Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-8ctnn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-27T10:32:15.422Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Olives from Roman Spain: A Unique Amphora find in British Waters

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 April 2011

P. R. Sealey  and
P. A. Tyers
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

In 1983 a fisherman in the Thames estuary at Pan Sand trawled up a Roman amphora filled with olives which had been preserved in defrutum syrup. The jar is dated c. AD 70 ± 15. An attempt is made to relate the olive varieties at Pan Sand to those described in the ancient documentary sources. The Pan Sand jar exemplifies a new category of amphora, called London 555. They were produced in the province of Baetica in Roman Spain; claims that the form was made in the Rhône valley are regarded as unproven. Stratified finds from Britain show the form was current from c. AD 50/55 until c. AD 125/150. London 555 develops from Haltern 70 and continues the trade represented by that form. The last London 555 amphoras explain part of the Dressel 17 phenomenon. London 555 was not the only category of amphora used to export preserved olives from Baetica after Haltern 70; the trade continued until the late Empire and helps explain finds of olives from late contexts in Roman Britain.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Antiquaries Journal , Volume 69 , Issue 1 , March 1989 , pp. 53 - 72
Copyright
Copyright © The Society of Antiquaries of London 1989

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Amar, G. and Liou, B. 1984. Les estampilles sur amphores du Golfe de Fos, Archaeonautica, 4, 145–211CrossRefGoogle Scholar
André, J. 1956. Lexique des Termes de Botanique en Latin, ParisGoogle Scholar
André, J. 1984. L'Alimentation et la Cuisine à Rome, ParisGoogle Scholar
Anonymous 1956. Roman Britain in 1955. I. Sites explored, J. Roman Stud., 46, 119–46CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Beltran Llorís, M. 1970. Las Anforas Romanas en Espana, Monografias Arqueológicas, Anejos de Caesaraugusta, 8, ZaragozaGoogle Scholar
Benoit, F. 1960. Nouvelles épaves de Provence (II), Gallia, 18, 41–56CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Boyer, R. 1986. Conserve d'olives dans deux amphores trouvées dans les fouilles de La Bourse à Marseille, Gallia, 44, 229–33CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Boyer, R. and Février, P-A. 1971, Épave romaine à Villepey près de Fréjus (Var), in Atti de III Congresso Intemazionale di Archeologia Sottomarina. Barcelona 1961, 159–66. BordigheraGoogle Scholar
Brailsford, J. W. 1964. Guide to the Antiquities of Roman Britain, LondonGoogle Scholar
Callender, M. H. 1965. Roman Amphorae with Index of Stamps, LondonGoogle Scholar
Charlin, G. et al. 1979. L'Épave antique de la baie de Cavalière (Le Lavandou, Var), Archaeonautica, 2, 9–93CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Colls, D. et al. 1977. L'Épave Port-Vendres II et le commerce de la Bétique à l'époque de Claude, Archaeonautica, 1Google Scholar
Colls, D. and Lequément, R. 1980. L'Épave Port-Vendres II: nouveaux documents épigraphiques, in Producción y Commercio del Aceite en la Antigüedad: Primer Congresso Internacional, (ed. Blázquez Martínez, J. M.), 177–86, MadridGoogle Scholar
Crummy, N. C. (ed.) 1987. The Coins from Excavations in Colchester 1971–9, Colchester Archaeol. Rep., 5, ColchesterGoogle Scholar
Crummy, P. J. 1984. Excavations at Lion Walk, Balkeme Lane and Middleborough, Colchester, Essex, Colchester Archaeol. Rep., 3, ColchesterGoogle Scholar
Dangreaux, B. and Desbat, A. 1988. Les amphores du depotoir flavien du Bas-de-Loyasse à Lyon, Gallia, 45 for 1987/88, 115–153Google Scholar
Dean, M. L. 1984. Evidence for possible prehistoric and Roman wrecks in British waters, Int. J. Naut. Archaeol. Underwater Explor., 13, 78–80Google Scholar
