The Staffordshire Moorlands Pan, although lacking its handle and base, is an extremely well preserved enamelled and inscribed bronze (strictly speaking, "copper alloy") vessel for cooking and serving food, decorated in a
Celtic style. The Celtic peoples of the Roman period made more use of enamel on metal than other parts of the Empire. The final part: RIGORE VALI AELI DRACONIS, is more elusive in meaning, but refers to the wall VALI, and probably a soldier DRACO. AELI may be part of his name, but was also
Hadrian's family name, so may go with VALI, indicating that the Romans called the wall the "Aelian Wall". There are other comparable
trullae, and two with inscriptions relating to the wall; the inscription means this piece was almost certainly manufactured locally. Judging by these other finds, the handle would have been flat, with enamel decoration on the upper surface. The
Rudge Cup has a different shape, but also names forts on the wall (see that article for the
Amiens Skillet, another vessel with inscribed fort names). The
dragonesque brooch is a Romano-British type, often utilizing enamel, found mostly in northern England, probably made from around 75 to 175. ==Notes==