Highworth Roman Pot

The Roman solution to keeping things cool

From: Museum & Art Swindon

This large Roman storage jar is 2-foot-high and nearly as wide. With iron staples holding it together, detailed conservation work has revealed a lot about how the vessel was used. 

Roman Pot & Swindon Museum & Art gallery/ Swindon Borough Council – large grey Savernake ware jar found in Highworth

Discovered off Cricklade Road in Highworth in 2008, this large vessel was found intact with a small stone slab covering the mouth. The object was clearly valuable, as it had been repaired with lead staples during its use. 

We believed the vessel was used for keeping food cool. It was buried in the ground with the slab preventing anything from getting inside. Underground, the temperature would have been cooler and more constant. 

Vessel undergoing residue analysis - Residue Analysis 1 & Swindon Museum & Art gallery/ Swindon Borough Council
Vessel undergoing residue analysis - Residue Analysis 1 & Swindon Museum & Art gallery/ Swindon Borough Council

Curator’s Insights

Analysis of the residue inside the pot has identified milk fat residues. This indicates that it could have been used to store milk or butter. It’s a great object for showing us part of someone’s daily life, including their diet and how they dealt with the same challenges we face in preserving food. 
 

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