5-Lipoxygenase (5-LOX) plays key roles

T HE purpose of this article is to discuss the construction, decoration and possible uses of Roman circular lead tanks which have been found in Britain. Twelve examples exist, plus fragments of perhaps two more, while one possible example is now lost. A short discussion of the possible functions of these tanks was published in 1943, 1 when seven examples were known, and the tanks have also been considered in connection with Roman art 2 and Christianity in Britain. 3 Circular lead tanks would appear to have been a purely insular development since not one has been found elsewhere in the Roman Empire. The majority of the tanks have been found in the East Midlands and East Anglia (FIG. I). In 1939 a tank was found in Horselands Field, Icklingham 4 and a second tank was found in the same field in 1971. 5 About 1726 a 'Leaden Cistern' was found in the Icklingham area but it has since been lost. Its shape is not known so its inclusion in this class of objects is uncertain. 6 A lug, perhaps from another tank, was found within the 1971 example. The site of the 1971 find was excavated in 1974. 7 In 1958 a tank was found at Willingham, Cambridgeshire, 8 and fieldwalking has produced evidence of settlement in the area. In 1976 a complete tank, together with fragments of a second, was found during excavations at Ashton, Northamptonshire. 9 At Burwell, Cambridgeshire, a tank was located by a metal detector in 1977 and late-Roman pottery has been found in the same area. 10 Two other examples from the region are less well provenanced. One apparently came from the River Ouse near Huntingdon and the other from near Cambridge. 11 The other examples come from outside this small area. Two tanks were found at Bourtonon-the-Water, Gloucestershire, in 1934 12 and their discovery was followed by excavation. 13 In 1943 a tank was found during the deepening of drainage ditches in the flood-plain of the River Arun two kilometres southeast of Pulborough, Sussex. 14 Also in 1943 a small lead tank was found at Ireby, Cumbria. 15 Ploughing turned up two fragments of a tank at Walesby, Lincolnshire, in 1959. 16

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