Datasheets
We have published a number of datasheets that are available to our members. The list of these downloadable PDF documents is below. Members who have logged into the site may click on the links to download them.
Datasheet 1. Engraved Gemstones: A Guide for the Small Finds Specialist by Martin Henig
Extract from the datasheet:
"This datasheet is not intended to be yet another general chapter on Roman engraved gems of which there are several by myself as well as by other writed on glyptics. It is aimed very deliberately at the rather select constituency among archaeologists who are fascinated by material culture, especially small finds..."
Datasheet 2. Jet, Shale and Other Allied Materials by Lindsay Allason-Jones
Extract from the datasheet:
"The term jet has been used over the years to refer to any material that is black and can take a shine. This has included true jet, shale, coals, and asphalt. It has, however, become increasingly important that artefacts made from these different materials are
accurately identified in order to facilitate their longterm conservation and for their significance for Roman Britain to be correctly assessed."
Datasheet 3. Roman Beads by Barbara Birley
Extract from the datasheet:
"Beads are technically small objects, perforated with a hole for stringing or attaching. They can be made from a variety of materials including gold, silver, precious or semi-precious stone, glass, shells, seed or bone. Their function in the past, as it is today, was largely decorative. Beads are commonly found on archaeological sites and can be identified by their material, colour, shape and size."
Datasheet 4. Roman Seal Boxes by Colin Andrews
Extract from the datasheet:
"Seal-boxes are small, hinged, copper alloy boxes. The primary constituent parts are a base with a centrally placed arrangement of 3 - 5 holes, usually about 1mm in diameter, and a lid; both parts are cast (Fig 1). They are quite small ranging in size from 2 to 5 cm. The basic shapes are circular, leaf or piriform, square and lozenge, but there are many significant variations within these basic shape groups. In addition there are also some rarer shapes which fit none of these categories. In other parts of the empire some examples are known made from bone and even ivory (Derks & Roymans 2002, 91 n.23). The lids are often decorated, using a range of techniques, but in Britain enamel decoration is the most common..."
Datasheet 5. The Wirral Brooch: a Regional Romano-British Brooch Type by Frances McIntosh
Extract from the datasheet:
"The Wirral brooch is a second-century enamelled bow brooch. It was identified by Philpott in 1999 as a distinct regional type of Romano-British brooch because the core distribution area was defined as the Wirral peninsula, Cheshire and north-east Wales (Philpott 1999). Since then many more brooches of this type have been found and an in-depth study of them has been carried out (McIntosh 2014). This datasheet aims to help in the identification of these brooches when found on sites in the future."
Datasheet 6. Pipeclay Figurines by Matthew Fittock
Extract from the datasheet:
"Pipeclay figurines are relatively small terracotta statuettes that range in size but are usually between 50-200mm in height. They are made from a pure and malleable type of clay containing very little chalk that turns a yellowish-white colour when fired due to a similarly low iron con-tent (Rouvier-Jeanlin 1975, 95; Higgins 1976, 105). In terms of form, pipeclay figurines mainly depict deities, animals and humans, but shrines (aediculae) and other miscellane-ous shapes such as eggs and bales of wool were occasionally produced as well. Alt-hough common and apparently relatively low in value, these objects were an integral part of daily religious life for the people liv-ing in Britain and Gaul during the Roman period. Prior to this datasheet Colin Wallace usefully summarised the existing literature on the subject in the Roman Finds Group newsletter, volume 10 (1995)."
Datasheet 7. Spindle Whorls by Marta Alberti
Extract from the datasheet:
"Spindle whorls are small and portable ob-jects, perforated in the centre in order to be inserted on a spindle rod and thus form a complete spindle. A spindle is a composite tool which has been employed since prehis-tory to transform rough fibres into spun yarn. The yarn would have then been used as material to weave, stitch and sew a wide range of textiles, from rags to complex gar-ments. To use a spindle, a spinner would have held the rod in one hand, with the whorl positioned at the top, at the bottom or in the middle. In the other hand, the spinner would have held the prepared fi-bres, which could be of animal or vegetal origin..."
Datasheet 8. Weighing Instruments by Philip Smither
Extract from datasheet:
"The category of Roman weighing instru-ments is made up of several different objects. There are the weighing scales themselves, which come in three basic forms; equal balances, steelyards, and dual balances. There are also the weights, of which there are pan weights and hanging weights; each type of weight is associated with a different type of instrument; pan weights with equal and dual balances, and hanging weights with steelyards and dual balances. Weighing instruments are found on all types of sites and are identifiable by elements of their morphology. This category of objects has been largely overlooked in Roman finds studies. Howev-er, there exists two typologies for steelyards (Grönke and Weinlich, 1992; Franken, 1993). For the purposes of creating a typology which would include all types of instrument, Grönke and Weinlich was found to be more suitable."
