anfora

This is a remarkably well-preserved wine amphora from the Early Christian period, its form a study in disciplined elegance. The body is ovoid, the shoulder receding in a continuous concave curve that flows into the neck, interrupted only by a thin, raised band at the handle’s upper attachment. The bell-shaped mouth has a gently flaring lip and a flat rim. The handles are thickened ribbons. Notably, the base is open, sealed by a removable stopper, a cleverly repurposed foot from another vessel.

The fabric is a pinkish clay, coated in glossy black slip, with added decoration in white and yellow. The lid is equally refined: a smooth rim, a raised inner ridge for a snug fit, and a finial of three closed acanthus leaves, their scalloped edges and raised veins modelled with care, pressed from a mould and finished with a white lime wash. A small, hollow tube with a disc-shaped rim rises from the leaves. The entire surface, including the painted details, was treated with miltos, a red ochre wash. This is a container made for use and for display.

Description via source. Coordinates and heritage data from the Atika atlas.