Internet Archaeology 4. Perkins. 5.8

5.8 Summary and discussion

5.8.1 Summary of Ceramic Vessels

	Chalice	Cup	Oinochoe	Kantharos	Bowl	Jar	Other	Total Sherds	Minimum Vessels
Bucchero	6	2	1	-	2	-	2	13	35
Buccheroid Impasto	6	1	-	2	2	-	-	11	43
Impasto	8	-	-	12	-	-	1	21	60
Coarseware	-	-	-	-	1	3	-	4	25
Corinthian	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	1	1
Etrusco-Corinthian	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	1	1
Totals	20	3	2	14	5	3	4	51	165

5.8.2 Dating

The majority of the pottery can be confidently dated between 625 and 550 BC, particularly the chalices. Although the fragment of Corinthian pottery (51) is small, the style of decoration with an animal and rosettes suggests a date between the last quarter of the 7th and the first quarter of the 6th century. Within this range, the bucchero cup (10) may possibly be more closely dated to the first quarter of the 6th century. A number of pieces may be earlier than this date range. The buccheroid impasto ?kantharos (21) is similar to pieces dated to the first half of the 7th century (e.g. from Cerveteri, Bosio and Pugnetti 1986, 35 Nos. 13, 15, 19). The decoration a falsa cordicella on the buccheroid impasto oinochoe (25) could also indicate an earlier date. The similarity of the fabric of the grey impasto bowl (38) to an example from Marsiliana may also suggest a date in the mid 7th century.

5.8.3 Composition of the group

Because of the circumstances relating to the discovery of this material it is not possible to be certain that all originated from the same tomb, but the similar date range of the pieces suggests that they did. The collection seems to be only partial since perfume vessels and figured vases, for example, are absent, and cannot be taken to represent the full range of the original contents of the tomb. Generally the material is very similar to the contents of the tombs excavated in 1893 by Don Tommaso Corsini on Poggio Volpaio, published by Minto 1935, 19-24). The circumstances of the discovery of these tombs is not known (Minto 1935, 19) but they contained many complete vessels, more metalwork and more painted vases than this collection, indicating that the groups are more complete. It seems probable that metalwork, painted and complete vessels have been removed from this group, and the collection as it is represents only those pieces which were broken or of no value to the tomb robber.

Most of this collection consists of table ware, the only exceptions being the three coarseware jars. Of the remaining minimum of 48 vessels, nearly half (23) are chalices or kantharoi and nearly a quarter are bowls. The emphasis is clearly on vessels for feasting, although araballoi for unguents have probably been removed from the collection.