Virtual Museum Neolithic Gallery Display 4 Neolithic pottery from Thanet

The Neolithic pottery we find is often fragile and survives only rarely. It is always exciting to discover!

The earliest pottery found on the Isle of Thanet dates to the Early Neolithic period. These vessels had round bases and the first forms were largely plain or only minimally decorated. The shape and simple decoration of some pots suggest that they may have been imitating other vessels made of leather.

Encounters with archaeological features of this date are few and far between.

Thanet’s Early Neolithic pottery is generally represented only by the occasional sherd.

This fragment and the two simple rims and body sherd shown below were found at Anne Close, Birchington.

The clay used to make the vessel had been mixed with ground up fragments of burnt flint. This ‘temper’ acts as an opening agent which helps the water in the clay to escape during the firing process. This improves the chances for a more successful firing of the pot. All of Thanet's Early Neolithic pottery has this flint tempered fabric.

A couple of fairly complete Early Neolithic bowls have been found on Thanet.

The first (shown below) was found in a grave, discovered during the building of the Nethercourt estate. The pot had been broken and the sherds spread above a crouched inhumation burial (see the display on Neolithic burials).

Top

Another was found at the inundated site of Minnis Bay, Birchington. This and a second vessel are illustrated below. The sherds are held in store at Quex Park.

Our most recent find of Early Neolithic pottery came in the form of a few scraps found in a pit on an excavation site next to the QEQM Hospital Margate in June 2005. The evidence is scant but marks another important addition to the map of Thanet’s first farming ancestors.

By this time the pottery was gradually becoming more intensively and ever more elaborately decorated.

An evaluation at Preston Caravan Park, Manston in 2003 produced some sizeable sherds of Middle Neolithic pottery.

They are decorated with finger-tip impressions which are at least 5000 years old.

A series of holes placed just beneath the rim may suggest that they were used for securing a cover of some sort.

The pottery was recovered from two small circular pits which could be shallow post-holes. These represent rare and important evidence of Thanet’s early farming communities.

Some of the pottery was recovered from the centre of these features. This means that they may have been deposited after any post had been removed, rather than having been part of the original backfill. It is also possible that these pits had another function altogether.

Illustrated below is another sherd which is also decorated with finger-tip impressions, found at Little Brooksend Farm. It is of a type known as Peterborough which broadly dates from circa 3400-2500 BC (Garwood 1999).

This period saw the first appearance of flat-based pottery of ‘Grooved Ware’ (illustrated left and below) and ‘Fengate Ware’ type.

Grooved Ware was the first pot-form to have a flat base. It first appears on the Scottish Isles in the Middle Neolithic period, perhaps as early as 3400 BC and its use gradually spread throughout

Britain

.
This is linked with the spread of the Henge monument phenomena.

In Southern Britain the instances of Grooved Ware are thought to date from circa 3000-2000 BC and it is said that further research may refine this dating to around 2900-2100 BC (Garwood 1999).

The term Grooved Ware reflects the decoration on the vessels which often consists of grooved lines forming panels which are infilled with various abstract designs. This pottery is tempered with grog, which is the crushed remains of other pots.

The introduction of grog tempering represents a new innovation in pottery production techniques. It also permitted the creation of a much smoother surface for applying decoration and gave a less crude looking pot.

Personally though, I rather like the look of the heavily flint-tempered vessels!

Grooved Ware is often associated with Henge monuments and has tradionally been accorded a special status.

Only small scraps have so far come to light in Thanet; the majority from the barrows at Lord of the Manor (such as the piece shown above). Some of these roundbarrows are possibly refurbished and adapted Henge (or Hengi-form) monuments.

We keenly await a site that produces a significant assemblage of Grooved Ware on Thanet.

The continued use of Grooved Ware until around 2000 BC highlights a problem created by our need to label and define different periods.

Some like to date the start of the Early Bronze Age with the first appearance of copper and bronze metal working and the Beaker pottery with which it is often associated. This they may set at around 2500 BC. Others use a later date of around 2300 BC.

Beaker vessels and their associated artefacts occur from around 2500 – 1700 BC and thus the term ‘Beaker Period’ can usefully define this important transitional phase between the Neolithic and the Bronze Age; (see the Beaker Period Display to learn more).

