A beautifully illustrated guide to medieval pottery in East Anglia, published with the aid of English Heritage by the Essex County Council as part of the series on East Anglian Archaeology, this is a close archaeological study of a particular type pottery produced between 12th and 14th centuries and known as Hedingham Ware. An introductory chapter describes methodology and objectives of this work, and is followed by a gazetteer of production sites placing them in a wider geographical setting. A discussion of fabrics is followed by a detailed typology, and discussions of manufacture and production and origins of the ware. Distribution throughout the neighboring shires and further afield is the subject of a long chapter with an emphasis on methodologies of identification, quantification and dating. Finally, the decline of the pottery industry in the areas under consideration is looked at and its possible survival beyond the mid-14th century is proposed. Illustrations, maps, and plenty of analytical data are included. This overview would be valuable to students of medieval history and culture of East Anglia. Distributed in North America by The David Brown Book Co. Annotation 2014 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
