Highworth Roman pot up for auction (From Swindon Advertiser)

Highworth Roman pot up for auction

12:30pm Friday 20th February 2009 in News

A ROMAN pot found in Highworth will set pulses racing at an auction next month.

The pot, which measures 2ft tall by one-and-a-half feet wide and has a mouth 12 inches across, was found in pit with other Roman artefacts in June 2008 during excavations for a garage at Highworth, last summer.

The pot has contemporary clay “stitching” down one side, suggesting it was broken and then mended by its Roman owners.

“What makes this pot so interesting is its sheer size,” said auctioneer Philip Allwood.

“It is incredible that it has been so well preserved for so long.

“If Tony Robinson dug one of these up it would be a real highlight of an episode of Time Team.”

The find was made not far from Ermin Street, which at one time connected the Roman towns of Glevum, now Gloucester, Silchester in Hampshire and Corinium, now known as Cirencester.

The pot carries an estimate of £800 to £1,200.

The sale takes place at Moore Allen and Innocent’s saleroom at Norcote, near Cirencester, on Friday, March 6 from 10am.