Rare 2,000-year-old Roman pan on public display

It likely dates from the 1st century, to the first half of 2nd century AD, and may have been used for heating wine.

The pan was buried in a small pit, cut into a Roman ditch, perhaps as an offering. It is 30cm in length and 8.6cm deep – similar in size to a modern day 16cm saucepan.

It was discovered in early 2024 by local metal detector user, Tom Hyett. Realising that he had found something remarkable, he immediately contacted the Suffolk County Council Archaeological Service (SCCAS).

A team from SCCAS was then able to carefully excavate the pan and record the archaeological context. It was then taken to the laboratory at Norfolk Museum Service Conservators, where the soil was removed and the pan conserved, ready for display.

Councillor Philip Faircloth-Mutton, Suffolk County Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment, Communities and Equality, said:

“I’d like to thank Tom for quickly recognising the significance of his discovery and getting in touch with SCCAS, so that our team could excavate the pan, record it and help to preserve it.

“Tom’s actions mean that everyone can understand a little more about Suffolk’s history. His, and the landowner’s, generosity to donate this special object mean that we can all view it on display at West Stow Anglo-Saxon Village and Museum.

“The council’s Archaeological Service, based in Bury St Edmunds, provides a fantastic public service, and truly are custodians of Suffolk’s past. They record much of the history excavated in our county, which often turns out to be of national and international importance.”

Faye Minter, Suffolk County Council’s Archaeology Archives and Projects Manager, said:

“At SCCAS, we record around 6,000 objects each year. If anyone, particularly metal detector users, discovers an object which they think is old, then we encourage them to contact us. We offer a free service to identify and record archaeological finds.

“If the object isn’t classed a treasure, we will borrow it to create a detailed record and then return it to the finder. In the case of this Roman pan, the landowner and Tom kindly donated it to the museum.”

The pan is missing the middle section of the entire circumference of the bowl, due to corrosion and old breaks. It therefore now survives in three sections, the handle and rim, the remaining bowl wall and the base.

A maker’s mark is stamped onto the handle, though no parallel mark has been found. It appears that, apart from two South Italian families, the Cipii and the Ansii, which occur more frequently, most of the stamps on such pans are single examples, including those on other pans found in Brandon and Herringfleet, in Suffolk. Those pans were made in Campania, Southern Italy and also in Gaul and are widely distributed across Europe and may have been used for heating wine.

Cllr Ian Shipp, Cabinet Member for Leisure at West Suffolk Council, which runs the Anglo-Saxon Village and Museum, said:

“We are delighted to receive this find to display among our artefacts at West Stow. We recognise the importance of our history and heritage. It’s part of our culture and contributes to our strategic priority for thriving communities by providing attractions and activities which residents and visitors alike can come along to learn from, understand and enjoy.

“As an avid metal detectorist myself I understand the importance of such historical finds and would echo the call to report them to the archaeology service so that they can be properly identified and recorded.”

A number of organisations were involved in the recovery and preservation of the Roman pan. Initial excavation was funded by the National Council of Metal Detecting. The conservation work was paid for by the landowner, finder and the Brecks Fen Edge and Rivers National Lottery Heritage Fund funded project. It was recorded by the Suffolk Finds Recording Team, supported by the Portable Antiquities Scheme.

To find out more about archaeology in Suffolk, and what to do if you find something of archaeological interest, visit heritage.suffolk.gov.uk.