Precious shards
Coins, bronzes and metal tableware were always popular which led to them be stolen, melted down and recycled.
The remaining archaeological finds therefore only really represent a random selection of what existed originally.
Pottery, in contrast, was worthless and largely unusable for other purposes once broken.
The pieces largely remained where they were and gradually entered the levelling layers of the frequent conversions and new buildings.
As Roman pottery trends changed relatively quickly, they offer scientists, in the case of connected finds and building remains, information on time periods.
With later processing, pottery therefore even has priority over other types of archaeological finds.
Terra sigillata and Belgian goods
Cooking and storage items are less suited for establishing dates as these had more practical shapes which were used over longer periods.
In contrast, elegant tableware was more subject to trends and therefore changed shape and style more frequently which, in turn, makes dating easier.
This tableware which can be relatively easily dated also includes the so-called “Terra sigillata”, elegant red pottery with a glossy surface which was often also decorated.
In involves the archaeological name and is Latin for “sealed earth” which came from the maker’s stamp which was often applied.
The “Belgian goods” which local potters made in Celtic tradition or based on Roman pottery can also be well dated.