Rhos on Sea Amphora

A Roman Amphora From Bryn Euryn

Rhos-on-Sea

The story behind the finding of the Roman amphora on Bryn Euryn is rather strange, and provoked different reactions from historians when first published in 1986. Bryn Euryn, or the ‘bear’s hill’ is a low terraced hill, and though only standing to a height of 151 metres. dominates the Bay of Colwyn, and the modern seaside resorts of Colwyn Bay, and Rhos-on-Sea. The summit is the site of a small hillfort, long believed to be of Iron Age origin, but when excavated by Gwynedd Archaeological Trust in 1998 (three trial trenches, two on the north rampart of the ‘citadel’ and one south, at an area between the citadel and south outer rampart) it was found to be post Roman and comparable to other Welsh early Medieval ‘Maerdref’ sites in the area such as Conwy Mountain, Deganwy Castle, and Caer Oloeu near Maenan in the Conwy Valley. While no dating evidence had been recovered, and also no evidence of the site being founded in the pre Roman Iron Age, the post Roman date, the nature of a Maerdref (high status, royal Welsh township) suggests the site was one of prestige, and along with Deganwy castle served to block the north western approach to the Creuddyn Promontory, the limestone headland, the Great Orme, towers over the town of Llandudno, and was the site of copper mines first worked in the Bronze Age. The Great Orme mines had been of primary importance to the founding of the Caerhun Roman auxiliary fort, and while no Roman structures or roads have been located on the Great Orme, is doubtless the reason Kanovium, or Canovium, and the Segontium forts remained listings in Roman road books (Antonine Itinerary, Ravenna Cosmography) even later than the legionary base at Chester. So while Bryn Euryn hillfort in the possible last phase is early Medieval, the Roman interest in the area and finds of Roman material around the hill and in the surrounding area points to the hillfort possibly being occupied during the late Iron age/early Roman period. The Roman finds from Rhos-on-Sea and Llandudno are listed below.

The finding of the amphora was first published in 1986 in Archaeology In Clwyd, a now defunct but useful, annual booklet listing the archaeological discoveries in the county of Clwyd the previous year. Clwyd County Council, Department of Architecture, Planning and Estates, Number 8, Edited by John Manley. Manley had been County Archaeologist for Clwyd since the mid 1970’s, finally leaving his post in the late 1980’s to work in the Middle East, he remerged in 2001 with his rather noncommittal study of The A.D 43 Roman Conquest of Britain (invading armies entry into Kent verses Hampshire) and it is with some enthusiasm (and doubt he) reviews the finding of the rather spectacular amphora.

Above Image the Property of the publisher of A.I.C. 1986.

The Finding of the amphora

During 1960 a bungalow was being constructed on the north west slope of Bryn Euryn, this was west of the site of Llys Euryn Medieval manor house, which is situated just north of a modern quarry which was the site of two Roman finds, a small Constantinian coin hoard, and a burial which not only contained a skeleton, but also two copper ingots, which probably originated from the Great Orme mines or from Parys Mountain on Anglesey. The ingots are now on display at Llandudno and Bangor Museums, and are similar to an example possibly found by Samuel Lysons at Caerhun fort bath-house in 1801, the large copper ‘cakes’ are stamped SOC ROMAE, which appear to represent Imperial control of the mines, and may indicate high status Roman activity in the localities. During work to terrace the ground the amphora had been located, buried deeply, and the rim was the first part of it to be recognized. The amphora was found to have been buried vertically. The finder is now dead, so precise details are lacking, possibly the amphora may have been re-used as a container for a coin hoard, a burial, or even as a urinal, if any additional Roman material had been discovered is also unknown, it seems likely the unnamed finder was unaware of the Roman date of the jar, the amphora was placed in the rockery as is shown on the image above, during 1977, it having been well protected in the intervening years, apparently. Here the amphora remained until 1985, the property was then sold. It would possibly appear the amphora did not remain in the rockery once the bungalow was sold, but that the new owners pressed the vendor to seek professional advice, here Manley is rather vague, but during August 1985 they did, but preferred to hold on to the amphora and not to donate it to a local museum. It would seem this rather uncooperative approach by the owners was to become a theme, the value of the amphora had obviously been discovered, see below. What is the value of a complete ‘Dressel’ 2-4 amphora? a very rare find for Britain, in a complete state, it would be worth £1000-£3000 on the current British Antiquities market. Though it would be relatively easy to still purchase one at a Mediterranean port for a fraction of this price. Jacques Cousteau, the famous wreck salver reports during the 1970’s that the multiple recovery of these amphora could represent an easy days work for a commercial diver, and most examples seen outside shops and clubs in such Spanish resorts as Majorca, often containing flowers, during this time had been genuine Roman examples. The value however was soon to rise, and by the late 70’s a prime example was now worth £700, but it was becoming more difficult to get such antiquities beyond Mediterranean customs , the authorities becoming rightfully indignant to the removal of their heritage.