Desbat, A. 1987. Note sur production d'amphores à Lyon au début de l'Empire, in Actes du Congres de Caen 28–31 Mai 1987, (Société Française d'Étude de la Céramique Antique en Gaule), (ed. Rivet, L.), 159–66, MarseilleGoogle Scholar
Dunnett, B. R. K. 1971. Excavations at Colchester 1964–68, Trans. Essex Archaeol. Soc, 3 (3rd series), 1–106Google Scholar
Frost, H. 1981. Lilybaeum (Marsala)-the Punic Ship: Final Excavation Report, Notizie degli Scavi, Vol. 30 for 1976, Supplement, RomeGoogle Scholar
Garrouste, L. 1972. A propos d'un traitement des bois antiques immerges, Cahiers d'Archéologie Subaquatique, 1, 133–41Google Scholar
Green, C. M. 1980. The imported amphorae, in Excavations at Billingsgate Buildings ‘Triangle', Lower Thames Street 1974, (Jones, D. M.) London Middlesex Archaeol. Soc, Special Paper N0.4, 40–5, LondonGoogle Scholar
Haselgrove, C. C. and Turnbull, P. 1983. Stanwick: Excavation andFieldwork. InterimReport 1981–83, University of Durham, Department of Archaeology, Occasional Paper 4, DurhamGoogle Scholar
Haselgrove, C. C. and Turnbull, P. 1985. Stanwick: Excavation and Fieldwork. Second Interim Report 1984, University of Durham, Department of Archaeology, Occasional Paper, 5, DurhamGoogle Scholar
Haselgrove, C. C. and Turnbull, P. 1987. Stanwick: Excavation and Research. Interim Report 1985–86, University of Durham, Department of Archaeology, Occasional Paper, 8, DurhamGoogle Scholar
Hawkes, C. F. C. and Hull, M. R. 1947. Camulodunum, Soc. Antiq. London, Res. Rep. 14, LondonGoogle Scholar
Hesnard, A. 1980. Un dépôt augustéen d'amphores à La Longarina, Ostie, in Seaborne Commerce of Ancient Rome: Studies in Archaeology and History, Memoirs of the American Academy in Rome, 36, (eds. D'arms, J. H. and Kopff, E. C.), 141–56, RomeGoogle Scholar
Joncheray, J-P. 1975. L'Épave ‘E’ du Cap Dramont, sigillée claire et amphores rescapées du pillage Cahiers d'Archéologie Subaquatique, 4, 141–6Google Scholar
Keay, S. J. 1984. Late Roman Amphorae in the Western Mediterranean: a Typology and Economie Study. The Catalan Evidence Brit. Archaeol. Rep. S. 196, OxfordCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kenward, H. K. et al. 1986. Environmental Evidence from a Roman Well and Anglian Pits in the Legionary Fortress, The Archaeology of York, 14, fase. 5, LondonGoogle Scholar
Laubenheimer, F. 1985. La Production des Amphores en Gaule Narbonnaise, Annales Littéraires de l'Université de Besançon, 327, (Centre de Recherches d'Histoire Ancienne, 66), ParisCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lequément, R. and Liou, B. 1979. Un nouveau document sur le vin de Bétique, Archaeonautka, 2 for 1978, 183–4Google Scholar
Lequément, R. and Massy, J-L. 1980. Importation à Soissons (Aisne) d'olives au defrutum en provenance de Bétique, Cahiers Archéologiques de Picardie, 7, 263–6CrossRefGoogle Scholar
L'hour, M. et al. (eds.) 1985. Archéologie Sous-Marine sur les Côtes de France. Vingt Ans de Recherche, NantesGoogle Scholar
Liou, B. 1982. Directions des recherches archéologiques sous-marines, Gallia, 40, 437–54Google Scholar
Marsh, G. D. 1981. London's samian supply and its relationship to the development of the Gallic samian industry, in Roman Pottery Research in Britain and North-West Europe: Papers Presented to Graham Webster, Brit. Archaeol. Rep. S., 123, (eds. A. C., and Anderson, A. S.), 173–238, OxfordGoogle Scholar
Merrifield, R. 1962. Coins from the bed of the Walbrook, and their significance, Antiq. J., 42, 38–50CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Milne, G. 1985. The Port of Roman London, LondonGoogle Scholar
Murphy, P. L. (forthcoming). Environmental studies: Culver Street, in Excavations at Culver Street and Miscellaneous Sites 1971–85, Colchester, Essex, Colchester Archaeol. Rep., 6, (Crummy, P. J.), ColchesterGoogle Scholar
Parker, A. J. and Price, J. 1981. Spanish exports of the Claudian period: the significance of the Port-Vendres II wreck reconsidered, Int. J. Naut. Archaeol. Underwater Explor., 10, 221–8CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pascual Guasch, R. 1968. El pecio Gandolfo (Almería), Pyrenae, 4, 141–55Google Scholar
