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THE REUSE of ROMAN OBJECTS in EARLY ANGLO-SAXON SOCIETY C. AD 400 C

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THE REUSE of ROMAN OBJECTS in EARLY ANGLO-SAXON SOCIETY C. AD 400 C Durham E-Theses THE PAST IN THE PAST: THE REUSE OF ROMAN OBJECTS IN EARLY ANGLO-SAXON SOCIETY c. AD 400 c. 700 WERTHMANN, INDRA,JULIA,EVELYN How to cite: WERTHMANN, INDRA,JULIA,EVELYN (2020) THE PAST IN THE PAST: THE REUSE OF ROMAN OBJECTS IN EARLY ANGLO-SAXON SOCIETY c. AD 400 c. 700 , Durham theses, Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses Online: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/13642/ Use policy The full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-prot purposes provided that: • a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in Durham E-Theses • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. Please consult the full Durham E-Theses policy for further details. Academic Support Oce, Durham University, University Oce, Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3HP e-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 0191 334 6107 http://etheses.dur.ac.uk 2 THE PAST IN THE PAST: THE REUSE OF ROMAN OBJECTS IN EARLY ANGLO-SAXON SOCIETY c. AD 400 – c. 700 Indra Werthmann-Carroll Volume I Of two volumes Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of PhD in Archaeology Durham University Department of Archaeology March 2019 1 Abstract This thesis examines and analyses the reuse of Roman portable material culture in pre-conversion Anglo-Saxon grave assemblages dating between AD 400 and 700. In total, 908 curated Roman objects were recorded from 65 cemeteries across the modern English counties of Kent, Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk. The Iintroduction chapter provides a general overview of the historical context of Anglo-Saxon England and the end of the Roman Empire. Chapter 2 is concerned with the methodology and data collection which was carried out to compile this data. The third first chapter gives an outline of the existing theoretical framework on curated Roman material in Anglo Saxon contexts. A general overview of all collated Roman objects gathered for this study is given in chapter 4. Each object type is examined according to its nature, chronology, purpose, social intent and circulation patterns. The relationship between Roman ruins and Anglo-Saxon cemeteries is also discussed. Chapters 5 - 7 analyse the objects within their archaeological contexts and in relation to the body. Chapter 5 engages with items found in concealed circumstances, such as in bags and wooden boxes, while chapter 6 discusses items which were openly displayed on the body as personal adornments, jewellery and costume accessories. Chapter 7 examines objects which were not found as part of the costume, but in the fill or placed beside the body. The focus of these thematic chapters is to critically engage with the different ways Roman objects were used in Anglo-Saxon funerary ritual. Chapter 8 contextualises the findings by drawing on the continental evidence for Roman object reuse. Chapter 9 discusses the findings of the previous chapters, setting them into context? with existing theoretical frameworks on the early medieval world with emphasis on chronology, regionality, the body and the impact of Christianity in the 7th century. i Table of Contents: List of Tables………………………………………………………………………viii List of Figures……………………………………………………………………...ix Preface……………………………………………………………………………..xv Acknowledgements……………………………………………………………….xvi Dedication………………………………………………………………………….xvii CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION 1.1. Introduction…………………………………………………………………… 1 1.2. Setting the background - the transformation of the Roman Empire……..4 1.3. Aims, objectives and research questions…………………………………...9 1.4. Regions………………………………………………………………………..10 1.4.1.Pre-existing Roman archaeology in the chosen study areas………….13 1.4.2. The Anglo-Saxon evidence in the chosen study areas………………..18 1.5. Chronology…………………………………………………………………….24 1.6. Limitations……………………………………………………………………..26 CHAPTER TWO DATA AND METHODOLOGY 2.1. Introduction: Accumulating the data………………………………………..28 2.2. Gender and age associations……………………………………………….30 2.3. Defining the term ‘Roman’”………………………………………………….31 2.4. Identifying Roman objects in Anglo-Saxon graves……………………….32 2.5. Presentation of the data…………………………………………………….33 2.6. Chronology of graves including Roman objects………………………….35 2.7. Summary of results………………………………………………………….36 CHAPTER THREE: THE ARCHAEOLOGY OF THE PAST IN THE PAST IN ANGLO- SAXON SOCIETY 3.1. Introduction: Recycling the Past………………………………………….37 3.1.1. Special deposits………………………………………………………….38 ii 3.2. Roman spolia……………………………………………………………….41 3.3. Heirlooms and special magical or amuletic objects…………………….45 