Description

Summary: 1 globular cremation urn of highly burnished black fabric (broken) with one handle, containing burnt bones identified in 1896 as coming from the Roman Station (Cunetio) at Folly Farm, Marborough, but more likely to be a prehistoric vessel from Germany from the Zimmerman collection.

Research results

A burnished black ceramic jar or urn with a single handle and now associated with cremated remains. In 1896 William Cunnington (grandson of the 19th century antiquarian) and E.H. Goddard identified this vessel as that described by Colt Hoare in 1819, who found an "internment of burnt bones deposited within an urn of black, well moulded pottery", however this seems to have been a mistake. William Cunnington (the elder) is known to have purchased a number of continental objects from his fellow antiquary Johann Zimmermann and a vessel very similar to this one is illustrated in his catalogue of his collection.