Ancient Terracotta Carinated Flagon with Handle, Roman North Africa (3190BME) SPECIAL PRICE

Description

This is an excellent example of an earthenware carinated flagon made in a Roman-Empire ceramic production center in the Roman-North-Africa territory called Africa-Proconsularis. The word flagon is derived from the Greek word for flask and is a larger, taller variant of a Greek flask used for oils (lagynos). Wheel made for the lower classes, undecorated flagons were considered coarse wares, and this one is covered with a grey slip to enhance their appearance and lessen leakage. These ancient functional items were used to hydrate all kinds of people including laborers, field workers, ship rowers and army personnel. Its shape often occurs in ancient pottery cultures where the top and lower sections of a piece are angled in opposite directions to form a distinct edge extending around the vessel. Flagons were also used at Roman home altars for offerings to domestic family deities. In excellent condition for its age and long burial, this  has no visible cracks, breaks, repairs or restoration with expected scrapes, slip losses and clinging mineral deposits.

Sources

Kevin Green, Interpreting the Past, Roman Pottery, Berkeley and Los Angeles, University of California Press, 1992.

Potsherd Atlas of Roman Pottery, North African Red Slip Ware, www/potsherd.net