Jan., 191 2. Antiquities from Boscoreale. 189 



BRONZE AMPHORA. 24408. [Plate CXXXIX.] 



This small amphora was found along with some rough terra-cotta 

 vases in a wooden chest just inside the entrance to Villa I. 1 It is poor- 

 ly preserved, especially the bottom, the edges of which have been 

 nearly eaten out, so that it is held by only a small strip. The vase 

 is covered with thick, mostly dark blue oxide. Body and handles 

 are cast separately. 



The rather full body rests on a plain flat bottom, and passes by a 

 continuous curve to the short neck and flaring lip. Vertical handles 

 with leaf shaped lower attachment are soldered to the side and neck, 

 the top of the handle being lower than the lip. 



The outside of the vase is unornamented except for a fine encircling 

 groove near the top. Inside the lip there are three encircling rings 

 with a groove at either side and also a single groove. 



In shape this vase lies midway between the two common types of 

 Roman bronze amphorae which have, the one 2 a wide rounded body 

 and short neck, the other 3 a slender, almost angular body with a rather 

 long tapering undefined neck, and differs from both in the wide flaring 

 lip and the lack of a base. It is very similar to an amphora repre- 

 sented as on the stylobate of a small building in a fresco of the Casa 

 delta Caccia, Pompeii. 4 



Height, m. 0.198 ( = 7.79 in.). Diameter, m. 0.121 (=4.78 in.)Xo.n8 (=4.64 

 in.). Diameter of bottom, m. 0.055 ( = 2.16 in.); of top, m. 0.074 ( = 2 -9i in.). 

 Height of handles, m. o.m (=4.37 in.). Thickness of side, m. 0.001+. Distance 

 of outside groove from top, m. 0.005. 



About in the center of the bottom, dent (diameter m. 0.002) purposely made. 



BRONZE PITCHER. 24406. [Plates CXL, CXLL] 



Pitcher, probably one of two which were found in Villa I, near 

 the oil-vat 5 (Room Y). It is in good condition except that the handle 

 is cracked through near the lower attachment. There is a thick coat- 

 ing of mostly dark green oxide. Body and handle are cast separately. 



The contour of the body has the form of two rounded obtuse angles, 

 one convex, the other concave, joined together, the greatest diameter 

 being below the center. The bottom is slightly concave but without 



1 Pasqui, op. cit. coll. 409 f. 



1 Roux, Herculanum el Pompei, Vol. vii, plate 79; Schreiber, Die alexandrinische Toreutik, p. 364, 

 fig. 103. 



• Roux, op. cit. ibid.; Schreiber. op. cit. p. 366, fig. 104. 



* Zahn, Die schoensten Ornamente, etc.. Vol. ii. plate 60. 



4 Pasqui, op. cit. col. 499. fig. 68. The top of the handle, the part which served as thumb-rest, is 

 less pointed than in the pitcher there illustrated, but the cut is so small and poor that much weight 

 should not be attached to the slight difference. 



