A Vase à Anse from Guernsey in the Channel Islands

Abstract

Tomalin (1988) commented on the similarities of vases a anses in Jersey to those in both north Brittany and south Britain. However following earlier writers, including Kendrick (1928, 89) and Hawkes (1938, 112), who also noted these vessels in Jersey, he finds no examples from the rest of the Channel Islands. Interestingly Kendrick illustrates a single-handled vase à anse from the site of La Rocque qui Sonne, Guernsey (1928, pl. XIV, G80); he describes it simply as a ‘small globular cup’ with ribbon handle (1928, 164). Presumably the Guernsey vessel's single handle excluded it from Kendrick's class ‘I’ of ‘Biconical vases with ribbon handles’ from Jersey, which he identified as ‘familiar Bronze Age ware in Brittany’ (1928, 89).The finding of vases à anses in the Channel Islands indicates communication with at least Brittany, though at a period when the islands seem to have had little to offer the visitor, being at a date just prior to an apparent cessation of contact with Armorican ‘exchange partners’ of long standing. Briard (1986) used the vases à anses among other artefacts, to stress such contacts between the islands and Brittany during the Later Neolithic and Early Bronze Age.