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   CAT KITS: pots and pans Canterbury Archaeological Trust Education    
         
 
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Pots and Pans

All the ancient pots and pans in these pictures were found in Canterbury and the local area. Some are here to show you how the CAT KIT pottery would look if it was complete. Others are just fun to look at!

   
     
Local Iron Age people made pots by hand, like these. [LARGER IMAGE] Click here and see how Barton Court children made an Iron Age kiln!

Roman pots were made in different shapes using a potter’s wheel. There
were kilns all over Roman Britain.
Seven have been found in Canterbury. [LARGER IMAGE]		 This Roman samian pottery was made in Gaul (northern France). People used it for special events. Grapes, walnuts, cherries and almonds were eaten in Roman Britain. [LARGER IMAGE]

This animal head has broken off a special Roman bowl used for grinding herbs (a mortarium). What animal does
it look like? [LARGER IMAGE]		 Faces on Roman pots were rare. This one was found on a Roman dig near Canterbury Cathedral. It may have been used in a religious ceremony.

Oysters were very common in Roman times and the ones from Richborough
were famous! These oysters came from
St Augustine’s Fish Supplies in
Whitstable. [LARGER IMAGE]		 Today oysters are a luxury. Go to the Crab & Winkle Seafood Restaurant in Whitstable and try some!

Pottery was often placed in Roman cremation graves. Sometimes it contained
food and drink for the dead person’s journey to the
After Life. The scale
measures 50 cms.
[LARGER IMAGE]		 This amphora was
made in Spain. It contained olive oil and stood in a Roman kitchen. It must have been very heavy. Sometimes these big pots were re-used as urinals!		 Sometimes the contents of the amphora were written on the outside. This handle has some rare Roman writing carved into it. [LARGER IMAGE]

Tyler Hill was a good site to make pottery. There was a successful pot and tile industry there in medieval times.
[LARGER IMAGE]		 Discovering medieval Tyler Hill jugs at THE BIG DIG near Canterbury Bus Station. [LARGER IMAGE]

Jugs made at Tyler Hill. The thumbed base is a typical medieval style.
[LARGER IMAGE]		 It’s those oysters again! This shell has been recycled as a medieval paint palette. It was found at the Whitefriars site in Canterbury, THE BIG DIG.

Medieval cooking pot made at Tyler Hill.
It is black with soot where it nestled in
an open fire. [LARGER IMAGE]		 Sherd from a Tyler Hill medieval pot. What kind of vessel do you think it was?

Time Team 2000. A modern potter made some replica medieval pots at Tyler Hill. We made some medieval food! Bread, leek and ‘sops’, pickled herrings and fig pastries. [LARGER IMAGE]

A reconstruction of medieval Black friars eating in their refectory. [LARGER IMAGE] Brown English earthenware pottery. Dish with combed decoration from Staffordshire. 17th and 18th centuries.
[LARGER IMAGE]

Colourful mugs and tankards made
in England and Germany. 16th to 18th centuries. [LARGER IMAGE]		 A Victorian dinner service. [LARGER IMAGE]

Tyler Hill pot and tile industry Roman flagons
Tin-glazed 'Delft' pottery. The
big one is an apothecary jar.
17th and 18th centuries.
[LARGER IMAGE]		 Tyler Hill near Canterbury was a good site to make pottery.
There was a successful pottery and tile industry there in medieval times.
[LARGER IMAGE]		 Roman flagons or jugs were used for olive oil and other liquids. [LARGER IMAGE]

Chafing dish and pipkin Medieval cooking pot
Chafing dish (left). A plate of warm food was placed on top of the 3 little feet. Smouldering charcoal in the bowl of the pot underneath kept the plate warm. The pipkin (right) was a general purpose cooking pot. Both 16th or 17th century. [LARGER IMAGE] Medieval cooking pot used for stews etc. Crushed shell have been mixed in with the clay. [LARGER IMAGE]

CAT KIT open!
Supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund

 

  
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© Canterbury Archaeological Trust Ltd 2000
This page was last updated on 24.06.09