Joe’s Samian Ware
Joe Cassidy chose 9 pieces of Samian ware, pictured above, as his objects. From the museums MODES record he was able to discover that they were found in Brough, which is about 5 miles north of Newark. The Romans knew it as the small town of Crococolana. There are several pieces of broken samian ware, depicting various scenes including a woman holding a laurel wreath, a deer, a hare and a fan. Samian ware, or terra sigillata, is a term used to describe a type of plain or decorated tableware made in Gaul (France and the Rhineland). This type of pottery has glossy surface slips ranging from a soft lustre to a brilliant glaze-like shine, in colours ranging from pale orange to bright red. They were produced in standard shapes and sizes from moulds and were manufactured on an industrial scale and widely exported. The examples on display were almost certainly imported from Gaul and would have graced the tables of the wealthier members of society. During the visit to the British Museum Joe was able to see many examples of Samian ware in a much more complete state than the fragments he has chosen. Joe chose these objects because he liked the colour and patterns on them.
