Romans go drinking This Roman pot was made in Highgate Wood,
close to Muswell Hill. The potter may have intended its shiny
finish to look like pewter. The Romans would have used the
vessel for drinking wine or beer. It was made between ad 70 and
160. How was the beaker made? Clay was dug out of the ground
around Highgate Wood. The potters removed any stones or roots
before 'throwing' the pot on a fast-turning wheel. They then
dipped the beaker in liquid clay or 'slip', so that it would
have a clean, glossy surface. They used a comb to apply the
dots, then fired the pot in a kiln heated with wood or charcoal.
Roman potters of Highgate Wood Local potters seem to have had
years of experience making pots - long before the Roman invasion
of ad 43. As Roman London grew, they saw a business opportunity
supplying jars, bowls and beakers to the Romans. Archaeologists
discovered at least ten kilns in Highgate Wood during the 1960s
and 1970s. You can't see the kilns now, but the Information
Centre in Highgate Wood has i