During the late 1990’s the owners decided to emigrate to Australia (or possibly sell it to an Australian occupant) it is a stipulation by the British government that an export license be obtained to remove such important antiquities. Both the British Museum and Conwy Borough Council (the county of Clwyd was dissolved in 1997) contested the license, which was not given, with the result the amphora was purchased by Conwy Council, and thankfully the amphora will now stay in the area. It has been placed on display during 2003-4 at Colwyn Bay Library, along with a Roman seal ring found in Rhos-on-Sea in a garden in 1998, the bezel features a ‘Phoenix rising from the ashes’ and part of a coin hoard found at Penhryn Bay.

John Manley describes the amphora as

‘Typologically, the Rhos-on-Sea amphora can be assigned to the group Dressel 2-4, Callender 2, Camulodunum 182-3. This type was manufactured principally in Italy, especially in the region of Campania (Naples), and also in France, Spain, and England, based on prototypes from the Greek island of Kos. In date they range from 16 BC to AD 146, although the majority occur in the first half of the first century AD.’

The long thin type amphora is of red fabric, when found containing traces of a white slip, which now appears removed. At nearly a metre in length, it is in very good order damage only being present in the thin base, which served as an additional handle to the two remaining at the mouth of the amphora. It is likely to have contained fish sauce (garum or liquamen), olive oil, or wine. An example reached Caerhun fort containing cherries. It is of very good style, indifference to the squat variety of Spanish amphora, complete examples being recovered from the forts at Caerhun and Capel Curig. Further examples of the thin amphora have been recovered from the intervallum well at Caerhun, and at Segontium fort at Caernarvon.

The find spot of the amphora, (in situ) a rockery, is shown on the cover of Archaeology in Clwyd Number 8, and is also features in the majority of the introduction to the booklet by then Clwyd County Council Chairman G. E. Jones. The ownership (or potential ownership) of the amphora was at once an issue, Jones is concerned about the future of the amphora and I quote

‘There are causes for concern however. The principle one provoked by the cover photograph of our Roman amphora. It is an exceptional object and to see it is somehow to make history come alive. We are used to reading about the Romans in history books, and to listen to archaeological programs on radio or television. Yet to view this amphora, to walk around it, to grip its handles, is to add an extra dimension to our knowledge of the past........Attempts to acquire the amphora have so far proved unsuccessful and it saddens me to think that this splendid object might be added to the long list of historical artifacts which have left the County never to return. If nothing else this case graphically illustrates the urgent need to develop adequate museum facilities........’

Clwyd, or now Denbighshire and Flintshire still have no museum, while Conwy at least has the Llandudno Museum, but at least the amphora is now safe, but back to the controversy, some historians believed the amphora to be an intrusion, not a genuine Roman period find, and at best only a garden ornament purchased on the antiquities market or even introduced to Wales possibly by a serviceman returning to Wales after either of the two World Wars. Manley is rightfully cautious (though generally opts for a genuine Roman burial of the amphora) though he concludes by stating thus and I quote

‘Less romantically we must admit that we cannot prove that the amphora arrived in N. Wales in Roman times. We await with trepidation the letter that begins ‘I have a friend who has a friend who remembers his grandfather bringing a pot just like yours back to Llandudndo....’