Datasheet 9: Romano-British glass bangles by Tatiana Ivleva
Extract from datasheet:
Glass bangles are seamless ring-shaped adornments made of coloured glass (Fig 1). They are distinct artefacts that occur in Britain during the mid-first – latesecond centuries AD. While the manufacture of glass bangles began in Late Iron Age continental Europe, the craft abruptly disappeared from the continent in the early first century AD, at the time of the Roman conquest of northwest Europe (the main published continental corpora are Haevernick 1960; Gebhard 1989; Wagner 2006; Roymans and Verniers 2013). However, bangles re-appeared in Roman Britain possibly as a result of Roman invasion in AD 43.
Datasheet 10: Stone-carved Phalli: A typology by Rob Collins
Extract from Datasheet:
The carving of a phallus into or from stone is a ubiquitous practice in the Roman Empire, the significance and inter-pretation of which is more commonly understood as apo-tropaic rather than erotic (Johns 1982). However, little attention has been given to these carvings in terms of detailed execution within broader practice, and contextual analysis is often limited to individual examples (though see Parker 2017). A recent study of stone-carved phalli from Hadrian’s Wall (Collins, in press) catalogued exam-ples from the World Heritage Site (WHS) to examine phalli in reference to their employment and meaning rel-ative to the frontier monument. During the course of this research, it became apparent that there was diversity in morphology between individual phalli, but which was also replicated fairly regularly, and that the corpus would benefit from a typological approach. Full interpretation of the corpus can be found elsewhere, while this datasheet is intended to provide an overview of the typology and methods behind full typological attribution.
Datasheet 11: Portable phallic objects by Adam Parker
Extract from the datasheet:
"Disembodied phalli, on pendants or ï¬nger rings for ex-ample, are readily recognisable objects in the archaeo-logical record as one of the characteristic images of the Roman period. The phallus was used as an amulet to protect places and spaces, to protect people and encour-age their good health..."
Datasheet 12: Romano-British rotary querns and millstones by Ruth Shaffrey
Extract from the datasheet:
"Querns ï¬rst appeared in the British Isles during the early Neolithic. The earliest examples were saddle querns. They consisted of a large lower stone with a flat or dished grinding surface that was used with a smaller flat or con-cave upper stone (a rubber). The rubber was moved in a back-and-forth motion across the saddle quern to crush grain. Rubbers were usually the same length or longer than the saddle querns were wide, so that when used, their two-handed operation caused wear across the whole of the grinding face. Some querns in northern Scotland were deeper and are known as trough querns..."
Datasheet 13. Roman gaming boards from Britain by Summer Courts and Tim Penn
Extract from the datasheet:
"When we think about games in the Roman world, many of us may ï¬rst conjure up vivid images of the arena; it is perhaps less likely that our immediate thoughts will be of board games. The study of Roman board games has until recently focussed on the reconstruction of gaming rules from textual references and surviving board de-signs (Austin 1934, 1935; Bell 1979; Murray 1951; Parlett 1999; Schädler 1994, 1995)..."
Datasheet 14: Amber by Glynn Davis
Amber was a luxury material highly prized by the Romans, exploited throughout the period and across the Empire. It was valued for its aesthetic, medical and magical properties and was employed to create a range of objects both decorative and functional. This datasheet provides an overview of amber’s presence and use in the province of Britannia. It brings together all known decorative pieces from Britain, including several previously unpublished objects.
Datasheet 15: Earrings by Lindsay Allason-Jones
Although still considered rare finds on Roman sites in Britain, earrings are to be found in a range of materials. Unfortunately, being mostly quite ephemeral items and easily damaged, it is easy to mistake them for finger-rings, hooks or pendants, particularly when damaged. In 1989 a research project led to the publication of a typology (Allason-Jones 1989) and, although many more ear-rings have been found in excavations and museum collections since, the basic typology has stood the test of time. In the following, references are given throughout to the 1989 publication, as few of the earrings are published accessibly.
Latest News
RFG Exeter Conference 16th and 17th April 2021 - free open access - all welcome
Sorry, this event is now sold out. Click on the link above or visit the meetings page.... Read More »
Call for papers on dress and adornment at the 25th Limes Congress
From 22-28 August 2021 the 25th Limes Congress will take place in Nijmegen, the Netherlands. We would like to invite paper proposals for Session 16: Dress and adornment in frontier communities.... Read More »
Glasgow Conference Postponed
Unfortunately the Glasgow conference due to take place on 3rd/4th April has had to be postponed. Our Autumn 2020 meeting resurrect he meeting with as close to the original programme as possible.... Read More »
Masterclass on Romano-British Brooches
We are delighted to announce that Roman Finds Group committee member Dr Jörn Schuster will be offering a one-day Masterclass on Romano-British Brooches with former RFG committee members Dr Hella Eckhardt and Dr Emma Durham from the University of Reading. This one-day event will enhance your skills in the description, identification and dating of Romano-British brooches. You will also learn about the way the PAS records brooches and the research potential of personal adornment for our understanding of Roman Britain.... Read More »
Happy 30th Birthday, Roman Finds Group!
