h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: The Romans in Britain: Pottery - A3012283
Author: Elentari - U202814

This is one of a series of entries I'm doing on Roman Britain, which in the long run, I hope to have edited as a series like Atlantic Cable's Sci fi entries (A1132057).

The complete list of my series is:
A Brief history: A2137565
Minerals: A3008666
Pottery: A3012283
Trade and Travel: A3012337
Agriculture: A3012355
Art: A3012364
Towns and Villas: A3012409
Army: A3012481
Forts and Fortresses: A3012517

in case you facy looking at the rest!

I know they may be a bit dry in parts, though I've tried to get rid of the bits that are only of interest to scholars, to make them more readable.

Let me know what you think!

Me again
I'm really enjoying your series, by the way .

--Don't need introduction header.
--400, 000 >> 400,000
--looked rather more like metal rather than clay. >> how about just one 'rather'
--“Bibe” >> use single quotes instead of double quotes, might also need to be in italics since it's Latin.
--example shown on the left >> since there is no way of knowing whether the editors will accept a photo with this, it's probably best to remove this for now. If there is an example hosted on a solid, reputable site (one that won't be shutting down in the forseeable future), it might be better to link to that instead.
--This was unusual because >> this sounds like it was unusual that pottery was produced at Poole. Maybe say 'this variety was unusual...'

Off to learn more...

Hi!
Me again.

Either quotes, or italics, not both. I think they like foreign words in italics.

Mortraria >> Mortaria

Other names for Samian Ware are 'Arretine Ware' named for the region of Arretium (modern Arezzo, Italy) where it was first produced and in Europe and the USA it is more commonly referred to as 'terra sigillata'.
Rather than 'bright red' it is clear red-brown or terracotta colour.

Some of the phrases in this are a little awkward - when I have time I will look at it more closely.

Do you think a few paragraphs on Roman glass would fit in here somewhere?


Watermusic

Thanks to both. If you have any information on Roman glass I will certainly try to fit it in. Things in RL are a bit hectic at the moment though, any changes may take a while.

Quick search produced these:-

'Roman artisans blew a very wide range of articles, reflecting the variety of usage: large, wide-mouthed storage jars; mould-blown square and cylindrical bottles for transportation, tall, elegant jugs and many types of bottle for use at the table, bowls for fruit, beakers for drinking, small, rounded flasks for scented oils, long-necked bottles for ointments and even window glass.'

... and occasionally mosaic tesserae are glass

'We have very little by way of illustration of Roman Glass workshops; we do know that in Britain a small number of Studio Glassmakers plied their trade from at least the second century. The main and very exiting Roman Trading Estate site at Wilderspool, found by the brewer Mr Greenall back in the seventeen hundreds. Cheshire has certainly provided clues to the craftsmanship exhibited here; glass faience beads from this site have turned up across the Empire. Of the smaller Glass workshops known the most extensively researched is located at Caister by Norwich and was one of those Roman workshops where the family lived upstairs above the shop. Other glassmaking sites are known at Silchester, St. Albans, Gloucester and Wroxeter.'

There was another one they found in London


Watermusic

Are you sure about the Poole pottery being black ? I thought it was Prinknash pottery that was black, Poole is tradionally blue.

I can't say off hand, that information would ahve come either from a textbook or my Ancient History teacher, but it was a while ago, I can't remember. I might google it and see what it says.

Oh, and thanks to Watermusic for that info, I'll try and work it in. I'll have to rename the entry but that's not a problem.

I've just found this site with examples of Roman Pottery in Britain and western europe.
http://www.potsherd.uklinux.net

I find the introduction to this totally confusing. It seems to be saying that pottery was Britain's biggest trade, despite the fact that it was a lot smaller than other trades.

It says pottery was Britain's most imported item, not the biggest trade.

I've put the bit about glass in, but condensed it a bit because on second thoughts I wanted to keep it as pottery-focused. The glass bit takes up a paragraph. I've also made the changes suggested above.

full stop after the window glass footnote '..'

I'm asking you once again to rephrase the first paragraph to make it clearer.

"Potteries began where there was the best quality clay" --> "Potteries were set up where the best quality clay was found"

South coast had so had --> South coast and so had

this was rare.It was --> this was rare.. It was

On reading it again, Gnomon, I see what you mean and I've changed it. Sorry.

I've made those changes now.

Your Guide Entry has just been picked from Peer Review by one of our Scouts, and is now heading off into the Editorial Process, which ends with publication in the Edited Guide. We've therefore moved this Review Conversation out of Peer Review and to the entry itself.

If you'd like to know what happens now, check out the page on 'What Happens after your Entry has been Recommended?' at EditedGuide-Process. We hope this explains everything.

Thanks for contributing to the Edited Guide!

Congratulations.

Congratters!

Watermusic

Well done!