Incense Burner

Potted History is a family business making handcrafted replica ceramics from the prehistoric, Roman, Medieval and Anglo-Saxon eras. One of their items is a replica of one of the incense burners found in Coventina's well. Click the pictures to see larger versions.

Being potters, they can tell that this burner "is unusual because it is hand-built and made from tile clay. Roman potters at this time tended to wheel throw vessels or mould makes them as these are much faster production methods. The fact that the vessel was made of tile clay suggests it may have been made by a tile maker, probably as a side project and possibly on their lunch break. The use of palm trees as decoration makes it likely that the maker was from warmer climes where palm trees would have been native.

The maker of this incense burner or thurible probably made it to use as a portable shrine for worship. On the vessel's side are written dedications to the Goddess Coventina and to the God Saturn.

The burning of incense was an integral part of Roman votive rituals allowing supplicants to make offerings to the gods from who they desired patronage and protection. The petitioner would place a lump of burning coal in the burner's upper bowl. On top of this would be placed the resin or herbs that would smoulder gently and produce sweet-smelling smoke. It is known that Frankincense, myrrh, cinnamon and rosemary were among the incense used during these rituals."

Read more about this replica at the Potted History site.

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