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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90.32/21 bowl. Roman; mid 2nd-3rd century	90.32/22 bowl. Roman; mid 2nd-3rd century	22923 bowl. Roman; mid 2nd-3rd century	3199 bowl. Roman; mid-late 1st century
84.332/10 bowl. Roman; mid-late 1st century	A25862 bowl or dish. Roman; mid 1st-mid 3rd century	A16445 bowl or dish. Roman; mid 1st-mid 3rd century	12393l bowl or dish. Roman; mid 1st-mid 3rd century
89.148/1 bowl; flanged bowl. Roman; mid 2nd-mid 3rd century	P175 bowl; game counter. Roman; mid 1st-mid 3rd century	13241a bowl; moulded bowl. Roman; early 2nd century	13241b bowl; moulded bowl. Roman; early 2nd century
83.461/54 cup.	A14615 cup. Late Iron Age-Roman; 1st century	A1243 cup. Late Iron Age-Roman; 1st-2nd century	85.1/64 cup. Roman
3183 cup. Roman; 3rd century	A22866 cup. Roman; 50-70	11256/2 cup. Roman; 50-70	90.310/14 cup. Roman; 50-80
18536 cup. Roman; 75-90	85.1/65 cup. Roman; late 1st-mid 2nd century	22922 cup. Roman; late 1st-mid 3rd century	22921 cup. Roman; late 1st-mid 3rd century

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