Ancient Pottery

Of all the material remains recovered by archaeologists, the most abundant is pottery – the first synthetic material created by humans. Pottery is a general term defined as objects made of clay fashioned into shapes, dried into a leather-hard state and then fired to permanently change the clay’s moleculat structure so that they hardened and survived over time. Early civilizations used clay earthenware and terracotta vessels to store, prepare and serve food; hold perfume and precious oils; ship commodities; burn oil for light; contain or function as votive offerings; and help settle and satisfy the dead in their comfortable afterlife.

Showing 1–12 of 24 results

  • Ancient Terracotta Oenochoe (Wine Jug), Roman North Africa (3197A-UOM) $275

    $275.00
    H: 4.5”  W: 3”  D: 2.75” | FREE SHIPPING WITHIN CONTINENTAL U.S. !

    Small wine jugs were made in the Roman North Africa territory called Africa Proconsulares and exported throughout the empire. Made and decorated with ribbing and a single handle on a potters wheel it was fired in a kiln.  Simple and unadorned functional objects called coarse wears were made everyday use and to make offerings to deities using inexpensive long-lasting materials.  Very good example of pouring vessels from ancient history throughout the Roman Empire.

  • Ancient Ceramic Snail Shaped Vessel, West Mexico, Jalisco (3290BLB) $435

    $435.00
    H: 4.75”  W: 2.75”  D: 1.75” | FREE SHIPPING IN CONTINENTAL U.S.!

    In ancient Mesoamerica snails signified birth, generation, and resurrection and were a source of spirituality.  The size and shape of his West Mexico Protoclassic (circa 200BCE – 200CE)  ceramic snail suggest it was made to hold liquids. Many early Jalisco ceramics were utilitarian and used for cooking, carrying water or storing seeds. Pieces like this with a wide large spout were often painted with designs that faded since they were not fired after painting. Urban centers in Colima Jalisco-Nayarit were abandoned for centuries, so utilitarian objects were rarely found whole and had to be assembled and restored. This piece is in very good condition with cracks and paint losses and may have expected repairs at its spout.

  • Ancient Daunian Earthenware Cup, Magna Graecia, Italy (1789LME) $595

    $595.00
    H: 3”  W: 4.75”  D: 4” | FREE SHIPPING IN CONTINENTAL U.S.!

    This Daunian style earthenware cup was produced in the ancient northern Italian region Apulia, then known as Magna Graecia, from the 6th or 5th centuries B.C.E.. It was covered with beige slip and painted with red, brown and black earth colors in a variety of geometric patterns. Its curved rim and high handle was ideal for pouring liquids like water and wine.  The handle may have been repaired as there is an uneven slip underneath it or may have been attached it was painted but it is otherwise in very good condition.

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    Ancient Earthenware Carinated Flagon, Roman North Africa (3191BLB) SPECIAL PRICE

    Original price was: $775.00.Current price is: $595.00.
    H: 4.5”  W: 3”  D: 2.75” | FREE SHIPPING WITHIN CONTINENTAL U.S.!

    This Roman ceramic flagon is a uniquely shaped vessel used to store and pour potable liquids. A crème slip carinated jug with a high profile and a trefoil pouring spout, it has a strap handle attached from the carinated edge to just below the rim for easy handling. Roman coarse wars like this were use for liquids and to make offerings to household deities.

  • Ancient Earthenware Jarlet, Roman North Africa (3195A-DAE) $225

    $225.00
    H: 4.625”  Dia: 3.625″ | FREE SHIPPING IN CONTINENTAL U.S.!

    Earthenware pottery jarlets like this were made in ceramics center in Roman North Africa territories called Africa Proconsularis. They were made to hold liquids such as oils, perfumes, ointments or cosmetics . This small vessel was made with a potter’s wheel with decorated grooved ribbing etched on the surface and fired in a kiln. It is a good example of a ceramic pouring vessel from ancient history used throughout the Roman Empire.

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    Ancient Earthenware Shallow Bowl, Roman North Africa (3184PKM) SPECIAL PRICE

    Original price was: $525.00.Current price is: $425.00.
    H: 2.875” Dia: 7.5” | FREE SHIPPING WITHIN CONTINENTAL U.S.!