3.4. Most recent thoughts on Roman objects in early medieval society…..48 3.5. Interpreting portable material culture…………………………………….49 3.5.1. Object biographies………………………………………………………51 3.6. Artefacts as grave goods in Anglo-Saxon archaeology……………….51 3.6.1 Typologies……………………………………………………………......52 3.6.2. Artefacts and ‘ethnicity’…………………………………………………52 3.6.3. Artefacts and the body………………………………………………….53 3.6.4. Artefacts and trade/exchange and political alliances……………….55 3.7. Being Roman………………………………………………………………58 3.7.1. The special case of Roman Britain……………………………………60 3.8. Summary……………………………………………………………………61 CHAPTER FOUR: IDENTIFYING ROMAN OBJECTS IN ANGLO-SAXON GRAVES 4.1. Introduction…………………………………………………………………62 4.2. Coin…………………………………………………………………………64 4.3. Pottery ……………………………………………………………………..67 4.4. Glass ……………………………………………………………………….71 4.5. Brooches ………………………………………………………………......74 4.6. Keys…………………………………………………………………………77 4.7. Belt Buckle …………………………………………………………………80 4.8. Rings ……………………………………………………………………….83 4.9. Pendant…………………………………………………………………….86 4.10. Bracelets …………………………………………………………………88 4.11. Tweezers…………………………………………………………………90 4.12. Intaglio……………………………………………………………………93 4.13. Comb……………………………………………………………………..96 iii 4.14. Marble…………………………………………………………………...97 4.15. Miscellaneous metal objects………………………………………….99 4.15.1 Non-illustrated objects which could not be further classified but are of Roman origin according to the excavation reports:………………………………………110 4.15.2 Circulation patterns for miscellaneous metal objects……………111 4.16. Possible Roman objects: jet, lead and shale………………………113 4.17. Accessibility to Roman material……………………………………..115 4.18. Summary………………………………………………………………118 CHAPTER FIVE: CONCEALED ROMAN OBJECTS 5.1.Introduction……………………………………………………………...120 5.2. Bags and boxes containing Roman material………………………..120 5.3 The Roman finds………………………………………………………..124 5.3.1. Object types and materials in bag collections…………………….125 5.3.2. Object types and materials in box collections…………………….135 5.4. Associations in terms of gender and age……………………………139 5.5. Chronology……………………………………………………………...141 5.6. Concealed Roman objects within communities – the spatial evidence …………………………………………………………………………………143 5.7. Bag and box collections in a biographical context…………………..154 5.8. Summary………………………………………………………………...158 CHAPTER SIX: OPENLY DISPLAYED ROMAN OBJECTS AS PART OF COSTUME 6.1. Introduction………………………………………………………………165 6.2. Roman objects as jewellery and dress accessories………………...165 6.3. The Roman finds……………………………………………………..….170 6.4. Object types and material found as jewellery items………………....171 6.4.1. Coins as jewellery components………………………………………177 6.4.1.1. Modified and double pierced coins………………………………...179 iv 6.4.2. Other metal objects……………………………………………….…...181 6.4.3. Roman beads and glass…………………………………………..….182 6.5. Dress fasteners……………………………………………………..……184 6.5.1. Brooches and pins…………………………………………………….185 6.5.2 Belt buckles and -accessories……………………………………..…188 6.5.2.1. Modified belt buckle sets…………………………………………...190 6.6. Associations in terms of gender and age…………………………..…191 6.7. Chronology…………………………………………………………...…..193 6.8. Visually displayed items – The spatial evidence……………………..198 6.9. Special individuals with openly displayed Roman objects…. ………215 6.10. Discussion……………………………………………………………….218 CHAPTER SEVEN: INTERACTING WITH THE DEAD - NON-COSTUME APPLICATIONS 7.1. Introduction………………………………………………………………..224 7.2. Roman objects used in non-costume applications……………………224 7.3. The Roman finds………………………………………………………….228 7.3.1. Roman objects placed beside or on the body (non-costume related) …………………………………………………………………………………...232 7.3.1.1. Coins found near or beside the body……………………….……...238 7.3.1.2. Jewellery and dress fasteners found near or on the body (non-costume related) ……………………………………………………………………………………244 7.3.1.3. Tools and implements…………………………………………..……246 7.3.1.4. Pottery, glass and drinking equipment……………………………..249 7.3.2. Roman objects found in the fill……………………………………..….254 7.4. Age and gender associations……………………………………………262 7.5. Chronology………………………………………………………..……….264 7.6. Spong Hill………………………………………………………………….267 7.7. Interacting with the dead - the spatial evidence………………….…...270 7.8. Roman objects as spiritual items accompanying the dead………….278 v 7.9. Discussion…………………………………………………………….…..280 CHAPTER EIGHT: THE MEANING AND USE OF ROMAN OBJECTS IN EARLY MEDIEVAL COMMUNITIES – THE CONTINENTAL EVIDENCE 8.1. Introduction……………………………………………………………….284 8.2. The late Roman landscape of the west……………………………….285 8.3. Trade and exchange between the continent and Anglo-Saxon England ………………………………………………………………………………….286 8.4. Merovingian mortuary rites and the significance of Roman antiques ………………………………………………………………………………….288 8.4.1.
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