Ancient pottery bowl was used by an Alcester resident as a bird bath before the man recognised it was a piece of Roman Age pottery. The object, found in his garden was identified by the man’s daughter who saw a similar item on display on the Roman Alcester exhibition the local museum.

 

The girl suggested her father to take the bowl to the museum to find more about it. Sara Wear, curator of Human History for Warwickshire Museum Service identified the bowl as an almost complete Roman mortarium, during the Roman Festival at Globe House earlier this year. A mortarium was a grinding bowl, used like a modern pestle and mortar to grind herbs, spices and other food ingredients. This particular piece was dated to 2nd or 3rd century AD. The owner, Mr Taylor donated the piece to the Warwickshire Museum. It can be presently seen on display as part of the exhibition.

(after Redditch Standard)