    Produced locally in Roman North Africa ceramic centers in Africa Proconsularis after the Roman Empire expanded, pottery like this was shipped throughout the Empire. Functional wares called coarse wares were covered with slip to make them less porous and sometimes as here red paint added for decoration.This finely shaped red clay earthenware is less typical than other bowls with thinner, ,taller and slightly curved walls.

  • Ancient Glazed Ceramic Han Wing Cup, China (1009BOH) $450

    $450.00
    H: 1.5”  W: 5.125”  D: 3.875” | FREE SHIPPING WITHIN CONTINENTAL U.S.!

    This Han dynasty green glazed winged cup is a mingqi burial object placed in a tomb to comfort and satisfy the deceased. Winged cups were popular during the Han Dynasty when they were made from molded earthenware covered with a thick green leaded glaze which sometimes , as here, caused a chemical reaction between the lead and the tomb’s humidity resulting in an iridescent silver-green color.

  • Ancient Han Dynasty Glazed Hu Jar, China (1604AOK) $495

    $495.00
    H: 6.75” Dia: 6″ | FREE SHIPPING!

    This two thousand year old heavy wine vessel called a Hu is covered in a dark-green lead glaze used often during the Han dynasty for burial items called mingqia variety of which were placed in tombs to provide comfort to the deceased in their afterlife. With a characteristic elegant hu shape, it rests on a wide foot and rises to a minimally decorated globular body with low relief horizontal bars, a wide tapering neck and is topped by a wide flaring bowl-like mouth. Its underside, like most, was left unglazed.

  • Ancient Han Dynasty Pottery Pig, China (2029BKE) $395

    $395.00
    H: 2.5”  W: 4.5”  D: 2.375” | FREE SHIPPING!

    This glazed pig mingqi was one of many items made for a tomb to placate the spirit of the deceased and assure the soul’s access to the things enjoyed when alive. This animal mingqi confirms the importance of pigs as a food source and of raising livestock in Han China. An alert animal whose stocky body is typical, it’s dark lead green glaze and damp tomb created a chemical reaction over centuries making it a lustrous, iridescent green impossible to copy that is highly valued in China and by collectors. In very good condition, it has expected glaze losses, minor abrasions and cracks due to its age and long tomb burial.

  • Ancient Harpocrates Figurine, Roman Empire, Alexandria (1844BHK) $395

    $395.00
    Ht: 6.5”  W: 2.625”  D: 1.75” | FREE SHIPPING!

    This figure is Harpocrates the Greek god of silence, confidentiality and secrets holding a jar and was made using a bivalve-mould. The iconography hints at a royal and temple cult, as he wears a double crown symbolizing both Upper and Lower Egypt. A royal emblem showing an association with the contemporary king, in Egypt royals with crowns were a manifestation of the Egyptian god Horus. Small white specks are all that remains of the slip and colorful paints covering it. Missing part of his right side when excavated, there are no repairs and it is mounted on a stand. Given its age, the image is in good condition with normal scrapes and cracks found in pieces of this age.

     

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    Ancient Holy Land Biblical Period Wine Jug, Judea (3241BHK) $695

    Original price was: $695.00.Current price is: $595.00.
    H: 8.5”  Dia: 5.5” | FREE SHIPPING within Continental U.S.!

    This Biblical Period earthenware wine jug is rare because of its difficult chances of survival over such a long time period. Made in the Judea Holy Land, it has a tall globular body and a downward sloped shoulder that join together in a distinctive carinated edge running around its top.

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    Ancient Large Stamped Red Platter, Roman North Africa (3185BCA) SPECIAL PRICE

    Original price was: $485.00.Current price is: $395.00.
    H: 2.25”  Dia: 14.5″ | made in Africa Proconsularis, the Roman North Africa pottery center and distributed throughout the Roman Empire).

    Created in the Roman North Africa territory named Africa Proconsularis,  platters like this were distributed throughout the Roman Empire.  it is a remarkable piece known as ARS (African Red Slip) that is decorated with circular rings with perfect ridges made using a pottery wheel. This ancient serving plate is remarkable for its survival, size, stamped designs and graceful simplicity. Found in two pieces, the breaks were clean and glued together. Platters of this size are rare and are usually in multiple broken pieces with significant losses.

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