The term “Eastern Sigillata A” refers to a late hellenistic to early Roman red-slipped tableware produced in Northern Syria, a regional attribution firmly grounded in distributional evidence and supported by scientific analysis. The ware is distinguished by the fineness of its fabric, which stands out as very pale in comparison to the deep red-slip that usually covers all surfaces. A full range of plates, bowls and jugs was produced. Early forms develop in the context of an eastern Mediterranean Hellenistic koine, while later products are influenced by trends originating in Italian workshops. Many ESA forms are mold-made and exhibit distinct delineation between walls and floors as well as elegantly curved exterior and base profiles. A further technical feature is the frequent occurrence of a "double-dipping streak" that is the result of, first, one half of a vessel being dipped in dilute slip and then the other half being similarly treated. The consequent overlap produced a line of thicker slip that became visibly darker during firing. Only the most basic and accessible bibliography appears below.