Comments on: Cross-referencing my thesis to the course

By: Ben Shaw

Ben Shaw — Tue, 17 Feb 2015 17:39:04 +0000

Since Rome probably received massive amounts of Olive oil from different locations throughout the Mediterranean, the merchants probably transferred and repackaged some of the olive oil received at Rome into different amphorae and exported it to other colonies/provinces. It seems that the different shaped amphorae were designed as a merchant port signature (to and fro) and since they were made to easily stack on top of one another for shipment by boat, you could not mix and match the different amphorae shapes when shipping cargo or you would create an unstable load that could break and capsize and sink the boat. This photograph shows olive oil containers at Pompeii from Rome. Enjoy : )

By: Richard Marshall

Richard Marshall — Sat, 02 Aug 2014 09:46:23 +0000

Hello Pina

Thank you for your reply to my two questions, which seems logical. I had not thought of a amphora being part filled.

Was there a need to make the stoppers air tight? If air got into amphora carrying e.g. wine or oil for human consumption this could, ‘go off’. At sea there must also be the risk of sea water finding its way into the amphora. Were the stoppers sealed using wax or something similar?

One further though,t were the stoppers made accurately to fit the amphora? It appears to me that the bulk of amphora were mass produced and the necks were not perfectly round or of the same diameter and to make a precision joint with the stopper do you think they were machined on a type of lathe.

My hobby is wood turning, hence my comments. Making a lidded box requires a good degree of accuracy otherwise the lid does not fit.

Kind regards

Richard

By: Sharon M. Wolf

Sharon M. Wolf — Tue, 29 Jul 2014 20:01:30 +0000

Hello Pina,
I wanted to let you know that your thesis helped me in the last step in the Portus course. My new idea about the Palazzo Imperiale was based on your information.
The amphorae sherds context information and yours led me to believe the Vandals had shipped the amphorae to Portus and were living there. The amphorae no longer came from the Emperor Septimius Severus sites in Leptis Magna. Instead, it came from a string of numbered workshops. So, I believe when the Vandals took over that part of Africa, they also took control of the workshops. Since Portus was so important, I believe they took over the Palazzo Imperiale and had goods shipped there for them.
I just wanted to let you know how helpful your thesis was to me. Thank you for allowing Portus to use it!!
I really hope that you get this, as I know the course is over.
Have a nice day,
Sharon M. Wolf

By: Pina Franco

Pina Franco — Thu, 12 Jun 2014 11:30:25 +0000

Hello Richard,

The black and white segments on the scale should be 20 cm each. The amphora burial illustrated in the picture belongs to the large cylindrical North African containers, which were characterized by a height comprised between 110 cm and 120 cm. Regarding your second question, ceramic sherds were used as stoppers to seal the amphorae. These are rounded in shape and made up of the same fabrics as the amphorae. Small amphora lids with a small knob (opercula in Latin) are also found on archaeological sites. Rounded ceramic stoppers and opercula have been found at Portus. I have noticed, whilst working on the amphorae from Portus, that some of the rims have a small step on the inside, clearly suggesting that a lid had to be fit in. These are the most common types of seals however other materials may also have been used. Amphorae were not filled up to their rims. Studies are being carried out looking for evidence in the inside of the vessels to detect which level the amphorae were filled.

By: Richard Marshall

Richard Marshall — Thu, 12 Jun 2014 09:22:39 +0000

I would like to ask two questions.
1. What is the scale of the measuring pole.
2. How was the amphora sealed. Presumably the hole is too large to be closed with a cork, so is it known what form of bung was used. It must of been water tight.