Bathgate Beaker

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Details

Discovered in a Sand Quarry close to Cairnpapple Hill, Bathgate, the original of this Bronze Age Beaker is extremely rare in that it includes cord and comb decoration on its surface.  What is particularly interesting is that the comb decoration appears to have been applied in order to correct a mishap in the original all-over cord decoration, where it had been smudged, and the decoration was reapplied with a bone comb.  

The site at Cairnpapple Hill appears to have been of great ritual and ceremonial significance as evidence suggests that it was in use during the Neolithic, through the Bronze Age and into the Iron Age when it is believed to be early Christian Burial ceremonies occurred.  

Context

Around 2500 BCE, Britain saw the first use of metal in the form of Gold and Copper, and alongside these new materials came pottery beakers. Often considered to mark the end of the Neolithic and the beginning of the Bronze Age, it was a time of great change, with some research studies claiming that a vast proportion of Britons were replaced by a wave of migrants from Europe. In terms of pottery this change resulted in a bloom of creativity where potters showed off their skills by creating highly decorated pottery forms.  

Materials

Smoke fired Terracotta

Dimensions

Height 165mm, diameter 140mm

Production

As with all my Museum Quality Replicas, this pot has been made, as the original would have been, entirely by hand from natural clay and using replicas of the types of tools that the Bronze Age makers would have used.  In keeping with the original pot, the decoration has been applied using a hand-twisted cord made from natural bark fibres, in this case, Lime Bark Bast.

Firing

It has been fired to emulate the ancient firing conditions. The original pot would have been fired in an open wood fire, in close contact with the fuel, a process that leaves its mark on the clay as variations in the surface colour. However, the very low temperatures achieved in open firings also result in pots that are relatively weak, so this pot has been fired to a somewhat higher temperature to strengthen it, in a special firing process that allows me to achieve an authentic appearance to the pot.

 Health & Safety

This is a Museum Quality Replica and is not intended for use as a drinking vessel, if you require replica pots for actual use with food of beverages, please ask before purchasing.

Postage

All items are sent using a second-class postal service; if you wish to have an item sent first class, please contact me for a quote. Many Thanks