Greek, Roman and Byzantine Pottery at Ilion (Troia): Thin-Walled Cups/Jugs of the Roman Period

Greek, Roman and Byzantine Pottery at Ilion (Troia):

Sebastian Heath and Billur Tekkök, Editors

Thin-Walled Cups/Jugs of the Roman Period

Please note that this is a public draft of work in progress

From the mid-first and into the third centuries, one handled cups are extremely common at Ilion. While these may originally follow an Italian thin-walled form, they become a very standard part of the Aegean drinking assemblage in the mid-Roman period. Workshops have been identified at Ainos on the northern Aegean coast, with later versions of this production sometimes bearing large written messages or other decorative schemes.

1. Unclassified/Regional Thin-wall Cup/Jug

P. H. .063. Est. diam. rim .07 (<1/20 preserved). Th. .0015.

K/L16/17.0120:10. Single sherd with rim and handle. Fine reddish brown (10R 5/8) fabric with occasional angular white inclusions. Surface weak red/gray (near 2.5YR 5/3). From a first century AD pit.

Near , nos. 50 and 51.

2. Thin Walled Jug Rim and Handle (1st and 2nd century AD)

H. .046. Est. diam. rim .08. Th. .003.

C29.0039:1. Single fragment preserving complete handle, upper wall, and small part of rim. Light brown fabric.

First published as , no. 43; see page p. 319 for fabric description.

3. Thin Walled Jug Rim and Handle (1st and 2nd century AD)

D20.0093:8. SC07-8e. Single fragment preserving complete handle, upper wall, and broken rim.

For form see , form LXVIII, no. 431, pls. 46,85, form extends to late 2nd c. A.D. at Troia.

4. Unclassified Thin-wall Cup Rim and Handle, Gray on Orange

P. H. .075. Est. diam. rim .13 (1/8 preserved). Th. .0025.

K/L16/17.0434:10. Single sherd with rim and handle. Red (2.5YR 6/8) fabric with occasional sub-angular light and dark inclusions, as well as some tiny bits. Fired evenly except for thin gray core in thickest part of rim. Interior is same color as fabric. Exterior surfaces fired to reddish gray (near 2.5YR 5/2). Strap handle is .017 in width. Found in late 1st/early 2nd century AD fill.

5. Thracian(?) Thin Walled Jug/Cup Rim (3rd century AD)

P. H. .044. Est. diam. rim .07 (1/4 preserved). Th. .0015.

K17.0777:17. Rim sherd and one joining body fragment, modern break. Fine red (2.5YR 5/6) fabric with occasional lime chunks visible on surfaces. The exterior surface is fired weak red (2.5YR 5/2), the interior is plain. The exterior partially preserves two readable letters written in thin white paint: πε. A third, at the right, is extant only as a partially preserved vertical stroke. The neck has only a slight offset above the turn from wall to rim.

Cf. no. 19, for painted cup dated to 3rd century; this piece is said to be Italian on the basis of fabric. A complete vessel of this type is illustrated at , p. 71.

Illustration
Photograph

6. Thracian(?) Thin Walled Jug/Cup Rim (3rd century AD)

P. H. .038. Est. diam. rim .066 (1/3 preserved). Th. .0015.

K17.0777:18. Single rim sherd. Unevenly fired fabric with red (2.5YR 5/6) core and frequent small light inclusions and occasional large chunks of lime, one of which would have been visible on both interior and interior but is now dislodged. Coated interior and exterior surfaces are fired weak red (2.5YR 5/3). The normal offset above the turn from wall to rim is here a low band just at the base of the neck. A single row of partially preserved crossing brushstrokes formed part of a encircling band of hatching.

Cf. no. 19, for painted cup with diamond pattern dated to 3rd century; this piece is said to be Italian on the basis of fabric. A complete vessel of this type is illustrated at , p. 71. Similar decoration on LRB 11a, which is said to be Attic.

Illustration
Photograph

7. Thracian(?) Thin Walled Jug/Cup Rim (3rd century AD)

D20.0093:9. Single rim sherd. Unevenly fired fabric with red (2.5YR 5/6) core and frequent small light inclusions and occasional large chunks of lime, one of which would have been visible on both interior and interior but is now dislodged. Coated interior and exterior surfaces are fired weak red (2.5YR 5/3). Slight offset between rim and body. Two spirals or sets of concentric circles in thin white paint are partially preserved; horizontal line above.

8. Unclassified/Regional Thin-wall Cup/Jug Base

P. H. .029. Est. diam. base .036 (complete preserved). Th. .0025.

K/L16/17.0417:11. Single sherd with complete base. The fine fabric is unevenly fired to brown (2.5YR 5/6 and browner) with frequent small white inclusions and occasional mica on surface. The surface near the base is dirty brown (2.5YR 5/4) with the beginnings of a “gray zone” starting at .018 above the bottom of the vessel. This part is fired very weak red-brown (2.5YR 5/2). A band of .0045 high white dots, of which 7 are at least partially preserved, separates the lower lighter colored area from the higher, darker one.

Dotted decoration is well-known on thin-walled vessels. Cf. fig. 4.7m and plate 40j. Cf. FiE VIII/6 K749

9. Unclassified Thin-Wall Cup/Jug

K/L16/17.0398. P0640. String marks under the base. Lines on surface. Dark orange fabric between 5 yr 4/4 and 5/4. Gold and silver mica, with occasional black stones less than 0.005m and lumps of clay.

Illustration
Photograph