Greek, Roman and Byzantine Pottery at Ilion (Troia):
Sebastian Heath and Billur Tekkök, Editors
Unguentaria
Please note that this is a public draft of work in progress
introduction - bibliography
1. Hellenistic Fusiform Unguentarium
. P0577. Complete vessel except missing rim. Fired gray (surface = 10yr 4/1, section = 10 yr 4/1-4/2). Traces of white bands, 1 on shoulder and 1 on body.
Most similar to Camilli 1999 group B.32, which overlaps with S. Rotroff's "Atheanian Gray Unguentaria".
# Alt Text Ancient ceramic spindle-shaped vessel or figurine in dark clay with horizontal ribbed bands and small protruding features, possibly arms, with a conical top and narrow base.
2. Hellenistic Fusiform Unguentarium
. P0579. Complete vessel except missing rim; joined from 9 frags. Fired gray (10yr 4/1-5/1) with self-slip hues of gray on the surface.
Most similar to Camilli 1999 group B.32, which overlaps with S. Rotroff's "Atheanian Gray Unguentaria".
Ancient ceramic figurine of a standing human form with weathered gray-brown surface, featuring a distinctive black painted or darkened section across the lower torso area.
3. Roman Period Piriform Unguentarium
l/m14/15.0001. P0759. Unguentarium, chipped at rim, otherwise complete.
Parallels are found in Camilli 1999 groups C.11.1 and 2.
Ancient ceramic bottle or flask with a narrow cylindrical neck and bulbous body, showing a weathered, light brown or tan surface with visible age-related deterioration and pitting.
4. Early Roman Piriform Unguentarium
t/u14.0130. P0717. Complete vessel. Orange buff (2.5YRR 6/6-7/6), micaceous fabric. Red slip around rim and neck.
Nearest to Camilli 1999group C.33.6, for which only western Mediterranean findspots are listed.
A ceramic vessel with a narrow cylindrical neck and bulbous body, made of unglazed terracotta clay with a light peachy-tan color showing horizontal throwing marks on its surface.
5. Unguentarium (Late Roman)
P. H. .061. Est. diam. base .028 (almost completely preserved preserved). Th. .01.
D20.0183:6. String cut base, slightly irregular. Hard, compact, pinkish buff fabric (2.5YR 6/6) surface one tone darker.
The category of small late Roman unguentaria, also known as ampullae, was defined by Hayes (HarrisonFiratliHayes 1968, Hayes 1971). More recently, examples from Ephesos have been extensively discussed (LochnerSauer647-654 2005, Metaxas 2005).
Ancient ceramic vessel fragment or hollow cylindrical pottery piece made of terracotta/clay, showing broken or damaged top opening and rough, weathered surface texture.
6. Ampulla in Plain Fabric (Late Roman)
P. H. .058. Est. diam. .02.Th. .002.
I17.0647:10. Single sherd preserving lower half of vessel. Compact, soft light red (10R 6/8) fabric with frequent small lime inclusions and infrequent dark bits. Surface is plain.
Line drawing of a ceramic vessel profile
General Bibliography
Anderson-Stojanović, Virginia. 1987. “The Chronology and Function of Ceramic Unguentaria,” American Journal of Archaeology 91.1: 105-122. [online]
Hübner, Gerhild. 2006. “Hellenistic and Roman unguentaria: Function-related aspects of the form” in Danielle Malfitana, Joroen Poblome and John Lund (eds.), Old Pottery in a New Century. Innovating Perspective on Roman Pottery Studies. Atti del Convegno Internazionale di Studi Catania, 22-24 Aprile 2004, Catania: 27-40.
Lochner, Susane, R. Sauer and R. 647-654. 2005. “Late Roman Unguentaria? - A contribution to early Byzantine wares from the view of Ephesus” in Joseph Maria Gurt i Esparraguera, J. Buxeda i Garrigós and M.A. Cau Ontiveros (eds.), LRCW I: late Roman coarse wares, cooking wares and amphorae in the Mediterranean : archaeology and archaeometry, Oxford: .
Metaxas, Susanne. 2005. “Frühbyzantinische Ampullen und Amphoriskoi aus Ephesos” in Friedrich Krinzinger (ed.), Spätantike und mittelalterliche Keramik aus Ephesos, Wein: 67-123.