Transport Amphora
27 BCE - 96 CE
Julio-Claudian to Flavian Period (27 BCE-96 CE)
46 3/8 x 10 1/4 in. (117.8 x 26 cm)
Roman artist
Italy
Object Type:
Ceramics
Medium and Support:
Terracotta
Credit Line:
Acquired through gift of R.T. Miller and appropriation from R.T. Miller Fund
Accession Number:
1944.51
Location: Currently on view
This large, roughly-constructed storage vessel is one of thousands produced by pottery work-shops throughout the Mediterranean region. Pointed bases enabled amphorae to be stored upright, embedded in sand. For shipment by sea, they were packed horizontally, fitting head-to-end for stability in rough waters. The distinctive shape of this amphora may identify it as a Spanish-made vessel for shipping garum, a fermented fish sauce that was a staple at Roman banquets.
[Gallery label text, 2009]