Romans in Renfrewshire
Interior surface of samian vessel
Monitoring conducted by FIRAT Archaeological Services during work to construct an entrance garden and pavilion at the Ingliston Equestrian Centre, near Bishopton, has identified evidence for Roman activity outside the boundaries of the adjacent fort at Whitemoss. This fort, which was identified in 1949 as crop-marks on an aerial photograph, commands a magnificent vista across and along the Clyde, and when recognized, helped to solve the problem of the defence of the western flank of the Antonine Wall as, in Roman times, the Clyde did not constitute a military obstacle, being shallow and in places fordable. Excavations were conducted within the fort in the 1950s, but more recent work carried out during previous phases of development of the Equestrian Centre have not identified any physical remains outside its boundaries.
Underside ofbase of samian vessel, showing manufacturer's mark
However, the current programme has identified a curving ditch, which in places exhibits a V-shaped profile that is frequently found on Roman military sites. Excavation of a number of sections across this ditch produced the fragment of samian shown at the top of this page. This appears to represent part of the base of a large flat bowl or platter. Impressed decoration is visible on the interior surface, while the exterior bears what appears to be a maker's mark, which will hopefully provide some indication of its date and place of manufacture. Although this samian fragment was found in the lower fills of the ditch, it is important to be aware that it could have been present in the topsoil before becoming incorporated in a later feature, as the area as a whole has been subject to a substantial amount of later disturbance, much of it resulting from the construction of a network of field drains during the period of agricultural improvement.
Section across V-shaped ditch