My Research at Plymouth City Museum

These sherd were dug up in excavavtions at Plymouth and reported on in

Gaskell-Brown, Cynthia (ed).(1979) Castle Street: The Pottery, Plymouth Museum Archaeological Series, Number 1. Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery, Plymouth.

These are probably some of the first handled, individual ceramic drinking vessels to be used in Plymouth. Up until this time, circa 17th century, only around 350 years ago what were people using to drink? They just didn't have individual drinking vessels. So this vessel came into being only approximately 360 years ago. It is well documented how the teapot was introduced but not the cup/mug, the individual handled ceramic vessel, its origins are less clear, and its introduction does not seem to be a watershed like the teapot. Maybe this is why artists often refer to traditions because the histories of these vessels are often unclear.