Lot 26A
Roman, Imperial Period, ca. 1st to 3rd century CE. Pottery transport amphora with a conical base, smooth body, tubular neck, collared rim, and a pair of bifurcated handles that arch up from just under the rim and end at the rounded shoulder. The piriform body would have held gallons worth of precious oils used to sustain legions of Roman troops which traveled and settled in most of Western Europe and Britain. The exterior exudes a pale beige earthtone hue. Utilitarian transport vessels like this example were typically not decorated with painted designs or applied details, though some display stamped markings denoting the materials contained in each vessel. Size: 10" Diameter x 30.7" H (25.4 cm x 78 cm); 33.7" H (85.6 cm) on included custom stand.
Lacking its cork and pitch stopper, the original contents of this amphora are unknown; based on the globular size and shape, it was most likely used to transport olive oil (smaller ones were for stewed fruit or salted fish, while larger ones were used for wine). Amphorae formed the basis of the Roman economy as storage vessels for transporting goods throughout the Empire, with examples found from North Africa to Britain. The pointed base on this one is standard and was intended for storage in Roman warehouses in soft ground and for transport on ships by placing it through a specially-designed rack and roping it through the handles to others. This vessel likely came from North Africa, a major site of olive oil production (alongside Spain and France) in the Roman economy. This oil was used for cooking, lighting, and, in some cases, bathing; one estimate suggests that each Roman legion consumed 1370 amphorae of olive oil per year!
Provenance: private Ferndale, Michigan, USA collection; ex-private Detroit, Michigan, USA collection, acquired prior to 2004
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#182140
- Condition: Professionally repaired and restored with some minor chipping and small losses along visible break lines. Expected surface wear with nicks and abrasions as shown. Otherwise, very nice presentation with rich mineral deposits. Accompanied by modern plaque that says, "ROMAN AMPHORA CIRCA 100 BCE / USED TO SHIP WINE / ON MEDITERRANEAN GALLEYS."
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