Amphora
An amphora was an ancient two-handled vessel, usually made of pottery. In Greece and Rome, amphorae were used mainly to store and transport wine, olive oil, grain and other goods; their shape could indicate both their place of production and their contents.
In brief:
- two handles made the vessel easier to carry and secure;
- a pointed base fitted storage racks or sand beds aboard ships;
- stamps and inscriptions help date finds and reconstruct ancient trade;
- alongside transport amphorae, there were table, funerary and ceremonial vessels.
Athena beside Heracles on an Attic black-figure amphora, 520-510 BC; vase painting as evidence for myth.
Scene with amphorae from the Theban tomb of Nakht. Dynasty 18, 15th century BC; Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Glass amphora from Pompeii, first century AD; an expensive vessel form connected with storing and serving drinks.Pottery workshops often stamped amphorae. These marks, together with fabric, shape and findspot, allow archaeologists to date vessels, identify production centres and reconstruct trade routes.
Amphorae varied by function. Transport examples carried liquids and dry goods; table amphorae were smaller serving vessels; painted, glass or metal examples could be ceremonial. Regional shapes acted as recognisable containers: merchants and consumers could often infer origin, likely contents and capacity from the form. In Rome, discarded transport amphorae accumulated on Monte Testaccio, a mound formed largely from broken olive-oil containers.
Related topics
Literature
- A. P. Abramov. Greek Amphorae of the Sixth and Fifth Centuries BCE in the Northern Black Sea Region. Dmitry Pozharsky University, 2020.
Roman ceramic amphora, first century AD; such vessels were the main transport containers for wine and other products.
Roman ceramic amphora, first century AD; vessel form helps connect goods with region and trade route.
Roman ceramic amphora, first century AD; the elongated form was useful for stowage in ships and warehouses.
Roman ceramic amphora, first century AD; transport containers were a central part of the wine economy.Interested in Ancient Rome beyond reading? Join Legio X Fretensis or explore our reenactment directions.