Paunier, D. 1981. La Céramique Gallo-Romaine de Genève, Memoires et Documents Publies par la Société d'Histoire et d'Archéologie de Genève, 9, GenevaGoogle Scholar
Peacock, D. P. S. and Williams, D. F. 1986. Amphorae and the Roman Economy, LondonGoogle Scholar
Pélichet, E. 1946. A propos des amphores romaines trouvées à Nyon, Zeitschrift für Schweizerische Archaeologie und Kunstgeschichte, 8, 189–209Google Scholar
Ponsich, M. 1974. Implantation Rural Antique sur le Bas-Guadalquivir, Publications de la Casa de Velazquez, Fase. 3, MadridGoogle Scholar
Richardson, K. M. 1944. Report on excavations at Verulamium: insula XVII, 1938, Archaeologia, 90. 81–126CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rigby, V. 1982. The coarse pottery, in Early Roman Occupation at Cirencester, (Wacher, J. S. and McWhirr, A. D.), 153–200, CirencesterGoogle Scholar
Righini, V. 1974. La produzione vitivinicola romana nella Cispadana orientale, Studi Romagnoli, 25, 185–203Google Scholar
Rodríguez Almeida, E. 1972. Novedades de epigrafia ánforaria del Monte Testacelo, in Recherches sur les Amphores Romaines, Collection de l'École Française de Rome, 10, (Baldacci, P. et al.), 107–241, RomeGoogle Scholar
Rodríguez Almeida, E. 1980. El Monte Testacelo, hoy: Nuevos testimonios epigráficos, in Produccióny Comercio del Aceite en la Antiqüedad: Primer Congreso Internacional, (ed. Blázquez Martínez, J. M.), 57–102, MadridGoogle Scholar
Santamaria, C. 1961. Travaux et découvertes sur l'épave in Atti del III Congresso Internazionale di Archeologia Sottomarina, Albenga 1958, 167–74, BordigheraGoogle Scholar
Santamaria, C. 1975. L'Épave A du Cap Dramont (Saint-Raphael): fouilles 1971–74, Revue Archéologique de Narbonnaise, 8, 185–98CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Schmitt, A. 1988. Les productions d'amphores dans la moyenne vallée du Rhône: mise au point sur quelques types, Actes du Congres d'Orange 12–15 Mai 1988 (Société Française d'Étude de la Céramique Antique en Gaule), (ed. Rivet, L.), 25–33, MarseilleGoogle Scholar
Sealey, P. R. 1985. Amphoras from the 1970 Excavations at Colchester Sheepen, Brit. Archaeol. Rep., 142, OxfordCrossRefGoogle Scholar
H-G., Simon 1976. Die Funde aus den frühkaiserzeitlichen Lagern Rödgen, Friedberg und Bad Nauheim, in Römerlager Rödgen, Limesforschungen, 15, (Schönberger, H. and Simon, H-G.), 51–264, BerlinGoogle Scholar
Symonds, R. P. 1984. Summary of the ceramic dating evidence for some key areas at Lion Walk and Balkerne Lane, in Crummy 1984, 320–40Google Scholar
Tchernia, A. 1969. Recherches archéologiques sous-marines, Gallia, 27, 465–99Google Scholar
Van Der Werff, J. H. 1984. Roman amphoras at Nijmegen—a preliminary report, Berichten van de Rijksdienst voor het Oudheidkundig Bodemonderzoek, 34, 347–87Google Scholar
Wheeler, R. E. M. 1930. London in Roman Times, London Museum Catalogues, 3, LondonGoogle Scholar
Willcox, G. H. 1977. Exotic plants from Roman waterlogged sites in London, J. Archaeol. Sci., 4, 269–82CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Willcox, G. H. 1978. 2. Seeds from the late second-century pit F28 (B III-2a), in Southwark Excavations 1972–74, London Middlesex Archaeol. Soc. and Surrey Archaeol. Soc, Joint Publication, I, (eds. Bird, J. et al.), 411–13, LondonGoogle Scholar
Wilson, M. G. 1972. The other pottery, in Verulamium Excavations Vol. 1, Soc. Antiq. London Res. Rep., 28, (Frere, S. S.), 263–370, LondonGoogle Scholar
Wilson, M. G. 1984. The other pottery, Verulamium Excavations Vol. 3, (Frere, S. S.), 200–76, OxfordGoogle Scholar
Wright, R. P. 1951. Roman Britain in 1950. II. Inscriptions, J. Roman Stud., 41, 140–5CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wright, R. P. 1956. Roman Britain in1955. II. Inscriptions J. Roman Stud., 46, 146–52CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zevi, F. 1966. Appunti sulle anfore romane, Archaeologia Clasńca, 18, 208–47Google Scholar
Zienkiewicz, J. D. 1986. The Legionary Fortress Baths at Caerleon. II. The Finds, CardiffGoogle Scholar