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.
- (LO.1338)
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