On the Edge of Empire: a New Narrative of Society in the South-West of England During the First Century BC to Fifth Century AD
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On the Edge of Empire: A new narrative of society in the south-west of England during the first century BC to fifth century AD Submitted by Siân Alyce Thomas to Cardiff University as a thesis for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Archaeology January 2018 Abstract This thesis explores the relationship between people and material culture in the south-west of England from the first century BC to the fifth century AD. This area has often been ignored in the narratives of Britannia and the application of traditional theoretical models to the archaeology of the region, such as the Romanisation paradigm, has perpetuated the idea that the south-west peninsula was largely ‘un-Romanised’. The lack of developed urban centres, villa estates, temple sites and the low level of engagement with imported ceramics and other materials from the Roman world has been interpreted through the Romanisation model to suggest that was never fully integrated into the province of Britannia. In recent years the Romanisation paradigm has been heavily critiqued. New theoretical concepts such as discrepant identity theory have been developed which recognise that interactions in the provinces were far more complex than the simplistic dichotomy of Roman v Native. In line with this more emphasis is being placed on artefacts and their use in the creation of identity. Building on this shift in theoretical frameworks this thesis explores the relationship between material culture and the creation of identity. This is achieved through the analysis of the ceramics, personal adornment items and coins found in the region, both through excavation and from data recorded through the Portable Antiquities Scheme. The analysis has shed new light on the role these objects played in the renegotiation of identity that resulted from the Roman conquest. The result of this analysis has shown that far from being one politically cohesive society the region was inhabited by a number of smaller social and political groupings, who reacted differently to the conquest. This has allowed the conclusion to be drawn that modern Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly lay beyond the bounds of the Roman Empire. i Acknowledgements I would like to thank my supervisors Peter Guest and Stephen Mills for all of their guidance and support throughout this research. I would also like to thank the AHRC for funding my research. A number of people both in commercial archaeological units and other universities have provided me with data to incorporate into my study, including some as yet unpublished data for which I am incredibly grateful. In particular I would like to that Tom Brindle, Henrietta Quinnell, Sam Moorhead, Danielle Wooton, Imogen Wood, John Davey, Exeter University, Bryn Morris, Anne Reynolds, John Salvatore, Paul Bidwell, Jon Valentin and Anna Tyacke. Thank you also to Stephanie Ratkai for going through my ceramics methodology and offering comments to help me improve it. Huge thanks have to go to my family and friends who have supported me through the entire process. Again, particular thanks go to Jacqueline Cahill-Wilson who read and commented on nearly every word I have written. Thanks also to my proof readers Susan Stratton, Rowena Hart and Alice Forward, who also cast a critical eye over my ceramics data! Lastly, I would like to thank Mark and Jill for being so understanding and letting me take as much time off work as needed to complete. It should be noted that the background mapping used throughout this thesis created through the use of Ordnance Survey Terrain 50 tiles downloaded from the Edina Digimap Service, along with a polygon of the United Kingdom coastline and line data for the rivers and Roman roads; copyright © Crown Copyright and Database Right 2018. Ordnance Survey (Digimap Licence). ii Table of Contents List of Figures V List of Tables XI Chapter 1 Introduction 1 • 1.1 Aims and Objectives 1 • 1.2 Research Context 2 • 1.3 Research Parameters 6 • 1.4 Structure 12 Chapter 2 The Dumnonii 14 • 2.1 The Late Iron Age 15 • 2.2 The Roman Period 31 • 2.3 Towards a New Perspective 47 Chapter 3 Material Culture and Identity 50 • 3.1 Theorising Roman Studies 51 • 3.2 Identity 54 • 3.3 Material Culture 56 • 3.4 Theoretical Perspectives 58 Chapter 4 Research Methodology 60 • 4.1 Data Collation and Presentation 61 • 4.2 The Data 66 • 4.3 Data Interpretation Issues 77 Chapter 5 The Ceramic Assemblage 80 • 5.1 Methodology 83 • 5.2 The Social Life of Clay 87 • 5.3 Regional Overview 102 • 5.4 Change Through Time 132 • 5.5 Discussion 160 Chapter 6 Personal Adornment Items 164 • 6.1 Methodology 167 iii • 6. 