Exploration of the Merovey pottery workshop brought previously unknown information and findings

Archaeologists have discovered hundreds of kilograms of well-preserved pottery from the period between the 6th and 7th centuries AD. The discovery was made in the village of Sevrey in eastern France. Among the vessels in excellent condition are variants and types never before recorded; the information found significantly increases the knowledge of pottery production in the early medieval period.

This autumn, at the request of the State, the Inrap team carried out a precautionary archaeological survey of the private project in advance of the planned construction. Sevrey's workshop was already mentioned in medieval texts. Pottery production here was continuous from the 5th to the 19th century. It was the only workshop in the region to produce orange-brown pottery. Examples of its products have been reported from all parts of Europe.

The planned excavation allowed archaeologists to investigate the entire process of pottery production during the Merovingian dynasty. Along the road, they discovered mining pits that were later used for waste disposal. They also uncovered a sump, a rectangular pit used to hold water, which is an important piece of evidence of the water management methods used in pottery production. They also found large quantities of iron slag from the associated forge and the remains of slaughtered animals.

The repertoire of ceramic finds is largely dominated by the classic forms of bistre-type service sets, especially pots, jugs, carinated bowls and mortars, as well as cups, lamps, bottles or stoppers. Exceptional pieces are especially the double-handled jug or miniature vases. The discovery of an abundance of terracotta roof and ridge tiles and bricks suggests that workshops may have had a presence in the 6th century. and 7th-century production lines previously unknown to archaeologists.

In addition, various pits and postholes filled with discarded kiln parts from the latemedieval period, which is also important information for archaeologists on this little-studied period of the workshop at Sevrey. Despite the relatively limited study area, the high concentration of artefacts and abundance of material offer a great dataset that provides new opportunities to understand the overall context of the medieval village of Sevrey and its pottery.

Roman Němec

Sources: thehistoryblog.com, inrap.fr