English: Late Roman copper alloy bowl, diameter c.400-450mm (the rim present measures 380mm and is almost half the diameter), total weight of all fragments, 1132grams (including soil).

The bowl is now in many fragments but would have been round and has a central 'umbo' a slightly raised domed area in the centre of its base. This is contained by two bands of two incised circles, 20mm apart with an overall diameter of 120mm.
The rim - has an outward turned rim c10mm wide. Below this the body is incised with evenly spaced lines c.5mm apart. At one end of the surviving rim there is a semi-circular fragment which is plain and a further detached fragment of rim with the same form has been recovered.
The base (4 fragments) - has the central umbo as described above from which emerges a series of radiating incised lines covering three quarters of its circumference. The last quarter consists of two curving triangular areas, with the base emerging from the umbo and moving outwards to left and right. These are also incised with slightly curved lines and above the two triangles is a section filled with straight incised lines running towards the rim.
Fragments - many fragments of rectangular form are present, these appear to have made up the main body and the incised decoration has weakened the bowl resulting in the many linear fragments. In addition there are a group of semi-circular plain fragments which are either intact or have also broken off from the main body?

Handles- Two circular cross sectioned C shaped handles, c.100mm wide and c.5mm thick, with curved terminals with spherical knops have been recovered. In addition to these there are several corroded objects which appear to be hooks or incomplete loops with riveted plates attached. These may have held the handles on to the bowl body.

Rachel Wilkinson has found a close parallel from Neopotz, Germany. This bowl has very similar decoration and form. Bowls such as this are thought to be for washing and examples made from silver are often fluted. It's possible the decoration on this example is imitating this design. The central umbo in the base would have housed a jug to hold the water. Also the many curved fragments may be part of an insert into (another) vessel, with the curves forming circles holding other smaller vessels or items in place.