Two Examples of Late Celtic and Early Roman Metalwork from South Lincolnshire

Abstract

D URING 1970 the City and County Museum, Lincoln, was fortunate in acquiring by purchase and by loan two interesting examples of metalwork from south Lincolnshire dating from the period of the Roman Conquest. The Whaplode terret is in the tradition of native Celtic metalwork, and the fluted patera handle from Dry Doddington is almost certainly an import from southern Italy. In both cases, however, these objects are likely to have been associated with the early Romanized population of the area (PL. XXIV). The Whaplode terret (FIG. I, A) was purchased at Sotheby's in July 1970.' It had been found during ploughing sometime between 1958 and I964 by Mr. P. Fisher. The field on which it was found (TF 3205 1312) is close to Mr. Fisher's house and is almost in the centre of Whaplode Drove village. This area appears to have been a heavily settled part of the Fens in Roman times, and before the field was first ploughed in about 1920 it showed the characteristic 'humps and bumps' of a Roman Fenland settlement. Since that time numerous coins, mainly of the late first and second centuries, and Roman pottery have been collected from the field.z The terret measures 8 4 cm across and on each side there are two sets of arc and triple circle decoration. It belongs to Leeds's Type II (broad enamelled) terrets,3 which were usefully discussed by Lady Fox in connection with the terret found at Richborough.4 The decoration on the Whaplode terret is infilled with red enamel, and in comparison with other terrets it is simple both in design and enamelling. Most of the other terrets are decorated with yellow or blue enamel as well as red.