S&SWM PR papers L1978

Ansd

Christ Church | Oxford | 24 Oct 1897

Dear General Pitt Rivers,

Will you allow me to ask your advice? I am anxious to make a collection of accurate profiles &c of Roman pottery of certain kinds, esp. "Samian", to see if shapes will yield indications of dates. For this I need some machine which will aid to draw the profiles accurately, and I venture to ask you if the camera lucida, which I believe you use, would be likely to suit & (if so) if you could give me any hints about it. The Germans have made some process [sic] in dating their pottery on the Limes & I should like to do something also in England. At first I should probably confine myself to "Samian," the easiest perhaps.

Chancellor Ferguson has, I expect, told you of our discoveries on the Wall this past summer.

yours very truly
F. Haverfield

Francis John Haverfield (1860-1919) historian and archaeologist, senior student and tutor at Christ Church and later Camden professor of ancient history at Oxford. Richard Saul Ferguson (1837-1900) antiquary known as Chancellor Ferguson and chancellor of the diocese of Carlisle.