Spanish Pottery Imported into Medieval Britain

Abstract

MEDIEVAL POTTERY imported from Spain is divided into fine tin-glazed and coarse unglazed. or lead-glazed wares, and is found in contexts from the late 13th. to 15th century. It is difficult to distinguish late 14th and early 15th-century lustrewares made at the two main production centres in Andalucia and Valencia by visual examination of the fabric or of the type of decoration. The late 13th and early 14th-century Andalusian and the 15th-century Valencian wares are more characteristic. Eighty-three finds from thirty-five sites are described and twenty-eight other sites listed. There are about equal numbers of sherds from early and late contexts; but Valencian imports have a wider distribution, found at some forty sites as opposed to about twenty Andalusian sites. This was a limited luxury trade, largely in decorative bowls and dishes. Tin-glazed albarelli presumably came as containers, but jugs could have been either containers or imported for their appearance—unlike Saintonge jugs which came in much larger quantities as part of the SW. French wine trade. Thirty-six examples of unglazed or lead-glazed costrels, amphorae, storage vessels and bowls are described and dated to the 13th and 14th. centuries. These coarse wares were containers, but the small numbers imported again confirm their context in a limited luxury trade.

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