The Hoarding, Deposition and Use of Pewter in Roman Britain

Abstract

The circumstances surrounding the deposition and hoarding of pewter in Roman Britain are examined - in particular material associations and broad archaeological contexts are analysed - and the conclusion is advanced that almost all such pewter material became buried as a result of ritual activity. It is further suggested that the deposition of pewter is but one element in a frequent and widespread use of seemingly everyday objects for non-rational purposes in Roman Britain, and that this reflects a development or re-invention of Celtic religious practices. Finally, the question of whether the character and distribution of the surviving pewter can be used to postulate a common domestic use for such vessels in late Roman Britain is considered. The arguments are advanced that much of the surviving pewter may have been specifically manufactured for religious purposes, and that the extent of domestic use cannot be directly inferred from the archaeological evidence.