Water pipe, pottery, found at York, Roman period, 100-350

The Romans were renowned for their networks of pipes to supply cities and towns with a water supply. Made from terracotta, such pipes were tapered at one end so that they could be connected together easily. Terracotta pipes were more common than their lead counterparts as they were easier to fix and cheaper to produce. The pipe was found in York, England during an archaeological dig. (Shown here with a similar example, A167086).