Pottery: Barbotine Workshop

Saturday 6th September

10am – 3pm

Create your own Barbotine Hunt Cup at this hands-on workshop at the Roman Army Museum with Potted Histories. Barbotine is technique of piping decorations onto a ceramic vessel to form a pattern or inscription, and it is a form of decoration in Ancient Roman pottery. 

This workshop is designed for adults. No previous experience is necessary. If you have an interest in ceramics or archaeology, this workshop will add to your knowledge and skills of the subject. Combining pottery making techniques and history in this fun, interactive workshop! During this workshop participants will learn about Roman Barbotine Ware, sometimes referred to as colour coated ware, Nene Valley or Castor Ware. This slip trailing technique, a little like cake icing, that was used to decorate Roman pottery with scenes of Hunting, Chariot Racing and Gladiatorial Combat. The pots were then coated in a dark slip and then fired to give them a soft sheen. You will use the same techniques that the original potters would have used, to decorate a Barbotine tile panel and a preformed wheel thrown cup.

Graham Taylor is a potter, experimental archaeologist, and ancient pottery technology specialist based in Rothbury, Northumberland. You can find out more about Graham’s work at www.pottedhistory.co.uk

You are welcome to bring your own packed lunch, or purchase lunch in our café. The Roman Army Museum will be open from 9:30am – 5:30pm so please do take the time to explore.