FOOD VESSELS. 



91 



one of which [fig. 79] was found at Hepple, in the parish of 

 Rothbury ; the other [fig. 80] at Ford. 



The clay of which they are composed is as different in quality as 

 are the vessels themselves ; for while some are extremely rude, 

 and made of coarse unworked clay, others are elegant in shape, 

 graceful in the style of ornamentation, and the paste fine and 



well- tempered. The better specimens have no mixture, or scarcely 

 any, of broken stone in the clay, but others have the clay full of 

 it, and are frequently, in material and imperfect firing, no better 

 than the worst-made cinerary urns. Vases of the two qualities 

 are often found in the same barrow ; indeed it is no uncommon 

 occurrence to discover together, and apparently deposited at the 

 same time, a ' food vessel ' beautiful in its shape and ornament, 

 and another ill-formed and with a pattern upon it of the rudest 

 description. 



