Department: Archaeology

Small pottery cups are often found buried in Bronze Age graves alongside other pots. They are sometimes called accessory vessels. Archaeologists are not sure what the function of these tiny pots was. Accessory vessels vary greatly in size, shape and decoration.

Prehistoric pots were coil-built. This means they were made by building up rings of clay and smoothing the sides to flatten the bumpy surface. Extra material, known as temper, was mixed into the clay to diffuse heat and stop pots from exploding during firing. Pieces of stone, straw and grog (broken up bits of old pots) were used for this purpose.

Display Location: Weston Park Museum