FLOOR.] 
WITT COLLECTION. 
121 
WITT COLLECTION. 
Cases 62, 63. This is a series of antiquities, illustrating 
the Bath of the ancients, presented by George Witt, Esq., 
F.E.S., to which have been added the strigils from the general 
collection. 
It includes specimens of the tiles and flues of which the hot cham- 
bers were constructed, a fine series of strigils used for scraping the 
skin, ointment vases of various materials, and other appliances of the 
bath. Among them may be noticed a set of bath utensils, found in a 
Roman sarcophagus near Crefeld, Rhenish Prussia, consisting of a pair 
of strigils, an oil vase, a glass patera, praefericulum, &c. 
ROMAN POTTERY WITH VITREOUS GLAZE. 
Case 64. It was long considered that the Romans were 
unacquainted with the art of applying a vitreous glaze to 
pottery. Specimens, however, have from time to time been 
discovered which remove all doubt on the subject. It will 
be seen that they are not numerous, and that the glaze was 
more often applied to fine and ornamental wares than to 
coarse pottery. 
ROMAN RED WARE. 
This collection, which is placed in Cases 88, 39 and 
beneath Table Case F, consists of specimens of a peculiar 
bright red ware, made at various places, but which was 
termed by the ancients Saurian, having been probably first 
made at Samos. It was the earthenware most in use at the 
tables of the ancients, and exhibits great variety of orna- 
mentation. 
The principal sites of the manufactory were Capua and Aretium in 
Italy, Auvergue in France, where kilns have been found, the borders 
of the Rhine, and Spain. The various designs were impressed with 
small separate stamps on a concave mould, so that the patterns were 
in relief on the vase ; the potters' names were very commonly added. 
EARLY ITALIAN AND ETRUSCAN POTTERY. 
Cases 33-37. Very ancient black and red ware. The earliest speci- 
mens, of coarse black or brown earth, ornamented with hatched lines 
or raised ridges and bosses, and imitating probably wooden vessels, 
occupy Cases 33, 34. No. 79, found in Monte Albano, ISJ7, and 
No. 79a (Blacas Coll.), found at Marino, represent the tugurium, or hut 
of the early inhabitants of Italy. 
Cases 35, 30, contain specimens of the later period when a finer 
