File:A body sherd fragment from a Roman Central Gaulish samian ware hemispherical bowl Form Dragendorff 37 dating to AD 120 - 230. (FindID 839612).jpg

English: A body sherd fragment from a Roman Central Gaulish samian ware hemispherical bowl Form Dragendorff 37 dating to AD 120 - 230. The sherd consists a section of the vessel lower wall and part of the foot-ring. The foot-ring is pad-like and is a Webster D form as illustrated in Webster (1996:47 fig 32). The sherd has moulded decoration with the only clear figure being a lioness facing right. This style of lioness is documented on Central Gaulish samian from Lezoux as well as East Gaulish factories from Rheinzabern, although the mica inclusions in the fabric point to the former as the most likely source of this vessel. It was used by several potters and is found on Form Dragendorff 37 dating to the Trajan-Antonine period. A similar lioness can be seen in Oswald (1937:100 Pl. LXIII fig. 1518). Below the lioness are two finger prints, made by the potter when the vessel was dipped into the liquid slip before firing. The fragment has a pink fabric and is coated in a red slip on both the inside and outside which is heavily abraded with most of the slip worn away from the high points of the moulded decoration.

Dimensions: length: 58.13mm; width: 54.86mm; thickness: 10.56mm; weight: 55.15g.

Similar Drag. form 37 bowls on the database are LON-E8F69A, LON-32885E, WAW-F9D786 and LON-97317F.

Oswald & Pryce (1920:95-96) write "The essential characteristics of this form consist of the hemispherical contour, the plain band beneath the lip (a half-round moulding), and a relatively flat foot-stand." they continue "Appearing first of all in the reign of Nero (Ritterling, Hofheim, p. 231), it rapidly achieved popularity and became the predominant decorated bowl of the second century. Furthermore, it continued to be manufactured right down to the close of the period of decorated Terra Sigillata (Oelmann, p. 25). This late date of its production applies, however, more particularly to the East Gaulish potteries. At Lezoux it would appear to have been extensively superseded towards the end of the second century and the beginning of the third century by applique ware (Dechelette, ii. 167)."

References: Oswald, F. and Pryce, T. Davies 1920. An introduction to the study of terra sigillata, London.

Oswald F., 1937. Index of Figure-types on Terra Sigillata ("Samian Ware"): Issued as a Supplement to The Annals of Archaeology and Anthropology. University Press

de la Bedoyere, G. 1988. Samian Ware. Shire Publications Ltd, Aylesbury.

Webster, P. 1996. Roman Samian Pottery in Britain. Practical Handbook in Archaeology 13. Council for British Archaeology, York.