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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18703* bowl. Roman; mid 1st-mid 3rd century	A28568 cup. Roman; mid-late 1st century	3176 cup. Roman; mid 1st-mid 2nd century	L267/23 dish. Roman; mid-late 1st century
L267/22 cup. Roman; 50-60	L267/20 bowl. Roman; 50-80	L267/19 bowl. Roman; late 1st-mid 3rd century	25962 bowl. Roman
24517 bowl. Roman; mid 2nd century	24190 bowl. Roman; mid 1st-early 2nd century	23482 bowl. Roman; mid 1st-mid 2nd century	21764 beaker. Roman; mid 2nd-early 3rd century
14342 bowl. Roman; late 1st-4th century	14291 bowl. Roman; mid 1st-mid 3rd century	12352a bowl. Roman; mid 1st-mid 2nd century	3165 bowl. Roman; mid-late 1st century
3153 bowl. Roman; mid 1st-early 2nd century	3142 bowl. Roman; mid-late 1st century	3126 bowl. Roman; mid 1st-mid 3rd century	3125 bowl. Roman; mid-late 1st century
3122 bowl. Roman; mid-late 1st century	3120 bowl. Roman	95.365 bowl. Roman	95.304 bowl. Roman; late 1st-mid 3rd century

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