2 Biographical Objects 170 • 6.3 Regional Overview 180 • 6.4 Change Through Time 195 • 6.5 Discussion 219 Chapter 7 Coinage in the South-West 223 • 7.1 Methodology 231 • 7.2 Regional Overview 238 • 7.3 Change Through Time 249 • 7.4 Discussion 285 Chapter 8 Narratives of Change in the South-West 289 • 8.1 People, Material and Identity in the South-West 290 • 8.2 The Dumnonii: A New Perspective for the South-West 301 Bibliography 304 Appendix 1 328 Appendix 2 445 iv List of Figures Figure 1.1: Map showing the primary geological formations of the study 8 region. Figure 4.1: The tables held within the database created for this thesis. 62 Figure 5.1: Distribution map of the Gabbroic vessels found in the study 90 region. Figure 5.2: Table shows the imported fabrics consumed by communities in 94 Cornwall from the Late Iron Age through to the Late Romano-British period, CPs 3-5. Figure 5.3: Distribution map showing the sites where South Devon Ware was 98 consumed during the early to late Romano-British periods and in the Post- Roman period (CPs 4-6). Figure 5.4: Map shows the sites within the study region that have produced a 106 ceramic assemblage of Middle or Late Iron Age date Figure 5.5: Chart shows the forms present in the study region during the 107 Middle and Late Iron Age. Forms displayed by MNV Figure 5.6: Chart shows the ceramic assemblages from four sites occupied 109 from the Late Iron Age through the Romano-British period. Figure 5.7: The chart shows the fine ware fabric types consumed within the 111 study region during the Romano-British period. Figure 5.8: Chart shows the number of Samian ware vessels consumed within 111 the region during the Romano-British period. Figure 5.9: Distribution map of the fine ware fabrics consumed within the study 113 region during the Romano-British period. Figure 5.10: A breakdown of Samian Ware by fabric sub-types. The vessels that 112 do not have a fabric sub-type have been excluded, which amounts to 189 vessels. Figure 5.11: Map of the distribution of amphorae from across Britain. 115 Figure 5.12: Chart shows the amphora present in the study region during the 116 Romano-British period by form type. v Figure 5.13: Chart shows the vessel types that make up the regional 118 assemblage during the Romano-British period. Figure 5.14: Map showing the distribution of plate and dish forms across the 120 region during the Romano-British period. Figure 5.15: Map showing the distribution of drinking vessel forms across the 121 region during the Romano-British period. Figure 5.16: Chart showing the fabric types, where known, of mortaria within 122 the study region. Figure 5.17: Map shows the distribution of ceramic mortaria and Cornish 124 stone bowls across the region during the Romano-British period. Figure 5.18: Chart shows the numbers of vessels in coarse and fine fabrics at 126 Exeter. Figure 5.19: Chart shows the vessel forms from the Exeter assemblage, 129 displayed by minimum number of vessels. Figure 5.20: Chart shows the tableware and drinking vessels forms found at 130 Exeter and from the rural settlements excavated across the region. Figure 5.21: A frequency chart showing the total number of ceramic vessels in 133 use during each Ceramic Phase. Figure 5.22: The chart shows the form types consumed during the Mid to Late 135 Iron Age and the Late Aron Age periods. Figure 5.23: Distribution map of the imported ceramics consumed in the Late 137 Iron Age to Roman Transition period, CP3. Figure 5.24: Chart shows the forms consumed during the Late Iron Age and 138 Roman Transition, CP3. Figure 5.25: Distribution map of the tableware and drinking vessel forms 139 consumed during the Late Iron Age to Roman Transition period, CP3 Figure 5.26: Chart shows the coarse ware fabrics consumed in the region, 141 where the MNV is greater than 5. Figure 5.27: The tableware and drinking vessel forms consumed within the 142 region during the early to mid Romano-British period (CP4). vi Figure 5.28: Distribution map of the drinking vessel and tableware forms 143 consumed during the mid to early Romano-British period (CP4). Figure 5.29: Chart shows the lower status sites in the region that have 145 produced tableware or drinking vessel forms. Figure 5.30: Chart shows the minimum number of vessels in British fine ware 149 fabrics consumed in the study region during the mid to late Romano-British period, CP5. Figure 5.31: Map showing the distribution of tablewares and drinking vessels 152 across the study region during the mid to late Romano-British period, CP5. Figure 5.32: Chart shows the minimum number of mortaria consumed during 153 the early to mid Romano-British period, CP4, and the mid to late Romano- British period, CP5.