The Cultural Context of ulster Coarse pottery c. 1200- c.1650

Colleen O'Hara

Ulster coarse pottery (otherwise known as everted-rim ware or crannog ware) is a pottery type, usually comprising cooking pots, made and used during the late medieval period in Ulster. Though there has been some research done on the subject of Ulster coarse pottery, notably by McSparron and Ivens, so far no investigation has been made into the cultural context of this pottery type.

The primary aim of this thesis is to explore the contexts in which the native coarse pottery of Ulster dating from c.1200- c.1650 have been recovered. This involves a breakdown of the settlement sites in which it has been found and investigation into the pottery traditions it was likely to have been influenced by, namely Early Christian souterrain ware and Anglo-Norman imports.

The period c. 1200 - c. 1650 saw many shifts in the cultural identities of the people of the Ulster region due to political and societal change over the course of the late medieval–early modern period. Considering this the aim of this research project is to establish the cultural background in which these utilitarian cooking wares were used and investigate what this can tell us about the cultural identity of its makers and users.

By looking at the role this pottery played in the lives of the people who used it, the intention is to establish how such an incongruous and easily overlooked object such as a cooking pot can provide insight into how various population groups interacted and informed each others day-to-day existence. The methodology of this research involves the close inspection of a number of specific collections from a range of sites as well as the close examination of the current debates over origins and influences of Ulster coarse pottery.

E-mail colleen.ohgmail.com

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