Coutts, Catherine M (1991) Pottery and emporia : imported pottery in Middle Saxon England with particular reference to Ipswich. PhD thesis, University of Sheffield.
Abstract
This thesis looks at the problems of trade and exchange in the Middle Saxon period (AD 650-
850), using, as a case study, the imported pottery excavated in Ipswich over the past 20
years. Richard Hodges' study of the imported pottery from Hamwic was taken as the
starting point, although his work deals almost exclusively with pottery from France. Much
more of the Ipswich material originated in the Rhineland, and it is postulated that these two
emporia were operating under different trade diasporas. The context of the trade in pottery
and other imported goods is discussed with reference to anthropological research into long distance trade and exchange. The social position of the traders and who they were is
discussed.
Part II deals with the trading settlements themselves. The roles of the four major English
emporia of Ipswich, Hamwic, London and York are examined, and their chronology,
archaeological evidence and imported ceramics are considered. The relationship between
the English emporia and their continental counterparts is discussed, and four of the major
continental emporia are described.
Part III describes the methodology used for analysing the ceramics, and gives detailed
descriptions of the main types recovered at Ipswich. The macroscopic and thin-section
analyses are described, and the problems of the various ceramic types, in particular the
northern French Black wares and Tating ware, are discussed. The appendices give details of
the thin-section analysis undertaken.
In Part IV the implications of the sequence and origins of imported pottery are discussed for
England in general, and for Ipswich and East Anglia in particular. The changing roles of the
emporia within their societies are discussed The problems of coinage, gift-exchange and the
development of markets and a monetary economy are examined in Chapter 7, looking at the
problems of using ceramics as a means of understanding social and economic development.
Metadata
Keywords: | Saxon trade |
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Awarding institution: | University of Sheffield |
Academic Units: | The University of Sheffield > Faculty of Arts and Humanities (Sheffield) > Archaeology (Sheffield) The University of Sheffield > Faculty of Science (Sheffield) > Archaeology (Sheffield) |
Identification Number/EthosID: | uk.bl.ethos.385485 |
Depositing User: | EThOS Import Sheffield |
Date Deposited: | 25 Oct 2012 10:35 |
Last Modified: | 08 Aug 2013 08:47 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:etheses.whiterose.ac.uk:1867 |
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