Bring Me Three Large Beers: Wooden Tankards at Roman Vindolanda

Abstract

Summary This paper presents, and places in context, two tankard staves and part of a lathe-turned tankard base, all made from yew wood (Taxus baccata), identified as part of a review of over 1500 wooden small finds from the Roman fort of Vindolanda. These were originally part of large, skilfully produced, communal drinking vessels of a type that has recently been the subject of a major review. Wooden tankards of this type are currently considered to be at their earliest a Late Iron Age phenomenon but one which extends well into the Roman period and which has, so far, been recognized predominantly within Britain. The three elements, found at Vindolanda, must have derived from three separate vessels and come from different periods within the site. This paper explores, adds to and amplifies current thinking on the construction, use and discard of these vessels and, in particular, considers how the tankards were perceived within the context of a Roman fort.