EXCAVATIONS IN 1999 ON LAND ADJACENT TO WAYSIDE FARM, DEVIZES 



193 



Fig. 22 : Late Roman miniature bulbous beakers from 

 graves 



CERAMIC BUILDING 

 MATERIAL, DAUB AND FIRED 

 CLAY 



by Stephen Robinson 



The excavation produced 164 pieces weighing 

 6.926 kg, these totals including 88 pieces of daub 

 and baked clay weighing 1.090kg. All the material 

 has been quantified, sorted into fabrics and types, 

 measurements have been taken where possible and 

 diagnostic attributes such as decoration and 

 impressions have been recorded. This information 

 is held in archive. 



Ceramic Building Material types recovered are 

 those characteristic of sophisticated Romanised 

 buildings. Types recovered include tegulae and 

 imbrex roof tile; pilae (brick) and box flue tile used 

 in underfloor heating systems. However, no 

 structural evidence for buildings was present in the 

 excavated area. Of the material, 53.2% by weight 

 was recovered from midden contexts. 



All of the daub and clay is fragmentary with no 

 vestige or shape. Only the remains of a smooth 

 surface or a possible single wattle impression on 

 some fragments was present. It is considered that 

 the lack of insufficient characteristics on any of the 

 pieces means it is difficult to indicate their function 

 or use. 



WORKED FLINT AND CHERT 



by John Valentin 



Thirty-four pieces weighing 2810g were examined. 

 Most of the material is greensand derived chert, 

 reasonably fresh in appearance. Within the 

 assemblage there are 26 pieces (31%) which 



Fig.23 : Sources of pottery at Wayside Farm c370- 

 400+ . Proportions expressed as percentage of the EVE 

 totals 



seemingly derive from the preparation of flint/chert 

 for walling. The remaining pieces are from the 

 preparation and manufacture of tools during the 

 prehistoric periods. The waste material generally 

 consists of broad, heavy flakes, appearing crudely 

 struck showing little initial preparation. A large 

 quantity of the waste material was prepared using 

 a hard hammer technique. 



A single chert blade was recovered from pit fill 

 context (4239) in Area 2, indicating an earlier, 

 although obviously limited, Mesolifhic component 

 to the site. There are three diagnostic tools present, 

 and one piece categorised as a retouched flake. 

 These comprise two chert scrapers on flakes, a chert 

 'horseshoe' type scraper on flake, with neat, closely- 

 set steep end retouch and a chert retouched flake. 



The diagnostic elements within the assemblage 

 are characteristic of prehistoric flint and chert 

 production. The scrapers are likely to derive from 

 the latter part of the Neolithic period or later. Waste 

 flakes and cores are also indicative of later 

 prehistoric production. Pieces show little 

 preparation and most are broad and heavy flakes, 

 suggesting a Bronze Age or later date for most 

 pieces. 



STONE 



by M. Laidlaw 



INTRODUCTION 



The stone retained from the site comprises non- 

 local stone, burnt stone and stone classified as 

 portable objects. A total of 194 fragments weighing 



