Greek, Roman and Byzantine Pottery at Ilion (Troia): African Red-Slip

The term "African Red-Slip" (ARS) refers to the well-slipped table wares produced in what is now the modern country of Tunisia. These vessels become widely available in the eastern Mediterranean over the course of the third century AD, and Ilion reflects this broad trend with ARS forms 45, 50 and 58 present in third century deposits. Hayes form 53 is well-represented in the late fourth and early fifth centuries and the large plate Hayes form 87 occurs in fills associated with cleanup after an early sixth century earthquake. Many late forms do not appear at Ilion, which is one of many indications that the city did not fully recover from this event; though a form Hayes 91d indicates that supply did continue at a reduced level. The bibliography discussing African Red-Slip is vast so that only a few of the most relevant titles are cited below.

1. African Red-Slip Hayes Form 45a Base (230-320)

P. H. .007. Est. diam. base .11 (<1/20 preserved). Th. .003.

K/L16/17.0417:5. Small base sherd. Slightly granular fabric, sherd discolored by burning. A band of rouletting is partially preserved on the interior just inside the circumference of the base.

For form see p. 62.

2. African Red-Slip Hayes Form 45a Base (230-320)

P. H. .0075. Est. diam. base .10 (1/8 preserved). Th. .0025.

K17.0777:10. Single base sherd. Slightly granular reddish-brown (2.5YR 5/8) fabric with tiny lime inclusions. The unpolished orange slip on all surfaces is very near in color to fabric.

For form see p. 62.

3. African Red-Slip Hayes 50a Rim (AD 230-320)

Th. .004.

K/L16/17.0100:17. Single rim sherd. Red (10R 5/8) fabric with no visible inclusions. Slip slightly redder than fabric. This sherd was recovered in third century pits and represents the first phase of ARS imports at Ilion.

For form see p. 69.

4. African Red-Slip Hayes 53 Rim (AD 320-450)

P. H. .021. Est. diam. rim .19 (1/10 preserved). Th. .0025.

M18.0192:6. SC13-3h. Single rim sherd. Red (btw. 2.5YR 5/6 and 6/6) fabric is compact with essentially no inclusions. The unpolished slip is very close in color to the fabric. Slip is distinctly thinner on the extant exterior. There are three closely spaced interior grooves.

For discussion of this form see . See also p. 78.

Illustration
Photograph

5. African Red-Slip Hayes 53 Rim (AD 320-450)

P. H. .021. Est. diam. rim .19 (1/10 preserved). Th. .004.

M18.0238:1. SC13-3e. Single sherd. Slightly flaring rim. Fine, red fabric (10R 6/8) with only very occasional small light chunks. Slip only slightly darker than fabric. The interior slip is lightly brushed with some brush marks still showing. The exterior is mostly unslipped but for the drip marks, exterior shows brush marks. Two interior grooves.

For form see p. 78.

Illustration
Photograph

7. African Red-Slip Hayes 58 Rim (AD 290-375)

P. H. .042. Est. diam. rim .34 (1/4 preserved). Th. .0052.

K17.0752:1. P0537. Five joining sherds preserving profile past vestigal foot. Orange-red (near 10R 6/8), visibly granular fabric with occasional angular, light inclusions. All extant surfaces slipped and fired slightly darker; lightly smoothed. Two light grooves on upper rim.

Illustration
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Photograph

8. African Red-Slip Hayes 59 Rim (AD 320-420)

P. H. .0026. Est. diam. rim .25 (1/24 preserved). Th. .005.

M18.0099:6. Single rim sherd. Orange-red (near 10R 6/8) visibly granular fabric with angular light inclusions. All extant surfaces slipped and fired slightly darker.

For form see p. 96.

9. African Red-Slip Hayes Form 60 Rim (4th Century AD)

P. H. .032. Est. diam. rim .35. Th. .007.

H17.0050:3. Single sherd with rim and part of floor. Compact fabric, thin smooth slip interior and partially on exterior.

For form see p. 100.Cf. no. 128.

11. African Red-Slip Hayes 67 Rim (AD 360-470)

P. H. .028. Est. diam. rim .30 (1/10 preserved). Th. .0065.

K17.0816:1. Single rim sherd. Slightly granular orange (10R 6/8) fabric with frequent angular inclusions (light, reddish, and darker). Slightly darker slip. Single groove on upper rim.

For form see p. 112.

12. African Red-Slip Hayes 67 Rim (AD 360-470)

P. H. .018. Est. diam. rim .19 (1/12 preserved). Th. .0039.

M18.0099:2. Single rim sherd. Visibly granular fabric with tiny white inclusions and some lime exploding on surfaces. Thick smoothed slip on interior, thin under rim, and plain onto lower wall. Shallow incised line just inside of upper rim.