What is most important to remember is that all these periods are really part of a continuum and that our labels are just a guide in helping to characterise and explore those cultural changes over time.

You have now reached the transitional phase between ‘Display 4’ on Neolithic Pottery and ‘Display 5’ on Neolithic Polished Axes.

Thanks to Webmeister Ges Moody for the reproduction of Nigel Macpherson Grant's illustration of the Early Neolithic bowls from Minnis Bay and the photograph of the Grooved Ware sherd from LOM I.


		Neolithic 4200 - 2000 BC
Return to Gallery Display Contents Neolithic pottery from Thanet Early Neolithic Middle Neolithic Late Neolithic Where will it end ? Artefact scales in centimetre divisions Feature scales in 0.5 metre divisions		Neolithic pottery from Thanet
Illustration of an Early Neolithic bowl from Nethercourt, Ramsgate Copyright Dunning 1966		The Neolithic pottery we find is often fragile and survives only rarely. It is always exciting to discover! The earliest pottery found on the Isle of Thanet dates to the Early Neolithic period. These vessels had round bases and the first forms were largely plain or only minimally decorated. The shape and simple decoration of some pots suggest that they may have been imitating other vessels made of leather. Top
		Early Neolithic 4200 - 3500 BC Encounters with archaeological features of this date are few and far between. Thanet’s Early Neolithic pottery is generally represented only by the occasional sherd.
Sherd of Early Neolithic pottery from Anne Close, Birchington
		This fragment and the two simple rims and body sherd shown below were found at Anne Close, Birchington.
Rim and body sherds of Early Neolithic pottery from Anne Close, Birchington
		The clay used to make the vessel had been mixed with ground up fragments of burnt flint. This ‘temper’ acts as an opening agent which helps the water in the clay to escape during the firing process. This improves the chances for a more successful firing of the pot. All of Thanet's Early Neolithic pottery has this flint tempered fabric. A couple of fairly complete Early Neolithic bowls have been found on Thanet. The first (shown below) was found in a grave, discovered during the building of the Nethercourt estate. The pot had been broken and the sherds spread above a crouched inhumation burial (see the display on Neolithic burials). Top
An Early Neolithic bowl from Nethercourt, Ramsgate Copyright Dunning 1966
		Another was found at the inundated site of Minnis Bay, Birchington. This and a second vessel are illustrated below. The sherds are held in store at Quex Park.

		Our most recent find of Early Neolithic pottery came in the form of a few scraps found in a pit on an excavation site next to the QEQM Hospital Margate in June 2005. The evidence is scant but marks another important addition to the map of Thanet’s first farming ancestors.
		Top
Neolithic pottery bowls from the West Kennet longbarrow Copyright Devizes Museum		Middle Neolithic 3500-3000 BC By this time the pottery was gradually becoming more intensively and ever more elaborately decorated. An evaluation at Preston Caravan Park, Manston in 2003 produced some sizeable sherds of Middle Neolithic pottery.
Middle Neolithic rim sherd from Preston Caravan Park, Manston
		They are decorated with finger-tip impressions which are at least 5000 years old.
Middle Neolithic rim sherd from Preston Caravan Park, Manston
		A series of holes placed just beneath the rim may suggest that they were used for securing a cover of some sort.
Middle Neolithic body sherd from Preston Caravan Park, Manston Note the decoration of finger-tip impressions
Two Middle Neolithic post-holes/pits in an evaluation trench at Preston Caravan Park, Manston		The pottery was recovered from two small circular pits which could be shallow post-holes. These represent rare and important evidence of Thanet’s early farming communities. Some of the pottery was recovered from the centre of these features. This means that they may have been deposited after any post had been removed, rather than having been part of the original backfill. It is also possible that these pits had another function altogether. Illustrated below is another sherd which is also decorated with finger-tip impressions, found at Little Brooksend Farm. It is of a type known as Peterborough which broadly dates from circa 3400-2500 BC (Garwood 1999).
Peterborough pottery from Little Brooksend Farm
		Top
Grooved Ware pot from Durrington Walls Copyright Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum		Late Neolithic 3000 - 2000 BC This period saw the first appearance of flat-based pottery of ‘Grooved Ware’ (illustrated left and below) and ‘Fengate Ware’ type. Grooved Ware was the first pot-form to have a flat base. It first appears on the Scottish Isles in the Middle Neolithic period, perhaps as early as 3400 BC and its use gradually spread throughout Britain. This is linked with the spread of the Henge monument phenomena. In Southern Britain the instances of Grooved Ware are thought to date from circa 3000-2000 BC and it is said that further research may refine this dating to around 2900-2100 BC (Garwood 1999).
Grooved Ware sherd from the Monkton Gas Pipeline
Illustration of a Grooved Ware pot from Durrington Walls Copyright unknown at present		The term Grooved Ware reflects the decoration on the vessels which often consists of grooved lines forming panels which are infilled with various abstract designs. This pottery is tempered with grog, which is the crushed remains of other pots. The introduction of grog tempering represents a new innovation in pottery production techniques. It also permitted the creation of a much smoother surface for applying decoration and gave a less crude looking pot. Personally though, I rather like the look of the heavily flint-tempered vessels! Top
Grooved Ware sherd from the multi-phase triple ring-ditch monument Lord of the Manor I
		Grooved Ware is often associated with Henge monuments and has tradionally been accorded a special status. Only small scraps have so far come to light in Thanet; the majority from the barrows at Lord of the Manor (such as the piece shown above). Some of these roundbarrows are possibly refurbished and adapted Henge (or Hengi-form) monuments. We keenly await a site that produces a significant assemblage of Grooved Ware on Thanet.
		Top

