Greek, Roman and Byzantine Pottery at Ilion (Troia):
Thin-Walled Cups/Jugs of the Roman Period
Please note that this is a public draft of work in progress
introduction - bibliography
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. Thin Walled Jug Rim and Handle (1st and 2nd century AD)
P.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 Kozal 2001, no. 43; see page p. 319 for fabric description.
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Kozal, Ekin. 2001. “Studies in Roman Ilion: the Lower City. Stratified Domestic Assemblages,” Studia Troica 11: 309-342.
2. Thin Walled Jug Rim and Handle (1st and 2nd century AD)
D20.0093:8. Single fragment preserving complete handle, upper wall, and broken rim.
For form see Moevs, form LXVIII, no. 431, pls. 46,85, form extends to late 2nd c. A.D. at Troia.
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Marabini Moevs, Maria Teresa. 1973. The Roman Thin Walled Pottery from Cosa (1948-1954) Memoirs of the American Academy in Rome 32. Rome. [worldcat.org]
3. Unclassified Thin-Wall Cup/Jug
K/L16/17.0398. 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.
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4. 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.
"Urnetta a collarino" type mug. Benghazi FW B452, p. 310, fig. 58. Cf. Slane 1990 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 Hayes 1997, p. 71.
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Kenrick, Philip. 1985. Excavation at Sidi Khrebish Benghazi (Berenice). Volume III, 1 Supplements to Libya Antiqua 5. Tripoli. [worldcat.org]
Slane, Kathleen. 1990. The Sanctuary of Demeter and Kore: The Roman Pottery and Lamps Corinth 18.2. Princeton. [worldcat.org]
Hayes, John. 1997. Handbook of Mediterranean Roman Pottery. Norman. [worldcat.org]
5. 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 diamonds in thin white paint is partially preserved, with four partially extant. This row is formed by crossing brush-strokes that meet at their tops. If complete the row would be approximately .026 high.
"Urnetta a collarino" type mug. Benghazi FW B452, p. 310, fig. 58. Cf. Slane 1990 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 Hayes 1997, p. 71. Similar decoration on Kenchreai IV LRB 11a, which is said to be Attic.
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Kenrick, Philip. 1985. Excavation at Sidi Khrebish Benghazi (Berenice). Volume III, 1 Supplements to Libya Antiqua 5. Tripoli. [worldcat.org]
Slane, Kathleen. 1990. The Sanctuary of Demeter and Kore: The Roman Pottery and Lamps Corinth 18.2. Princeton. [worldcat.org]
Hayes, John. 1997. Handbook of Mediterranean Roman Pottery. Norman. [worldcat.org]
Adamsheck, Beverley. 1979. Kenchreai. Eastern Port of Corinth. IV. The Pottery. Leiden. [worldcat.org]
6. 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. Knossos Handbook fig. 4.7m and plate 40j.
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Coldstream, John, L. Eiring and G. Forster. 2001. Knossos Pottery Handbook. Greek and Roman British School at Athens Studies 7. London. [worldcat.org]