Roman Finds Group chose the city of Salisbury as the perfect place to celebrate our 30th anniversary at our Autumn 2017 conference, ‘New Research from Finds from South and South-Western Britain’.... Read More »
RFG 30th Anniversary Meeting 20th and 21st October 2017 at Salisbury Museum
This year the Roman Finds Group is 30 years old. To celebrate, we’ve organised our 2017 Autumn Meeting in Salisbury, where there will be a special reception.... Read More »
The metallurgy of our portable heritage
The metallurgy of our portable heritage study day is being held on Saturday the 17th June, 2017 at the Institute of Archaeology, University College London... Read More »
Call For Papers for Autumn RFG Meeting at Salisbury Museum on 20th-21st October 2017
The theme will be ‘Finds from Southern and South-western Britain’. This is call for papers of around 20 minutes in length.... Read More »
An Introduction to Archaeological Illustration - Saturday March 4 and Sunday 5th 2017
This weekend workshop covers aspects and techniques of archaeological illustration under the personal tuition of Mark Hoyle BA(hon);P.G.C.E.;MAAIS; MIfA. The course will look at general techniques and methods of accurately recording small finds including pottery illustration, metal objects, bone, and leatherwork. There will be a selection of objects from the excavations at Vindolanda to handle and draw over the duration of the course. An archaeological drawing starter pack to use and keep will be provided.... Read More »
Roman Rural Settlement Project - Feedback Needed and Meeting on 14th September 2016
Members of the project team and others have produced a series of short papers concerning various aspects of methodological approaches which cover a variety of topics, including one on finds, which can now be viewed and downloaded at http://www.cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk/methodology-study/. We are keen to get responses to the papers, and have provided an opportunity for written comments on the papers to be submitted by email.... Read More »
Fully funded AHRC Collaborative Doctoral Award PhD studentship between the University of Kent and English Heritage
The key research question is as follows: How does the artefact assemblage of small finds from Roman Richborough contribute to our understanding of the military site, its occupants, and the wider nature of the Roman military in the NW provinces of the empire? There is scope to develop the project according to the student’s particular interests for instance by focusing on particular methodological approaches or categories of material.... Read More »
Finds from Roman York, Brigantia and Beyond - Abstracts Published
We have now received the abstracts for our forthcoming conference. You can read them all here.... Read More »
New Grants Available From Roman Finds Group
A series of small grants are available from the Roman Finds Group to all fully paid-up members.... Read More »
Smile please! RFG to go on film
The RFG is in the process of embarking on an exciting new project designed to act as an educational aid.... Read More »
MOLA are advertising for three Finds Trainee posts - Closing Date 30th September 2015
Museum of London Archaeology are advertising for three Finds Trainee posts. Closing Date 30th September 2015.... Read More »
Full Details and Booking Form Available for 'Celts' Conference Autumn 2015
A major Later Prehistoric Finds Group & Roman Finds Group conference in collaboration with the British Museum and including entry to the temporary exhibition. Full details and booking forms are now online.... Read More »
Grant to support the study of PAS finds from Cheshire
Chester Archaeological Society wishes to encourage the study and publication of objects (or groups/types of object) reported to the Portable Antiquities Scheme from Cheshire and adjoining areas, to ensure that their potential contribution to the understanding of the archaeology and history of the county is realised.... Read More »
Constitution for Roman Finds Group
RFG members have recently received a letter setting out options for additional future activities together with a copy of our draft constitution; comments on both are welcome.... Read More »
A Review of Our October 2014 Meeting at Manchester Museum
Click here to read a review of this meeting, written by Bryan Sitch... Read More »
Journal of Roman Military Equipment Studies
The Journal of Roman Military Equipment Studies was the foremost medium for publishing Roman military equipment. Founding editor (and member and friend of RFG) Mike Bishop’s crowdfunding campaign to revive JRMES (and the newsletter Arma) has exceeded his target; all funds will contribute to future publications.... Read More »
RFG Membership of Council for British Archaeology
The RFG is proud to be an organisational member of the Council for British Archaeology.... Read More »
Cheshire Archaeology Public Consultation
The future delivery of archaeology services in Cheshire is currently under review and is open to public consultation, which is being carried out by an on-line-only questionnaire.... Read More »
Finds from the Roman North and Beyond
Joint Roman Finds Group and Centre for Interdisciplinary Artefact Studies Meeting Spring 2015 Roman Finds Group with the CIAS, Newcastle University Bookings are now open for the Spring 2015 Meeting... Read More »
Call For Papers for #TRAC2015
