Printed from the APC web site: navigation and non-essential images removed.
Please view on-line for full content (URL at end of document).

Assessment of the Vessel & Window Glass

Dr Hugh Willmott

introduction | assessment | recommendations | catalogue

1.0 INTRODUCTION

A reasonable sized assemblage of multi-period glass was recovered from excavations at Blue Bridge Lane and Fishergate, York (summarised at the end of this assessment). All is in relatively stable condition and requires no further specialist treatment. For the purpose of this assessment the glass can be divided into the following chronological categories:

Roman: 1st-5th centuries
Saxon: 6th-11th centuries
Medieval: 12th-15th centuries
Post-medieval: 16th-19th centuries
Modern: 20th-21st centuries

2.0 ASSESSMENT

Although the assemblage is quite large, a significant portion (much apparently recovered from sieving) is far too small for meaningful identification. Of the remaining material, the majority is post-medieval in date, consisting of small fragments of wine bottles or other late vessels. It is important to note that many clearly later fragments occur in what are supposedly early Roman or Saxon contexts (see below), suggesting that either the initial phasing is incorrect, or that many of these contexts are far from secure.

Despite this, small but significant assemblages occur for the earlier periods. The largest of these (with approximately thirty-three vessels) are Roman in date, and although most are highly fragmented, common forms, such as prismatic bottles, as well as rarer items, such as polychrome mosaic glass, can be identified. It is also important to note that the range of vessels, such as unguent bottles, as well as the fact some are heat distorted, suggest that they originally derived from burials. A small but significant group of early medieval glass (consisting of around seven vessels) was also found. These are all trail-decorated drinking vessels as well as a single fragment of reticello glass. Finally, a small assemblage of medieval material was recovered, including three vessels and fragments of plain and painted window glass.

3.0 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FURTHER ANALYSIS

The majority of the glass requires no further study or reporting. There is no further analysis (visual or chemical) that can be done with the very tiny chips. Likewise the post-medieval material is very uninformative, consisting of either small fragments of ubiquitous wine bottles or very late vessels and windows. However, the Roman, Saxon and medieval material is significant and requires full cataloguing and reporting to publication level.

4.0 CATALOGUE

Table 1 Blue Bridge Lane

Table 2 Fishergate House

apc > monographs > blue bridge lane & fishergate house > archive > specialist assessment reports > vessel & window glass