Greek, Roman and Byzantine Pottery at Ilion (Troia):
Various Sigillatas
Please note that this is a public draft of work in progress
This section includes Roman period sigillatas with minimal representation at Ilion and sherds whose attribution is tentative.
1. Unclassified Sigillata, Cf. Cypriot Sigillata Hayes Form P40-42 (late 2nd to 3rd Century AD?)
Est. diam. rim .41 (1/10 preserved). Th. .0084.
K17.0860:3. Single large rim sherd. Light brown fabric (5YR 6/6) is compact with occasional rounded white inclusions (.004 in size) and other angular bits of similar size; there are also tiny bits visible at 10x. Thick brown slip (just lighter than 5YR 4/6) on all surfaces. Surfaces are brushed and darker where slip is thickest. As usual for the ware, there are “flattened bumps” under the interior slip, which is darkest over bumps. Two grooves on exterior wall.
Cf. Paphos III p. 45-46, fig. XIX.
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Hayes, John. 1991. Paphos III. The Hellenistic and Roman Pottery. Nicosia. [worldcat.org]
2. Unclassified Sigillata Plate, related to Cypriot Sigillata? (Early Roman)
P.H. .021. Est. diam. base .08 (<1/10 preserved). Th. .004.
K/L16/17.0427:25. Single sherd, ring foot. Fine brown (5YR 6/6 and slightly redder) fabric with rounded white (lime?) and smaller angular inclusions. Extant interior floor is slipped and varies in color from red to very dark reddish brown (10R 5/8 to 3/3). The slip is thickly applied but not very well smoothed with small bumps remaining under the slip. The overall effect is similar to the more common imported brown-slip basins that are similar in form to Cypriot Sigillata P40-42. There are two interior concentric bands of rouletting just inside and outside the circumference of the base.
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3. Unclassified Sigillata Bowl, related to Cypriot Sigillata? (Early Roman)
P.H. .037. Est. diam. base .16 (<1/10 preserved). Th. .008.
K/L16/17.0434:2. Single base sherd. Compact, hard, well-fired light red (2.5YR 6/6) fabric with some varied tiny inclusions and occasional tiny voids. The interior surface has a “bumpy” reddish-brown slip (2.5YR 5/8 and darker) that shows the unevenness of the vessel surface. The plain exterior surface is fired to consistent light brown (7.5YR 7/6) and is quite well smoothed except for the occasional bit of excess clay or surface void. The groove and ridge that set the base off from the exterior wall are sharply defined.
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4. Lesbian Sigillata(?) Portrait Bowl (later 1st Century BC to Augustan)
P0639. Single sherd. Thin, fugitive slip on pinkish fabric. Portrait left.
Cf. Williams 1998, KoglerMandel 2004, p. 97-98, and Bucholz 1975.
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Williams, Caroline. 1998. “Late Hellenistic “Portrait Bowls” from Mytilene,” Echoes du monde classique - Classical Views 62, n.s. 17.2: 321-336. [online]
Kogler, Patricia and Ursula Mandel. 2004. “Italische Einflüsse in der knidischen Keramik der frühen Kaiserzeit” in Jeroen Poblome, Peter Talloen, Raymond Brulet and Marc Waelkens (eds.), Early Italian Sigillata. The chronological framework and trade Patterns, Leuven: 81-108.
Bucholz, Hans-Günter. 1975. Methymna: Archäologische Beiträge zur Topographie und Geschichte von Nordlesbos. Mainz am Rhein. [worldcat.org]
5. Lesbian Sigillata(?) Bowl
P.H. .034. Est. diam. base .11. Th. .0039.
K17.0978:31. Single base sherd. Soft, fine pink (2.5YR 7/6) fabric with tiny angular light inclusions. Thin red (10R 5/8) matte slip on extant interior. Exterior plain. Ridge separates wall from floor on interior. Slight offset inside of this ridge. Groove separating base from floor on exterior.
6. Lesbian Sigillata(?) Bowl Rim
P.H. .027. Est. diam. rim .11 (1/10 preserved). Th. .005.
K/L16/17.0427:26. Single rim sherd. Fine pale red/light brown (5YR 7/6 and redder) fabric with frequent tiny white inclusions. The now worn, thin and red (10R 5/8) slip is very thinly, but evenly, applied to all extant surfaces. Thickened, outturned rim, slight interior carination dividing wall and floor.
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7. Unclassified Sigillata Bowl (Early Roman)
P.H. .02. Est. diam. base .08 (<1/10 preserved). Th. .004.
K/L16/17.0427:24. Single sherd. Compact, hard reddish-brown (2.5YR 6/8) fabric with tiny angular inclusions of varied lightness just visible to the naked eye. The red (10R 4/6) slip does not completely hide the slight smoothing ridges on the interior, but is otherwise thick in places. Surface is pocked but slip may not have been highly polished. The exterior is plain. Flaring, well-made ring foot. One band of circular rouletting on the interior floor.
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8. Unclassified Sigillata Bowl Base (Early Roman)
P.H. .028. Est. diam. base .06 (1/5 preserved).
K/L16/17.0427:22. Single base sherd. Fine pink (2.5YR 7/6) fabric with occasional tiny varied inclusions and one .001 bit of lime observed in extant part of vessel. Thick, smoothed red (near 10R 4/6) slip on interior, thinner application of same on exterior. Rouletting on interior floor. Flaring false-ring foot. Slight offset on exterior wall at base.
Cf. Zelle 1997, nos. 1165 and 1342 on plate 56.
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Zelle, Michael. 1997. Die Terra sigillata aus der Westtor-Nekropole in Assos Asia Minor Studien 27. Bonn. [worldcat.org]
9. Unclassified Sigillata Bowl Base (Early Roman)
P.H. .028. Est. diam. base .08 (1/10 preserved).
K/L16/17.0427:23. Two joining sherds preserve base and lower wall. Fine brown (5YR 6/6) fabric with occasional tiny darker inclusions. Thick, well-smoothed red (between 10R 5/8 and 4/8) slip on interior, thinner on exterior.
Cf. Zelle 1997, nos. 1165 (but no rouletting).
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Zelle, Michael. 1997. Die Terra sigillata aus der Westtor-Nekropole in Assos Asia Minor Studien 27. Bonn. [worldcat.org]
10. Unclassified Sigillata Beaker(?) Fragment (Early Roman)
P.H. .042. Th. .004.
K/L16/17.0427:27. Single body fragment, stance and orientation uncertain. Fine Reddish-brown (2.5YR 6/8) fabric with infrequent, tiny, both light and dark, inclusions visible at 10x magnification. The extant surfaces are covered with a thick brown (10R 5/6) slip that retains some bands of fine brush marks but is otherwise smoothed. A band of rouletting is partially preserved below carination that separates the upper and lower walls.
Cf. Zelle 1997, plate 60 for similar surface treatment in Assos "Lokale Ware".
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Zelle, Michael. 1997. Die Terra sigillata aus der Westtor-Nekropole in Assos Asia Minor Studien 27. Bonn. [worldcat.org]