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Samian — The most beautiful and artistic of the Roman 

 pottery discovered in Britain is the so-called Red Samian. This 

 was highly esteemed and extensively used, and formed the table 

 ware of the Romans and Romano-British aristocrats. The forms 

 of the Samian vessels are very varied ; some are unglazed, but the 

 finer and more ornamental examples are coated with an extremely 

 thin glaze which gives them the appearance of a dull-red sealing 

 wax. The term " Samian " was applied to this ware by the 

 Romans themselves, although the generally received opinion is 

 that it had no connection with the island of Samos. Whether the 

 red ware fabricated in the Greek islands formed the prototype of 

 Samian, or whether it was invented by a person named Samos, 

 still remains a matter of doubt. 



Both the classic authors and recent researches prove that the 

 principal factory of this ware was at Arctium in Italy — the modern 

 Arezzo — from whence it was exported to the distant Roman 

 colonies, and by sale and barter, found its way among the barbaric 

 tribes far removed from the sphere of Roman influence both in 

 Europe and Asia Minor. 



The question as to the constituents of the clay used in its 

 manufacture and of the material employed in glazing still 

 remains unanswered. No similar clay has been discovered ; and 

 it is thought the red colour was obtained either by an admixture 

 of highly ferruginous clays or by the addition of oxide of iron 

 and lead. 



Many of the vessels are quite plain, but the majority are 

 highly decorated in high relief with scenes from the chase, daily 

 life, and subjects from Roman mythology, among which appear 

 elaborate embellishments of foliage and ornament. The makers' 

 names also appear on much of this class of pottery in the shape 

 of small labels stamped on the bottoms and sides, as may be seen 

 on examining several specimens now on the table. 



In the fabrication of this ware, especially of the more 

 ornamental, a clay mould in one or several pieces was used. 

 When the mould was in a plastic state the scenes and embellish- 

 ments were impressed round its interior by means of stamps. 

 When the mould was ready for making a Samian vessel, the 

 interior was coated with a clay of the desired thickness, which 

 was then well modelled and firmly pressed against the sides of 

 the mould in order to take the external designs in relief. This being 

 satisfactorily accomplished, it was set aside till the vessel had 

 become properly dry and had shrunk sufficiently to admit of its 

 being taken bodily from the mould ; deficiencies were then 

 rectified, and, if properly dry, the vessel was ready to be sub- 

 mitted to the fire of the potter's kiln. 



A few fra'^ments of these moulds have been discovered in 

 England, but it is generally agreed that the Samian ware was not 

 produced here, but that it was obtained either from Arctium or 



