2.15. British B4 amphoras (`micaceous jars')

Fabric and technology

Friable, with laminar fracture, but smooth surfaces, sometimes almost soapy to the touch; red-brown (Munsell 2.5YR 5/4 to 5YR 5/4) with golden-brown surfaces; abundantly micaceous fabric, with some quartz and other fine inclusions. Patchy creamy-yellow slip on external surface of some examples. Augst TG 71

Typology

A long slender amphora with high rounded shoulder, tapering foot and narrow neck; one or two tight strap handles below small beaded rim; broad horizontal ribbing often visible over the lower body. Some of the earlier examples have two- or three-character graffiti in Greek characters on the shoulder below the lower handle attachment which can be interpreted as dates based on the Actian calendar, commencing in 31 BC (Lang 1955).

Capacity

c. 6.5l in 2nd century AD. Later examples can be larger.

Date

A very long-lived type, appearing in later 1st century (one-handled) - dated graffiti range from AD 74 to 158. Two-handled from later 4th century, and continuing to end of 6th. Distribution covers Italy (Ostia) and Provence by mid-2nd century. Many British examples are from 3rd/4th century, but a few earlier; also c. AD 475-550 in western Britain. Featureless sherds only datable by context.

Source

Petrology and distribution suggests western Asia Minor, perhaps the region of Sardis.

Contents

Not certain. They are often described as `water jars', and some analyses have identified oil residues (Rothschild-Boros 1981) but Martin-Kilcher suggests that wine was the most likely contents (Martin-Kilcher 1994, 440-1).

Distribution

Extensive around eastern and western Mediterranean, but never abundant and not common on wreck sites (Parker 1992, no. 499) perhaps suggesting that they were not transported in large numbers as were other amphoras.

Aliases

Augst class 55. Keay class LIV BIS. Peacock and Williams class 45 (Ballana 13a, Kuzmanov VIII, Scorpan 5, Carthage LR3, Benghazi LR10).

References

For summary: Tomber and Williams 1986; distribution in Riley 1979; Thomas 1981; post-Roman importation: Fulford 1989.

Bibliography

Fulford 1989 Fulford, M. G., Byzantium and Britain: a Mediterranean perspective on Post-Roman Mediterranean imports in western Britain and Ireland, MedArch, 33, 1-6, 1989.
Lang 1955 Lang, M., Dated jars from early Imperial times, Hesperia, 24, 277-85, 1955.
Martin-Kilcher 1994 Martin-Kilcher, S., Die römischen Amphoren aus Augst und Kaiseraugst. Ein Beitrag zur römischen Handels- und Kulturgeschichte. 2, Die Amphoren für Wein, Fischsauce, Südfrüchte (Gruppen 2-24) und Gesamtauswertung, Forschungen in Augst, 7, Römermuseum, Augst, 1994.
Parker 1992 Parker, A. J., Ancient shipwrecks of the Mediterranean and the Roman Provinces, British archaeological reports. International series, 580, Tempus Reparatum, Oxford, 1992.
Riley 1979 Riley, J. A., The coarse pottery from Benghazi, in Excavations at Sidi Khrebish, Benghazi (Berenice). II, J. A. Lloyd ed., Supplements to Libya Antiqua, 5, 91-497, Department of Antiquities, Tripoli, 1979.
Rothschild-Boros 1981 Rothschild-Boros, M. C., The determination of amphora contents, in Archaeology and Italian society: Prehistoric, Roman and Medieval studies, G. Barker and R. Hodges ed., British archaeological reports. International series, 102, 79-89, 1981.
Thomas 1981 Thomas, C., A provisional list of imported pottery in Post-Roman Britain and Ireland, Special report, 7, Institute of Cornish Studies, Redruth, 1981.
Tomber and Williams 1986 Tomber, R. and Williams, D. F., Late Roman amphoras in Britain, JRPS, 1, 42-54, 1986.