Two glass vessels

These two glass vessels were found by workmen excavating the foundations for the British Home Stores building in Fore Street in 1951. They are the most complete examples of Roman glass excavated so far in the city.

The vessel forms are a beaker and a cup. Both are in clear glass and can be dated by their style to c. AD 50-75, i.e. the period of the Roman military occupation. Their place of production is not known but may have been the Middle Rhineland.

Vessel glass was unknown in South West England prior to the arrival of the legion.

Acknowledgments: RAM Museum