Archaeologists uncover Roman pottery in Cowley excavation

Some 1,700 years earlier, though, this site was occupied by artisans in search of the perfect red pot.

Now, archaeologists are peeling back the layers of history to reveal Cowley’s fascinating Roman past.

From around the second century AD, the area became a hive of industrial activity – mirroring Cowley’s development in the 20th century.

But these Roman Oxonians were not building cars; they were making pots.

The vessels they created were high-quality, imitating the red ware imported from Roman France.

Their pots are so famous that books have been written about them, and the University of Oxford’s Ashmolean Museum holds a sizeable collection of the artefacts.

This pottery fragment with the distinctive Oxford potteries mark on it was excavated as the Oxford Mail visited the site (Image: Tom Seaward, Oxford Mail)

In recent weeks, archaeologists have been uncovering further fragments left by the late Roman potters, working alongside construction workers redeveloping the former Cowley Conservative Club for Cantay Estates.

Dr Andy Russel, who grew up in Oxfordshire, is one of the archaeologists involved in excavating the site.

The area is familiar; his team from Southampton City Council was responsible for excavating a site next door on Between Towns Road before developers built blocks of student flats.

“Together with the pottery from the site next door, this is the most significant find of Oxford Pottery in 30 years,” he told the Oxford Mail, describing the area was ‘one of the hotspots of the Roman pottery industry’ in Britain.

Among the treasures found by the hands-on academics is a near-complete, plus-size Roman beaker.

Dr Andy Russel of Southampton Archaeology (Image: Tom Seaward, Oxford Mail)

With finger-hold dimples suggesting it may have been designed to be supported by both hands, the large object was decorated with a flower-type motif typical of the Oxford ware.

Why it was left here, one can only speculate. Dr Russel suggested: “There’s probably something wrong with this one. It’s what we call a waster; or a second.”

The beaker that was found, with the flower-like 'brand' marks visible (Image: Tom Seaward, Oxford Mail)

Similarly, how the different potters operating the network of kilns organised themselves is unclear.

But this latest dig is uncovering more evidence about the potteries. As well as the ware, the archaeologists have excavated what appear to be field ditches, some containing horse and cattle bones.

“There is this question: this there a kiln in each field?” Dr Russel pondered.

The craftsmen responsible for the ware may have been farmers; working the land for much of the year, and throwing their clay in the summer when it was warm enough for the wet pots to dry before firing.

Members of the public will not have an opportunity to visit the dig, but it is hoped that in due course the artefacts found at the Between Towns Road site may be able to see the objects on display.

So for now, it’s only a small cadre of archaeologists who get to enjoy the excitement of handling the millennia-old pottery.

“It’s an amazing buzz,” Dr Russel said of the feeling of finding an object like the beaker.

“You can spend years before you find something wonderful.”