Following the success of last year’s Roman Finds Group session at TRAC, we are very pleased to sponsor a session this year on ‘Interdisciplinary Approaches to Roman Artefacts’.... Read More »
BARGAIN ROMAN MONOGRAPHS
The following Roman-period Yorkshire Archaeological Reports are now available at greatly reduced prices:... Read More »
Roman Society Working Party Questionnaire
The Roman Society is trying to gather data on how it can better develop links with museums, local societies and schools. Please contribute your views via our online survey. Thanks!... Read More »
Date For Your Diary: Manchester Meeting on 8th October 2014
A date for your diaries. We are going ahead with arrangements for an exciting meeting in Manchester in the autumn and the date is now confirmed as Wednesday 8th October, (not as given in the last Lucerna).... Read More »
PhD Studentship in Archaeology | University of Reading
Project title: Tools in Roman London: industry, household practice and ritual deposition across the ancient city.... Read More »
PhD Studentship in Archaeology | University of Reading
Project title: Ringing the changes: the social significance of finger-rings in Roman Britain... Read More »
Vindolanda - An Introduction to Archaeological Illustration - ; 22nd - 23rd February 2014
This weekend workshop covers aspects and techniques of archaeological illustration under the personal tuition of Mark Hoyle BA(hon);P.G.C.E.;MAAIS; MIfA... Read More »
Unusually large find of seals and amulets in ancient sanctuary in Turkey
Classical scholars from the Cluster of Excellence “Religion and Politics” made an unusually large find of seals in an ancient sanctuary in Turkey.... Read More »
Online Course: Pompeii and the Cities of the Roman World
Sera Baker, who attended the RFG Meeting at the British Museum this year has sent details of a new course being run online by the University of Oxford.... Read More »
Conference Dates
Three dates for your diary. 27es Rencontres de l’AFAV # 9-10 novembre 2012 # Musée d'Aquitaine # Bordeaux. L’Antiquité tardive dans l’Est de la Gaule 3 - 8-10 novembre 2012. AFPMA-Association Française pour la Peinture Murale Antique : XXVIe séminaire.... Read More »
Roman Altars
An altar has been discovered during recent excavations at Maryport, the first for 142 years. See the news story at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-19224154... Read More »
Catch our committee member Sally Worrell on ITV Secret Treasures this week!
Catch our committee member Sally Worrell on ITV Secret Treasures this week! The programme, timed to coincide with this week's Festival of British Archaeology, features the top 50 finds made by members of the British public in the last 20 years, and runs on ITV1 for several evenings, culminating in an hour-long special on Sunday 22 July.... Read More »
Society of Museum Archaeologists training courses
A list of upcoming courses from the Society of Museum Archeologists.... Read More »
Training opportunity
During this week-long course you will learn the basics of processing finds from archaeological excavations. Guided by nearly a dozen experienced practitioners and specialists, you will go through all the various stages from handling and packaging, to sorting and cataloguing.... Read More »
Portable Antiquities Website
The Portable Antiquities Scheme website provides information about Scheme, eg contact details for the finds liaison officers and reports on recent finds.... Read More »
The British Museum Study Centre
Another development which is worth saying something about is the Study Centre. This is located a short distance away from the main Museum site on New Oxford Street. The current projected date for completion is 2004... Read More »
All change at the British Museum (2001)
On December 6th 2000 the Queen opened the Queen Elizabeth II Great Court after nearly three years of building work. The courtyard is vast, which is the first impression you get on entering, especially when you raise your eyes to Foster's domed glass roof.... Read More »
Training opportunity (July 2010)
IfA Workplace Learning Bursaries. Museum of London Archaeology will be hosting two IfA-funded opportunities for training from late summer / early autumn.... Read More »
Your group needs you! (January 2011)
The RFG has been in crisis - you may have noticed the absence of meetings and a winter newsletter in 2010. Since the appeal in Lucerna 39 (September 2010), we have recruited several new committee members - thank you!... Read More »
Could you contribute to Diggers' Forum?
Over at the Diggers' Forum we're relaunching our newsletter and we are planning on including factsheets and short informative pieces on subjects that are of interest to our membership.... Read More »
Survey of Archaeological Specialists 2010 - 11
Landward Research have been commissioned by the Higher Education Academy's History, Classics and Archaeology Subject Centre and English Heritage to conduct a survey of archaeological specialists.... Read More »
Archaeological Evidence for Glassworking - Guidelines for Best Practice
This latest edition in the English Heritage Guidelines series focuses on the identification, investigation and interpretation of glassworking evidence at sites in England from the Bronze Age until the 20th century.... Read More »
Please help us to make the Roman Finds Group even better!
Since 1988, the RFG has been a useful forum for everyone with an interest in Roman finds.... Read More »