THE "RED HILLS" OF CANVEY ISLAND. 153
in the first half of the 2nd century A.D., which helps to date the
deposit. The pottery is definitely of Romano-British character
and points to actual occupation of the site.
On the same site at a depth of 18ins. to 2ft. were found a few
wedges and half-square pieces of burnt clay. These are classified
by Mr. Jos. H. Mott of Messrs. Doulton's Pottery Works as
"Kiln-Gear," but no fire-bars were found or fragments of
"saggars" or "troughs." In addition, a round-headed, slightly
wedge-shaped brick was found. This may possibly have served
as a. moulder, shaped above to fit the hand.
Two further holes, DII and DIII were dug on the same area
to the south of DI and at a distance of 20 yards and 45 yards
respectively from the latter. Each of the holes was 7ft. long by
3ft. wide, and was excavated to a depth of about 5ft., ending in
a layer of blue clay of uncertain depth.
The burnt earth throughout was characterised by irregular
streaks of carbonaceous matter and burnt clay of various shades.
The lowest layers showed signs of heavy firing.
At site DII the large number of small fragments of briquetage
(2ins. to 3ms. diameter)—evidently pieces of broken pottery—is
noteworthy, but judged by weight the proportion of the briquet-
age was small in relation to the total weight of burnt earth in
which it was incorporated—only 0.2 per cent. Reckoned in
terms of unbroken pots of 12ins. diam, the figure is insignificant,
and would only at the most account for the destruction of 2 to 3
pots. If, therefore, pots of this description were manufactured,
used, and broken on the site—as seems probable—one must look
elsewhere for their remains. Examination shows that a large
proportion of what is here termed "disintegrated briquetage"
(irreg. particles of hard burnt clay, 1 to 5mm. diam.) is derived
from larger pieces of pot of weak structure. The crude ware
contains a number of lacunae, left when the vegetable matter
incorporated with the paste was carbonised and burnt. The
fired ware is therefore structurally weak and readily disintegrates.
The burnt earth in some cases contains over 35 per cent. of this
disintegrated material—an amount sufficient to account for the
immense number of vessels that must have been handled on the
site.