Manley ,in favour of the ancient burial of the amphora claims Roman connections in the form of the fort at Caerhun, the settlement at Prestatyn, the possible Iron Age date for Bryn Euryn hillfort, and coin hoards etc from the immediate area. The Roman artifacts found locally areas follows-

1. 5000 bronze Roman coins recovered in a red ware pot near Penrhyn Old Hall in 1873.

2. 6 coins of Constantine 1st, wrapped in lead sheet, within an old drain (site of Roman building?) found when constructing Rhos Abbey Hotel in 1898.

3. An urn of Roman coins found while quarrying during 1902, near Llys Euryn.

4. Vessel in red fabric with grey slip found half full of Roman coins in hedge bank, Rhos-on-Sea, 1891.

5. 550 silver and silvered radiates found of Carausius at Shimdda Hir, Little Orme during 1907.

6. Silver denarius of Hadrian found west of Bryn Euryn, Nant Sempyr, 1835.

7. Bronze seal ring, Phoenix bezel, garden, Rhos-on-Sea, 1998.

8. Silver denarius of Sabina, garden, Rhos-on-Sea, 1950 .

9. Burial, Roman period, date unspecified, with two copper ingots, Bryn Euryn.

John Manley considers the amphora to be recovered from a ‘secondary’ Roman context, that is the amphora was buried by a Roman period person but it was not the original purpose for the vessel. Secondary uses could be as a container for coins, a burial or even as a toilet. But therefore believes it did reach the spot in Roman times, the collection of Roman finds radiating out from Bryn Euryn being sure evidence for occupation of the area. The burial theory is less explained by Manley, presumably he is referring indirectly to the Welwyn Garden City Iron Age burial. This consisted of half a dozen amphorae (and much high status Mediterranean pottery) being buried with a pre Roman Iron Age chieftain and now in the British Museum? Possibly here drawing the connection with the supposed Iron Age fort above on the summit of Bryn Euryn? We have absolutely no evidence for a high status Celtic dynasty in the Colwyn Bay area, the town itself is very sparse in regard to Roman period (Celtic material is indeed very rare too, even in local hillforts) finds, and from Bryn Euryn we have to look as far away as Llysfaen, Llanddulas and Betws yn Rhos for any more Roman finds. Manley considers such a good quality (and classic) artifact to indicate along with all the coin finds that Rhos, or Llandudno to be the site of a Roman port. How such a port would have operated with other possible Roman local port sites at Caerhun and Prestatyn is not discussed. Manley also considers that the amphora could have reached North Wales due to maritime trading which may have occurred prior to the Roman conquest of the area, the area of the coast being more receptive to the practice known as ‘romanisation’. Pre conquest Roman material is rare to none existent in this area, and most Roman finds are 3rd and 4th century A.D so this may indicate the area was not immediately receptive. This is rather in variance with the production range of this type of amphora BC 16 - AD 146, and we have no evidence for high status Iron Age occupation for this area, unless the Great Orme mines are taken into account, a ‘stater’ an Iron Age gold coin of the Durotriges was found near the mines in an area that is not believed to have a pre Roman coinage economy. Manley states that if the amphora was found inland, and remote from the area of romanisation then doubt could indeed be placed on the validity of the amphora being a genuine Roman deposit.

Today the amphora can be seen at Colwyn Bay Library, for a limited period, what do we think of the amphora? It looks in remarkable condition, it does not look like it has been buried in acid soil for 1900 years. North Wales soil is acidic and much pottery is serious denuded by being buried in it, so does this possibly cast doubt on the Bryn Euryn amphora? This cannot be answered, the British Museum believe it is genuine, we personally have seen shipwreck amphorae recovered from the Mediterranean at Tarragona and they don’t look anywhere near as good as this example, amphora fragments from Caerhun, and Capel Curig including the complete examples look a great deal more weathered. The Bryn Euryn amphora must be genuine but it must have got to the hill later.....it looks to me like it would have needed to have been buried in clean dry sand in a Roman cellar to look that good. It looks too good, it is a shame, but we cannot quite consider it a genuine Roman deposit, it is now doubtful if the true story will ever be known, but it looks ‘too Roman too, high status’, and in too much good condition to have originated genuinely from Colwyn Bay, which really is a pity.