Ancient Terracotta Platter with Stamped Designs, Roman North Africa (3186A-VHA) SPECIAL PRICE

Description

This kiln-fired medium size earthenware platter is a wheel made functional piece called African Red Slip (ARS). A category of ancient pottery used by those of high status for formal occasions to serve food, it was made in Roman-Empire production centers in the Roman-North-Africa province called Africa-Proconsularis. They were shipped everywhere along the same trade routes as grain, olive oil and wine. ARS wares like this were elegant, refined, delicate, and thin and had a slightly glossy surface. Their  decorative, complex linear stamped design combinations centered  were never used for coarse wares. Stamped images of palm fronds arranged in four directions and  3-piece radiating circles between the fronds are alternating designs. The flared rim has furrows, ridges and bands set at different angles, widths and levels. Areas of white or beige slip, now mostly gone, appear on both sides of the platter while a wide foot ensures its stability. With an appropriate mount, this would also be a great piece of wall art. Serving plates like this are usually found broken in multiple pieces with major losses. Luckily, this plate was found as six large and three small pieces with fairly clean breaks on the upper surface and nicely reglued. It is a rare ancient history find.

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