Ceramics home: Samian.

Samian

Samian, a glossy brick-red tableware, is the most recognisable Roman pottery found in Britain. It was industrially produced on a scale unequalled until the 18th century. One centre is estimated to have turned out a million vessels a year. Samian has been intensively studied, and the Museum has one of the largest collections in Britain - though at present only the more complete vessels are available online.

Samian was primarily used for displaying and serving food. Bowls, dishes and plates are common, along with smaller 'cups' that may have been used to serve condiments and snacks rather than been used as drinking vessels. Some samian was decorated with elaborate floral or figural designs that were made by throwing the pot within a mould.

Samian was first produced in north Italy at the end of the 1st century BC, but by AD43 it was nearly all being made in Gaul (France). The principal factories remained there for the next two centuries, although there were small-scale producers in Colchester and perhaps in London. Many vessels are stamped with the potter's name.

The Gallic factories closed around AD260, but other industries (see Finewares) made samian-style pottery of inferior quality until AD400.

Featured types

South Gaul (near Millau, NW of Montpellier, France, mainly 1st century) (-45 - 260)

Central Gaul (near Clermont-Ferrand, France, mainly 2nd century) (-45 - 260)

East Gaul (near Trier, Germany, 2nd to early 3rd century) (-45 - 260)

Other (eg Arretine, from Arezzo, Italy, late 1st century BC to early 1st century AD) (-45 - 260)

Related objects

There are 326 related objects.

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95.303 bowl. Roman; mid 1st-early 2nd century	84.332/26 bowl. Roman; late 1st-mid 3rd century	81.353 bowl. AD50-150; Roman	31.72/1 bowl. Roman; mid 1st-early 2nd century
A28371 bowl. Roman	A28217 bowl. Roman; 1st century	A27928 bowl. Roman; mid 1st-early 2nd century	A27867 beaker. Roman; mid 2nd-mid 3rd century
A27605 bowl. Roman; late 1st-4th century	A27327/1 bowl. Roman	A25626 bowl. Roman; mid 1st-early 2nd century	A23699 bowl. Roman; mid 1st-mid 2nd century
A21100 bowl. Roman; 2nd century	A12043 bowl. Roman; late 1st-mid 3rd century	A11691 bowl. Roman; late 1st-4th century	A9470 bowl. Roman
A7710 bowl. Roman	A4466 bowl. Roman; mid 1st-mid 2nd century	A2046 bowl. Roman	A16463 dish. Roman; mid 1st-mid 3rd century
24186 cup. Roman; mid 1st-mid 3rd century	P168 bowl. Roman; late 1st-4th century	A23749 cup. Roman; 50-70	24180 dish. Roman; mid-late 1st century

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