A sample of roman glass vessels from York: the fortress and canabae sites

Abstract

Research into a sample of Roman glass vessels represented in the York assemblages from the fortress, garrisoned cAD 71-c410, and from the canabae - the industrial area outside the fortress - provides both an insight into the usage and function of the York fortress vessels throughout almost all the Romano-British period, and a case study for future research. Investigations were carried out into the usage dates of the vessels in relation to those elsewhere in Britain, and, where applicable, elsewhere in the Roman Empire. The vessels functions were both discussed generally, and with reference to then fortress contexts. Many of the patterns were found to be common to both military and major settlement sites assemblages in Roman Britain. Analysis suggests that most of the vessels are of first to second century date; that utihtarian vessels and unguentaria play a minor part, mainly in the first to third century; and that the majority throughout the period are tableware, and comprise both highly decorated vessels and/or imports as well as those with lesser degrees of decoration. Uncommon patterns offer evidence for military use of glass vessels. They point to the bias in favour of beakers and cups, normally associated with villa sites; and of a preference for plain cups in the Flavian period; and for highly decorated first to second century beakers. The representation of a comparatively large number of good quality fourth century beakers and cups, both comparatively plain, and highly decorated imports, is, however, unparalleled on British sites elsewhere. Furthermore, the evidence suggests that while very highly decorated vessels, and/or imports, were used by the officers in the first to second century, in the later third to fourth century they may have been used mainly by the general soldiers.