LUCERNA Issue 51 • July 2016 The Newsletter of The Roman Finds Group LUCERNA: THE NEWSLETTER OF THE ROMAN FINDS GROUP ISSUE 51, JULY 2016 Editorial Contents Welcome to Lucerna 51. RFG News and Notices 1 This edition kicks off with a couple of updates from our AGM that was held during the RFG Spring Conference Bone Spatulate Strips From Roman London 6 back in April and the revised list of RFG Committee Glynn J.C. Davis members. In doing so we would like to welcome our newest committee member, Barbara Birley - you can Ongoing Research: 13 read a bit more about Barbara, her work and what she Global Glass Adornments Event Horizon in the hopes to bring to the RFG below. Congratulations also Late Iron Age and Roman Period Frontiers goes to Marta Alberti who has received the first ever RFG (100 BC - AD 250) Grant that has helped her research on spindle whorls Tatiana Ivleva from Vindolanda. Furthermore, there’s all you need to know about who’s talking and how to book your place The Roman Finds Group 15 at the next RFG Autumn Conference at the University Spring Conference Reviews of Reading on the 9th and 10th September 2016. Don’t miss out: we look forward to seeing many of you there. Recent Publications 24 This issue also contains a couple of interesting research Conferences and Events 24 pieces. The first is by Glynn Davis who gives us an insightful account of the use and significance of polished bone spatulate strips in London. The second, by Tatiana Communications Secretary (and Website Manager): Ivleva, is an update about her ongoing research on the Nicola Hembrey production, distribution and function of glass bracelets [email protected] in Roman Britain. Many thanks to Glynn and Tatiana for their contributions. Meetings Co-ordinator: Stephen Greep [email protected] Finally, we wrap up with a detailed summary of all the papers that were given at this year’s RFG Spring Lucerna Editor: Matt Fittock Conference, followed by a summary of some upcoming [email protected] events that may be of interest to members. Datasheet Editor: Gill Dunn [email protected] Matthew Fittock Lucerna Editor Committee Members: Jörn Schuster - [email protected] The RFG AGM Sally Worrell - [email protected] Barbara Birley - [email protected] The RFG Annual General Meeting took place on the afternoon of Saturday 2nd April 2016 at the Spring Conference in York where, after a vote, Barbara Birley Barbara Birley Biography was newly elected to the Committee, replacing Roy Friendship-Taylor. It is also with regret that prior to Barbara Birley is the curator for the Vindolanda Trust. the AGM Ellen Swift resigned from her position on For 20 years she has been working closely with the the committee as well. The RFG would like to place on Trust’s archaeologists to understand the expanding record its thanks to both Ellen and Roy for their work Vindolanda collection and to accrue a comprehensive on the committee over the years and wish them well in knowledge about the Roman Frontier and its material the future. culture. She has been an active member of the RFG for 12 years and has produced datasheets on Roman It was therefore agreed that the Roman Finds Group beads and worked closely with the RFG to produce Committee until the next AGM in the spring are: two of the new artefact films on beads and hair combs. From 2012 to 2016, Barbara has presented five papers Chairman: Justine Bayley at RFG meetings including updating the group about [email protected] recent finds from the ongoing Vindolanda excavations. Barbara is keenly aware of the benefits that being a Treasurer: Jenny Hall member of the RFG has brought to her work and in [email protected] developing her professional relationships. The Roman Finds Group has been extremely supportive in her Minutes Secretary: Evan Chapman professional development, offering introductions to [email protected] likeminded professionals and facilitating discussion for Membership Secretary: Angela Wardle Front cover image: Fortunata writing tablet from Number One Poultry, [email protected] London (Hill & Rowsome 2011). Image copyright Museum of London Archaeology. See more information on page 24. Lucerna 51 comparative work on collections. Barbara is passionate of TRAC 2016 in Rome. I have now been invited to about supporting other individuals and organisations to submit my paper for publication and, in this instance, further their own development and believes that one of the illustrations obtained thanks to the RFG grant will the great strengths of the RFG is its supportive network. play a key role. As the 2016 excavation season comes As a committee member, Barbara hopes to bring her to an end at Vindolanda, my first winter project will experience and expertise to the group, commitment involve the creation of a datasheet on spindle whorls. to wider engagement and collaborative work and an The diffusion of standard practices of analysis intends emphasis on nurturing future generations of artefact to be of help to the specialist audience of the RFG and specialists. all those interested in these objects. The datasheet’s aim will be to spread awareness of key data that can be extracted from spindle whorls and to shed some light RFG Grant Awarded to Marta Alberti on what the implications of their presence or use might be, both on a practical and on a theoretical level.’ (The Vindolanda Trust) Further information about how to apply for RFG grants At this year’s Spring Conference Marta Alberti of The is provided below, on the RFG website or by contacting Vindolanda Trust was awarded the first RFG Grant to Stephen Greep, Chairman of the Grants subcommittee. the sum of £450 towards illustrations of whorls from The deadline for the next round of submissions is the excavations at Vindolanda as a part of a research project. 1st September 2016. Unfortunately Marta was unable to collect the award in person but the cheque was received on her behalf by Barbara Birley (fig. 1). As part of the award Marta will be producing a datasheet for the members of the RFG and Membership Benefits has also kindly agreed to write an article for Lucerna that will be published in due course. The RFG would The objectives of the RFG are to promote the study, like to once again congratulate Marta and we look research, publication, teaching and conservation of the forward to seeing the results of her research. material culture of Roman Britain. Membership of the RFG will entitle individuals to: • Two copies of our Newsletter, Lucerna, each year. • Access to our Roman finds datasheets. • Full access to the website (www.romanfindsgroup. org.uk) and twitter feeds, including the members only section which includes access to recent copies of Lucerna. The web site has been developed to include access to Lucerna and Datasheets and to include finds catalogues and other finds-related works which are currently out-of-print as pdfs. • Reduced fees to our twice-yearly meetings, held in the spring (typically a two day meeting) and autumn of each year. • Free/reduced entrance to major finds-related Fig. 1. Barbara Birley accepting an RFG Grant on behalf of exhibitions, where this can be negotiated. Marta Alberti at the RFG Spring Conference in York. • Discounts on finds-related books, or pre-publication Upon accepting the award Marta provided us with an offers, where these can be negotiated. update of her ongoing work. She writes: • Access to small grants to help with small finds research. ‘In April of this year the Roman Finds Group generously These grants are available to individual, fully paid-up, awarded me, Marta Alberti, Site Archaeologist at members and will be awarded for applications seeking Roman Vindolanda, a grant designed to help with my to support our objectives e.g. publication drawings and research on spindle whorls along the northern Romano maps or travel to museums for object research. Special British Frontier. The grant, together with a contribution consideration is given to articles offered to Lucerna. from the Vindolanda Trust, substantially helped in £1,000 is available each year (reviewable). Details on how covering the cost of professional illustration (provided to apply are on our web site (www.romanfindsgroup. by talented Mark Hoyle), for the most significant org.uk). spindle whorls amongst the 69 found in the North West quadrant of the 3rd and 4th century fort at Vindolanda. • Access, through the web site, to educational films All illustrations will be featured in a paper already promoting the importance of finds research. Specialists prepared for the Vindolanda Research Reports to be talk about identifying different materials and objects published at the end of 2017. The paper will be part of a in a series of films that might ultimately be themed more comprehensive volume, which will conclude and around the chapters of Artefacts in Roman Britain or summarize the results obtained in the 2008-2012 SMC. Nina Crummy’s object categories. In March, I had the privilege to present my original • Group payment for individual RFG members to research on spindle whorls and spinners in the forts of Instrumentum, the European bi-annual magazine. the Romano British frontier to the prestigious audience Join through RFG to receive four years’ worth of Instrumentum membership for three years payment. 2 3 Lucerna 51 In addition the RFG will absorb the conversion fee in to work well on mobile phones, tablets and on desktop a bulk payment on your behalf. The next renewal date browsers. All Members of the Roman Finds Group may is 2016 and the cost for Instrumentum membership is log into the new website and view extra resources that currently 90 Euros for 4 years.