Potted Histories – Cremation, Ceramics and Social Memory in Early Roman Britain

Abstract

Archaeologists have identified the adoption of new forms of cremation ritual during the early Roman period in south-east Britain. Cremation may have been widely used by communities in the Iron Age, but the distinctive nature of these new rites was their frequent placing of the dead within, and associated with, ceramic vessels. This paper suggests an interpretation for the social meaning of these cremation burial rites that involved the burial of ashes with and within pots as a means of commemoration. In this light, the link between cremation and pottery in early Roman Britain can be seen as a means of promoting the selective remembering and forgetting of the dead.

Ritual Patterns in the Deposits of Fauna Associated with Iberian Burials: The Necropolis of El Poblado During the Fourth to Second Centuries bc (Archaeological Complex of Coimbra del Barranco Ancho, Murcia)

“…For some authors, the cremation of the corpse and of the offerings is the same transformative ritual activity as in Roman times. Grave goods cannot be used to directly interpret the social identity of the deceased, but the deposited objects can be analysed as agents in the ceremony of transformation to a new identity (Williams, ). We know that in the classical Greek period these sacrifices were carried out by passing the offerings to the gods through the fire so that the smoke transported the essence of the animal.…”

Birds, Beasts and Burials: A study of the human-animal relationship in Romano-British St. Albans

“…The concept of consumption, however, may not be the only reason for the presence of food items in burials. Food and drink can add to the broader sensory experiences created within the community, particularly memories created during mortuary rituals that inherently are accompanied with other social aspects aimed at influencing remembrance of the deceased (Williams 2004b). Parry (1985) reminds us that in many societies, the flavours, aromas and spices given off by food can create important symbolic connotations linked to the ritual stage of the funeral.…”

“…Evidence for the fragmentation, circulation, preservation and representation of human remains in different funerary, religious and domestic contexts may indicate contrasting engagements between the living and the dead in which bodies, bones and material culture may have held an agency influencing remembrances (Williams 2004b). The widespread and varied practices employed in cremating the dead found in many prehistoric and historic cultures offer an opportunity to investigate the mnemonic agency, or social memory, of bodies and bones.…”

Last Orders: Choosing Pottery for Funerals in Roman Essex

“…These are questions seeking fuller answers. In his recent paper, Howard Williams (2004) has moved some way towards resolving these long‐standing issues. He places a social meaning on the selection of funerary pottery, arguing that ceramics, associated with consumption and sacrifice, provided a potent means of remembering the dead and representing the act of cremation.…”