ROMAN AMPHORA OR WINE JAR. 89 



Though the Amphora has been generally replaced by more 

 modern vessels, they are still in use in paits of Italy. Thus in 

 Naples the ordinary pictorial sign of a wine and liquor or oil shop 

 is that of an Amphora. 



Those of my hearers who have visited Pompeii will probably 

 remember the celebrated vault in the house of Diomed (so 

 graphically described in " The Last Days of Pompeii "), where a 

 row of these vessels stand almost erect in the sandy floor of the 

 cellar. Its egg-shaped body and generally pointed base allow such 

 an arrangement, though some specimens terminate with a boss to 

 fit in a socket. This example, perfect except at the lip, is of pale 

 terra cotta colour, and without lines or pattern. Long submergence 

 might account for this as well as for the absence of other marks 

 attesting the quality, quantity, and origin of its contents. It is 

 known that some were so artistically decorative as to sell as works 

 of art at high prices ; such specimens may be seen at South 

 Kensington. 



Amphorae of moderate sizes were made on the wheel, but the 

 larger, such as the one before us, were moulded by hand. As 

 evidence of their general use Dr. Birch quotes from a Roman 

 author, who records that upwards of 100 were found in the house 

 of a Roman citizen. 



The specimen before us measures in height 3 feet 7 inches ; in 

 greatest circumference 3 feet 4 inches. Its mouth when perfect 

 was about 5^ inches in diameter ; its neck at its narrowest part is 

 2 inches internal diameter ; its handles are quite perfect, and, 

 reaching from the lip to the shoulder of the vessel, are 9 inches in 

 length and of considerable strength ; the stalk or pedestal is 2 inches 

 in diameter at its extremity, gradually swelling up to the height of 

 18 inches, where it reaches the full circumference of the vessel. 

 On the bottom slope of the Amphora there is an oblong depression 

 containing the letter P and a square dot. This might be the 

 manufacturer's mark or, more probably, the official seal of correct- 

 ness (probatum T) ; for the Amphora was a measure of definite 

 capacity 2 urnse, or 5 gals. 6.08 pints. This example holds very 



