Description (Labels & Markings)
Label adhered (on Japanese tissue) inside top: '[illegible] / Old Warren / Bed's'
Added in biro: 'Z 15116'
Notes added in pencil are illegible.
Event Date
Author: Katrina Dring

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Description (Labels & Markings)
Label adhered (on Japanese tissue) inside base: 'Old Warren / Bedfordshire / [?Camb. Ant. Soc.] / 1883'
Event Date
Author: Katrina Dring

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Description (Physical description)
Tall turned shale pedestal urn in two parts, the upper fitting over the lower on a lipped ledge. Belgic.
Event Date
Author: maa

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Context (Related Documents)
There is a photograph of the item on the reverse of the catalogue card.
Event Date
Author: maa

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Context (Found together / assemblage)
1883.190 is probably one of the two shale vessels referred to in the minutes of the Fifth General Ordinary Meeting of the Cambridge Antiquarian Society (9 May 1845), when 'Prof. Henslow made some remarks on two vessels in the Society's Collection wh[ich] he supposed to be made of Kimmeridge clay...' (see Ordinary Meeting minutes book in CAS archive). The second vessel, which consisted of the upper half of a similar urn, is probably the '... imperfect vase of Kimmeridge coal... given in exchange for 8 Roman urns found near the Gas Works, Cambridge that the vase may be deposited in the British Museum' (see Council Meeting minutes for 26 February 1855). That vessel is accessioned in the BM as 1855,0710.1. It is currently unclear what relation 1883.191 is to 1883.190 and BM 1855,0710.1.
Event Date 1843
Author: Imogen Gunn

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Context (Field collection)
In Dryden's account (1845) of Inskip's excavation at Old Warden, north of Quint's Hill, he notes that Inskip found 'at 4 feet below the surface, two hoops of iron, one on the other's edge, inclosing [sic] the burnt bones and teeth of a human being', as well as two amphorae 'of large size, with long handles' and two pedestal urns of shale. In his account of the finds at Old Warden (published 1850), Inskip does not mention the iron rings but the other finds are the same. Inskip describes the amphorae as 'Grecian-shaped... of large size'. Currently only the two shale pedestal urns have been found, whilst the iron rings and the two large amphorae are unaccounted for.
Event Date 1843
Author: Imogen Gunn (admin)

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Context (Related Documents)
Both pedestal urns (1883.190 and BM 1855,0710.1) were illustrated by Sir Henry Dryden on 8-10 June 1843. The drawing, marked No. XVII, notes that they 'are in the possession of Mr Inskip of Shefford'. The drawing is held by the Northamptonshire Central Library, accession number DR/01/119.
Event Date 10/6/1843
Author: Imogen Gunn (admin)

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Context (References)
Dryden, Henry. (1845). 'Roman and Roman-British Remains At and Near Shefford, Co. Beds.' Publications of the Cambridge Antiquarian Society, 10. p. 20
Event Date 1845
Author: Imogen Gunn (admin)

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Context (References)
Inskip, Thomas. (1850). 'On Ancient Relics collected in Bedfordshire'. Bedfordshire Architectural and Archaeological Society, vol. 3. p. 169-170
Event Date 1850
Author: Imogen Gunn (admin)

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Context (References)
1857. 'Proceedings at the Meeting of the Archaeological Institute, February 6 1857'. Archaeological Journal, vol 14, p. 87
Event Date 1857
Author: Imogen Gunn

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Context (References)
Watkin, W.T. (1882). 'Roman Bedfordshire'. Archaeological Journal, vol. 39. p. 281
Event Date 1882
Author: Imogen Gunn

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Context (References)
Fox, Cyril. (1923). The Archaeology of the Cambridge Region. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 96-99. Pl. XV.3
Event Date 1923
Author: Imogen Gunn (admin)

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Context (References)
Thomas, Stanley. (1965). Pre-Roman Britain. Studio Vista: London. fig. 297.
Event Date 1965
Author: Eleanor Wilkinson

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Context (References)
Simco, A. (1973). 'The Iron Age in the Bedford Region'. Bedfordshire Archaeological Journal, vol. 8. pp. 10, 18
Event Date 1973
Author: Imogen Gunn

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Context (References)
Dyer, J. (1976). 'The Bedfordshire Region in the First Millennium B.C.' Bedfordshire Archaeological Journal, vol. 11. p. 16
Event Date 1976
Author: Imogen Gunn

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Context (References)
Kennett, D.H. (1977). 'Shale Vessels of the Late Pre-Roman Iron Age: Context, Distribution and Origins.' Bedfordshire Archaeological Journal, vol. 12. pp. 17-22.
Event Date 1977
Author: Imogen Gunn

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Context (Display)
Previously on display in the archaeology gallery, Clarke Gallery, 1984-2010. Exhibition label read: 'Shale pedestal urn. Lathe-turned from two blocks fitted together with double edged joint. Shale from Kimmeridge, Dorset, was first extensively exploited shortly before the Roman conquest.'
Event Date 1984
Author: Imogen Gunn (admin)

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Context (Amendments / updates)
The Source was originally given as simply Cambridge Antiquarian Society, but as it is clear that this urn was excavated and owned by Thomas Inskip before passing to the CAS, he has now been added. 'Quint's Hill' has also been added to the Place field.
Event Date 12/6/2017
Author: Imogen Gunn (admin)

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Conservation (Museum Additions Removed)
CON.2017.3894 | Museum Additions Removed
Event Date 10/7/2017
Author: Kirstie Williams

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Conservation (Remedial)
81.71 | Remedial
Event Date 28/5/2019
Author: Kirstie Williams

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Description (Physical description)
Tall, Belgic pedestal urn of Kimmeridge shale turned on a lathe in two parts. Base has a slightly concave pedestal decorated with two ridges, body decorated with pairs of parallel grooves; top fits onto base with lipped edge; three pairs of grooves around the shoulder leading to a narrow neck and everted rim.
Event Date 28/6/2022
Author: Katrina Dring