Amphora - Production

Production

Roman amphorae were wheel-thrown terracotta containers. During the production process the body was made first and then left to partially dry. Then coils of clay were added to form the neck, the rim, and the handles. Once the amphora was complete, the interior was then treated with resin in order to prevent permeation of stored liquids. The reconstruction of these stages of production is based primarily on the study of modern amphora production in some areas of the eastern Mediterranean. Amphorae were often marked with a variety of stamps, graffiti and inscriptions. They provided information on the production, content and subsequent marketing. A stamp was usually applied to the amphora at a partially dry stage. It indicates the name of the figlina (workshop) and/or the name of the owner of the workshop. Painted stamps, tituli picti, were executed when the amphora was completed. They recorded the weight of the container and the content.