery in every stratified contextual unit
- Pottery selected for scientific analysis and/or illustration
A single stratigraphic or surveyed unit recorded separately in the field; eg an excavated deposit or feature, a grid square for surface collection.
A reference collection of specimens of every pottery fabric identified within a specific area, accompanied by a descriptive catalogue.
All the pottery collected during an archaeological project.
A broad term used to characterise the overall form of a pot; eg bowl, jar, jug.
A more specific way of classifying the overall form of a pot; eg carinated bowl, globular jar, pear-shaped jug.
A group of ware types that has been assigned a collective name, such as high medieval glazed sandy ware.
A type of pottery that is defined by a fabric or group of fabrics; eg Black-burnished ware or post-medieval redware.
