Roman Vessel from Northern Africa / Ideas?

[caiusbeerquitius]

This is from a private collection in Augsburg, and was bought in the 70ies in northern Africa (Tunesia, to be exact) The clay has fine white sand in it, just like the La Graufesenque sigillata. Anyone seen such a form before? Info would be appreciated!
Thanks, Christian

[caiusbeerquitius]

[IMP GALLIENVS AVG]

I can't say I've seen a vessel just like that one, but I don't claim to know much about vessels . The base seems a little wider and "fatter" than most jugs I have seen.

Andrew

[LUCIUS ALFENUS AVITIANUS]

Some roman african mugs have similar bases... But it could be not roman.

I have been in north Tunisia, and actual wares are very close to the roman ones, including mugs and amphoras.

I'll try to find anything similar...

Red spots are a corroded vernish?

[caiusbeerquitius]

I'll try to find anything similar...

Red spots are a corroded vernish?

Thanks!

No, there´s no varnish on the vessel, it´s regular cheap ware. The dots are traces of vegetation / roots from when the vessel was in the ground. The vessel is definitely an original, the ownwer was present when it was excavated. My guess that it is Roman derives from the similarity to European Roman common ware, very smooth surface, the short foot, and the material. He has an other vessel from the same region which is punic and dates between 800 and 900 BC. (three ring-decoration) The surface and material are quite different.

[LUCIUS ALFENUS AVITIANUS]

What about that (the left and central ones)?

http://museoarteromano.mcu.es/img/ppc5.jpg

Are from Museo Arqueologico Nacional Romano de Mérida (Spain)

I have found similar pieces in project DICOCER published in Michel Py, Andres Adroher Claude Raynaud and others, LATTARA 6. Dicocer. Dictionnaire des céramiques antiques (VIIeme s.av.n.è.-VIIeme s. de n.è.) en Méditerranée nord-occidental, Lattes (France), 1993. See specially págs.227 ss.

That pieces are common in -100/100 cronology. But, you know, roman coarse wares are not easy to tipologize.

[adamparsons]

Hi Cristian,
I asked my friend Dr Vivien Swan (Roman pottery specialist) and sent her a few of your pics and she sent this back:

"Dear Adam,

It looks OK to me. It's probably third century and from a grave (fine
ware flagons of this size are very common in graves in Tunisia). I
suspect the form is imitating (in a more local fabric) a type that is
better known in African red slip ware (without the ARS slip) and which
was made in Tunisia. This form does not occur in Britain generally.
There may just be an imitation made in the third century at Cramond fort
on the Forth (among other North African imitations), but not enough of
that body survives to be sure of this.
Hope this is of some help.
Best wishes
VIVIEN"

hope this is of some assistance- It was Vivien who first discovered the African pottery and thus legionaries at York.
cheers
Adam

[caiusbeerquitius]

Thanks, folks! Laus for you !

[caiusbeerquitius]

But, you know, roman coarse wares are not easy to tipologize

It is horrible. If you stay in a certain region, e.g. like here in Raetia, and the pottery-production-centers are excavated, or you have a good general archaeological record, then you can get some ideas, and you can sometimes even date with coarse-ware sherds. But generally it is a mess.

[LUCIUS ALFENUS AVITIANUS]

The shape of a coarse ware piece depends more in functional aspects, than estetic ones. So the evolution of a piece is not so quick than the table wares one. Fortunately, we have another kind of materials (table wares, anphorae, metallic finds, etc) that are a lot easier to use for datation.