1977.216.2481: Forty-seven Fragments of Arretine Pottery Decorated with Various Relief, No Signatures

Identification and Creation

Object Number

1977.216.2481

Title

Forty-seven Fragments of Arretine Pottery Decorated with Various Relief, No Signatures

Classification

Fragments

Work Type

sherd

Date

1st century BCE-1st century CE

Period

Roman Imperial period, Early

Culture

Roman

Persistent Link

https://hvrd.art/o/290362

Physical Descriptions

Medium

Terracotta

Technique

Mold-made

Dimensions

5.2 x 8.2 x 0.6 cm (2 1/16 x 3 1/4 x 1/4 in.)

Acquisition and Rights

Credit Line

Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Transfer from the Department of the Classics, Harvard University, Bequest of Henry W. Haynes, 1912

Accession Year

1977

Object Number

1977.216.2481

Division

Asian and Mediterranean Art

Contact

am_asianmediterranean@harvard.edu

Permissions

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Descriptions

Description

Fragment 26: Triangular-shaped fragment of red Arretine pottery. This fragment comes from close to the rim of the vessel and is therefore decorated with three incised lines circling the vessel. Below the first two lines is another rim element, where there is a slightly raised horizontal register decorated with slightly slanted vertical lines approx. 0.2 cm apart running all around the vessel. Below these rim elements is another repeated pattern of raised dots, and beneath that is the repeated pattern of a modified egg-and-dart decoration. This fragment also features one leaf-shaped element that is part of the now-missing figure below.

Commentary

LIVE LIKE A ROMAN: DAILY LIFE OBJECT COLLECTION

Arretine ware is the name for fine Roman pottery that originated in Arrentium, an ancient Roman town in modern-day Tuscany. It is often called Arezzo ware for the modern name of the town. This type of pottery was coated in red slip and originated in the first century BCE. It became extremely popular in the first century CE, but eventually was surpassed by Samian ware, which was created mainly in Gaul.

Arretine vessels were most often made from molds, an example of which can be seen in this collection. Molds could be used for numerous castings until they eventually wore down or broke. Often the decoration on Arretine vessels was meant to imitate the more expensive silver vessels of the day. Instead of being mold-made, some Arretine ware was created on a wheel and decorated by hand.

Arretine ware is often confused with terra sigillata, which translates to "stamped earth." Though the definitions are very similar and often interchangeable, terra sigillata generally refers to highly decorated red gloss pottery, as opposed to red slip. The red gloss was obtained by polishing the slip until it reached silky luster, then fired at a low temperature.

[Jessica Pesce 8/2010]

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