Samian Ware. 201 



Ware, and is easily distinguished from that of a ruder texture 

 manufactured in Britain. Ware of this particular lustre and 

 quality very probably originated in the island of Samos. From 

 thence, no doubt, the art would spread until it became an article 

 of common if not almost universal production by potteries 

 throughout the whole empire. For a time it was even thought 

 that the ware was manufactured in Britain, and the supposed dis- 

 covery many years ago of a factory in the mouth of the Thames 

 lent colour to this idea. Against the theory, however, rose the 

 facts that no other factory had been discovered, and no clay was 

 to be found out of which vessels could be made of exactly the 

 same fine texture. So brittle indeed was this ware that vessels 

 were seldom if ever to be recovered unbroken. It was therefore 

 a matter of the greatest wonder when it was discovered that fisher- 

 men at the mouth of the Thames, not far from the Kentish coast 

 between Reculver and Margate, were bringing up in their nets 

 whole pieces of this fine pottery. The conclusion come to, and 

 that which prevails to-day in authoritative circles, is that some 

 vessel or vessels transporting this ware were wrecked off the coast 

 of Kent, and hence the finds. Furthermore, it is generally agreed 

 that the ware used in this country was imported from potteries on 

 the Continent, many of which were situated on the banks of the 

 Rhine. At one of these potteries, Mr Wright tells us, was found 

 the stamp of a potter named Austri, whose name appe^s on 

 pottery found in England. That would almost be conclusive of 

 the .statement that at least some, if not all, of the Samian ware 

 found in our own country was manufactured on the Continent and 

 shipped across the channel. Roman pottery was moulded in a 

 great variety of shapes. All sorts of subjects contributed to their 

 ornamentation. Many of the vessels were plain and many were 

 ornamented. All were obviously glazed with red lead or copper. 

 The characteristic moulding on the ornamental ware is the egg 

 and tongue or festoon and tassel, and the subjects illustrated are 

 chiefly hunting and ancient mythology, gladiatorial combats, 

 dancing, and other scenes. From a .study of the specimens pre- 

 served in our National Museums it becomes abundantly evident 

 that even the very ware is tell-tale of the obscenities and im- 

 moralities that fouled the Roman life in Britain as in other parts 

 of the empire, and which greatlv hastened the ultimate overthrow 



