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HOME :
Classical Antiquities :
Classical Masterpieces : North African Terra Sigillata Flask Decorated with Lions
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North African Terra Sigillata Flask Decorated with Lions - X.0052
Origin: North Africa
Circa: 3
rd
Century AD
Dimensions:
5.75" (14.6cm) high
Collection: Classical
Style: Roman
Medium: Terra Sigillata
£9,000.00
Location: UAE
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| Description |
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Terra sigillata wares were the classic fine wares
of the Roman period. The roots of the industry
go back to Italy during the 1st Century B.C.
Building on the foundations of a pre-existing
industry dedicated to black-slipped ware, the
glossy red-slipped terra sigillata wares were first
produced at Arezzo, in northern Tuscany. The
industry expanded, and factories producing
Italian-type sigillata were founded across the
Mediterranean world, notably southern France
and northern Spain. By the 3rd-4th Century
A.D., the center of terra sigillata production had
shifted south, to the shores of Roman North
Africa. From the great port of Carthage, these
wares were exported throughout the
Mediterranean world and representative
examples have been found from Israel to
England.
Characterized by a red-orange to red-brown
clay and a slip of a more refined version of the
same clay, these glossy household vessels were
decorated by relief figures and stamped designs.
Frequently, separately applied clay figures were
cast in molds and added to the vessels as
decoration. This vessel is a fine example of the
very wares that were produced in North Africa.
Immediately obvious is the glossy red slip that
made these wares extremely durable and gave
them their name. This particular work features
two handles and a small round foot. The body
has been divided into two sections framed by
four applied palm leaves. Each section is
decorated by a molded reclining lion. Hundreds
of years ago, this vessel was created in Roman
North Africa, shipped out of Carthage, and
landed on the table of a household somewhere
across the vast empire. The history of this work
is truly fascinating and is surmounted only by its
beauty.
- (X.0052)
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