Monument record MWX3126 - Briquetage scatter, Middlebere, Arne

Romano-British Briquetage Scatter, Middlebere. A scatter of salt-production debris was noted here in 1987. (1)

<1> Papworth, M, 1992, Middlebere, Corfe Castle Estate, Dorset. Wessex Region, 21 (Unpublished document). SWX1394.

A scatter of salt production debris was noted in 1987 after the field at SY977866 was ploughed. The site lies 300m E of Middlebere Quay and consists of a scatter of red baked clay fragments called briquetage which are remnants of the salt water evaporation vessels frequently associated with Romano British salt production sites. Similar sites have been excavated on other promotories along the north Purbeck coast e.g. Ower and Fitzworth (Woodward 1987 p6). A black burnished pot sherd recovered from the ploughsoil was part of a 1st century Romano British jar with counter-sunk handles. A mound 15m and 0.7m high at the NE end of the site although spread by the plough may be associated as such-waste heap mounds are characteristic of salt production sites. The briquetage scatter is approximately 250m NE-SW and 100m NW-SE.

Record last edited

Oct 5 2021 9:50AM