For form see p. 112.

13. African Red-Slip Hayes 68 Rim (after AD 425)

P. H. .037. Est. diam. rim near .30 (1/20 preserved). Th. .0039.

I17.0754:2. Single rim sherd. Fine reddish-brown (near 2.5YR 6/6) fabric with occasional sub-angular calcareous inclusions. The interior darker red (near 10R 5/6) slip shows narrow, .002, stick smoothing marks whereas the exterior is brushed and slightly rough. Upper faces of rim are distinctly separated. Light groove at outermost edge.

For form see p. 116.

14. African Red-Slip Hayes form 71 Rim (AD 375-450)

P. H. .052. Est. diam. rim .20 (1/10 preserved). Th. .002.

M18.0099:1. Two joining rim sherds with upper wall. Compact red (2.5 YR 6/8) fabric with only occasional tiny light inclusions and very small voids. Slightly darker slip on interior and over rim. Drip marks on exterior.

For form see p. 1169. Similar to Agora P34646.

15. African Red-Slip near Hayes 72/5 Rim (AD 400-450)

P. H. .01. Est. diam. rim .13 (1/10 preserved). Th. .004.

M18.0001:4. Single rim sherd. Slightly granular orange (2.5YR 5/8) fabric. Darker red (10 5/8) slip.

Cf. p. 120 and 124. Also near form 73, particularly forms B643 and B644.

16. African Red-Slip Hayes 74 Rim (AD 450 to 475)

P. H. .023. Est. diam. rim near .12 (1/4 preserved). Th. .004.

I17.0532:4. Single rim sherd. Bright reddish-brown (10R 6/8) fabric with occasional lime inclusions. Same color interior slip is thick and bright. The wall of the vessel is smoothed whereas the upper face of the rim shows overlapping stick smoothing marks. These continue to the outer face of the rim where they become the distinct ridges that are one indication of the form. The exterior is plain except for drip marks.

For form see p. 124.

17. African Red-Slip Hayes Form 87b Rim (Late 5th to Early 6th Century AD)

H. .063. Est. diam. rim .44.

P18.0093:1. Almost completely preserved plate, twenty-six joining sherds leave two gaps and missing sections at rim and base. There is some chipping of the interior surface, though in general the slip is very well preserved; patches of plaster adhere to the interior of one group of joining sherds, to exterior of another (see photographs). Vessel has been conserved.Broad sloping walls with thickened rim and short triangular foot. Slightly granular fabric, fired red throughout (btw. 2.5YR 6/8-5/8) with occasional lime inclusions and some reddish bits. Smooth slip on interior surface is slightly darker red (10R 5/8), drip marks over rim, exterior largely plain.From deposits associated with the aftermath of the early sixth century AD earthquake.

For form see p. 135.

Illustration
Photograph
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18. African Red-Slip Hayes 87c Rim (Late 5th to 6th Century AD)

P. H. .0095. Est. diam. rim not recoverable.

K17.0068:34. SC13-3q. Single small sherd. Hooked profile under rim. Granular dark red fabric with bright orange slip.

For form see p. 135.

19. African Red-Slip Hayes 91d Rim (late 6th through 7th century AD)

P. H. .02. Est. diam. rim .15 (1/10 preserved). Th. .0045.

u14.0001:1. Slightly granular fabric with lime inclusions, orange (2.5YR 5/8). This is very late ARS. The thick polished orange (off munsell, too orange for 2.5YR) slip is now very worn. The flange is somewhat unusual, being sharply tooled underneath so that it has a round profile. The upper rim is also slightly everted.

For form see p. 140. The profile is similar to type 54 (= Hayes 91d), p. 179, which is dated to the seventh century.

21. African Red-Slip Stamped Floor, Style A(ii) - (AD 350-420)

Th. .0063.

H17.0056:1. SC13-2q. Single sherd. Palmettes surrounded by concentric circles, with grooves between bands and outside of concentric circles.

Cf. fig. 38 for palmettes, fig. 40 j-l for concentric circles.

22. African Red-Slip Hayes Type 2 Lamp (5th to 6th century AD)

. L0061. Red fabric with distinct slip. Monogrammed cross with curved top of 'Rho' and top of post partially extant in discus. Impressed palm fronds on shoulder.

pp. 310-314 for chronology.

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Fentress, Elizabeth, Sergio Fontana, Robert Bruce Hitchner and Philip Perkins. 2004. “Accounting for ARS: fineware and sites in Sicily and Africa” in Susan Alcock and John Cherry (eds.), Side-by-Side Survey. Comparative Regional Studies in the Mediterranean World, Oxford: 147-162.

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