Amphora

The amphora is, in Antiquity, the Récipient more used for transport of three basic commodities: the Wine, the Oil of olive and fish sauces (of the type of the Garum ).

Of use extremely running, one finds it sometimes re-used, either crushed in order to enter the composition of the mortar to the Roman Tuileau, or such as it is like drain or to spare an underfloor Space . Sometimes, it is used as coffin for a burial of child. Lastly, rather often, it is thrown as soon as its contents are consumed: thus the Testaccio mount was formed of the accumulation of remains of amphoras with Rome. The quadrantal amphora is a measurement of Capacité for Liquide S. It is equivalent to a foot cubes.

Archaeological interpretation

It is the disposable character of the amphoras which makes their archaeological value: except re-employment in a masonry or exception, an amphora was not re-used at one period different from that of its manufacture and its consumption. Objects of ceramics, the shards of amphoras are almost indestructibles. By chemical analyzes it is possible to find their place of manufacture. The reconstitution of the history of the evolution of the shapes of amphora led to typological classifications which also correspond to a chronology. For the shape of the amphoras, it is necessary to add other elements of Typologie: seals engraved in clay or of engravings or of the painted marks. Thus the amphoras carrying the Sestius mark were produced towards Cosa in the Étrurie Roman and exported towards the Gaulle of the South at the time of Cicéron. Starting from a shard of amphora an archeologist can date, at a few decades close often but sometimes much more precisely, the stratigraphic layer where the shard was found, or the wreck of the ship which contained them. Thus the amphoras of Roman epoch carry names and a classification which make it possible to the archeologists to find them in typology and to date them. These names often return to the scientists who established the chronology (Dressel, Pascual) where at the origin of the amphora (Gallic). The amphoras Dressel 1a and 1b are typical wine amphoras of the end of the Roman République. Gallic the 4 is a flat-bottomed amphora which corresponds to the rise of the trade of the Gallic wine. The amphoras Dressel 20 correspond to oil amphoras. To defer the lucky finds of the same type of amphora on a chart can then make it possible to recall - if the lucky finds are rather numerous - commercial flows. The progressive substitution of the barrel to the amphoras as from the third century of our era made disappear an invaluable source for the writing from the economic history of antiquity.

Manufacture:

The amphora is manufactured starting from purified Argile. One needs water to water clay, and wood or another fuel for cooking. Most frequently, it is the turning which is used to work it.

In order to manufacture it, the potter works initially a barrel, then adds collar, point, handles to it.

Once formatted, it is put to dry with the sun, or failing this in a broken down place. It is then put to cook during several hours.

The poissage is sometimes used to make it tighter: one pours inside the Poix liquid, so as to form an impermeable film.

See too

Pithos

Internal bonds

  • Céramologie
  • Typologie of Greek ceramics
  • the amphora is also the emblem of the Groland

External bonds

  • trade and amphoras of Roman antiquity
  • Fanette Laubenheimer " Amphoras and hommes." in Dialogs of old story Number 28-1 (2002), pp. 155-173: a bibliography supplements on the question

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