Beaker Period/Early Bronze Age Flat axe from Gore End, Birchington		Where will it end ? The continued use of Grooved Ware until around 2000 BC highlights a problem created by our need to label and define different periods. Some like to date the start of the Early Bronze Age with the first appearance of copper and bronze metal working and the Beaker pottery with which it is often associated. This they may set at around 2500 BC. Others use a later date of around 2300 BC.
Early Bronze Age Collared Urn from Lord of the Manor, Ramsgate		Grooved Ware, which is an identifiably Neolithic pot form, continues in use until around 2000 BC. Other pot forms which are labeled as definitively Early Bronze Age, such as Collared and Cordoned Urns, Food Vessels and ‘Pygmy’ or Accessory Cups, don’t appear until around 2000 BC. Also, bronze metalwork too doesn’t really begin to appear with any great frequency until after this time. My personal preference is to use a date here for the end of the Neolithic and the beginning of the Early Bronze Age at around 2000 BC, after which no purely Neolithic pot forms continue.
Three Thanet Beakers		Beaker vessels and their associated artefacts occur from around 2500 – 1700 BC and thus the term ‘Beaker Period’ can usefully define this important transitional phase between the Neolithic and the Bronze Age; (see the Beaker Period Display to learn more). What is most important to remember is that all these periods are really part of a continuum and that our labels are just a guide in helping to characterise and explore those cultural changes over time.
		You have now reached the transitional phase between ‘Display 4’ on Neolithic Pottery and ‘Display 5’ on Neolithic Polished Axes.
		Top
		Bibliography Dunning G.C. 1966. Neolithic occupation sites in East Kent. The Antiquaries Journal - Part 1. Garwood P. 1999. Grooved Ware in Southern Britain: Chronology and Interpretation in Grooved Ware in Britain and Ireland. Neolithic Studies Group Seminar Papers 3, Oxbow, 159; 152. Macpherson Grant N. 1969. Two Neolithic Bowls from Birchington, Thanet. Archaeologia Cantiana LXXXIV.
		Acknowledgments Thanks to Webmeister Ges Moody for the reproduction of Nigel Macpherson Grant's illustration of the Early Neolithic bowls from Minnis Bay and the photograph of the Grooved Ware sherd from LOM I.
		The text is the responsibility of the author; the photographs are by the author unless otherwise stated.
		Paul Hart Version 1 - posted 12.05.05 Version 2 - Posted 24.03.06 Version 3 - Posted 16.12.06 Top
All content © Trust for Thanet Archaeology