A rare collection of delftware jars, used to hold drugs and ointments, was found during excavations at 14-18 Gresham Street in the City of London. The ceramic jars indicate the presence of a 17th century apothecary shop in heart of the City of London. The discovery has given Project Officer Sadie Watson an opportunity to explore the lives of the people living and working in the area during the period. These findings have recently been published in ‘Urban development in the North-west of Londinium: excavations at 120-122 Cheapside to 14-20 Gresham Street, City of London, 2005-7’.
The jars, dating to the early-mid 17th century, were part of a large group of ceramics from a single property. These delftware jars, a type of tin-glazed ware, were produced in potteries in Aldgate and Southwark, not far from the site. Their colourful decoration helps to date them to pre-1640. After that most were plain blue or white.
