Amphoræ on display in Bodrum Castle, Turkey

An amphora is a type of ceramic vase with two handles, used for the transportation and storage of perishable goods and more rarely as containers for the ashes of the dead or as prize awards. Most were produced with a pointed base to allow them to be stored in an upright position by being partly embedded in sand or soft ground, while those with a ring base tended to be used for domestic or votive purposes. The latter were often glazed and decorated with figures, while purely functional amphorae were plain in appearance, often distinguished only by the stamps or signatures of their owners. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1536x1607, 1054 KB)link titleThis photograph of a collection of amphorae was taken by Tim Rogers at Bodrum Castle, Turkey on 7 September 2004. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1536x1607, 1054 KB)link titleThis photograph of a collection of amphorae was taken by Tim Rogers at Bodrum Castle, Turkey on 7 September 2004. ... The word ceramic is derived from the Greek word Κεραμεικος (the name of a suburb of Athens), and in its strictest sense refers to clay in all its forms. ...

Amphorae were invented by the ancient Greeks and adopted by the Romans as the principal means for transporting and storing wine, oil, olives, grain, fish, and other commodities. They were produced on an industrial scale from Greek times and used around the Mediterranean until about the 16th century. They are of great benefit to maritime archaeologists, as amphorae in a shipwreck can often indicate the age and nationality of the wreck. They are occasionally so well preserved that the original contents are still present, providing invaluable information on the eating habits and trading systems of the ancient Mediterranean peoples. Ancient Greece is the term used to describe the Greek-speaking world in ancient times. ... The Roman Forum was the central area around which ancient Rome developed. ... Wine is an alcoholic beverage made by fermenting grapes or grape juice. ... Oil is a generic term for organic liquids that are not miscible with water. ... Binomial name Olea europaea L. The Olive (Olea europaea) is a species of small tree in the family Oleaceae, native to coastal areas of the eastern Mediterranean region, from Syria and the maritime parts of Asia Minor and northern Iran at the south end of the Caspian Sea. ... Cereal crops are mostly grasses cultivated for their edible seeds (actually a fruit called a caryopsis). ... Groups Conodonta Hyperoartia Petromyzontidae (lampreys) Pteraspidomorphi (early jawless fish) Thelodonti Anaspida Cephalaspidomorphi (early jawless fish) Galeaspida Pituriaspida Osteostraci Gnathostomata (jawed vertebrates) Placodermi Chondrichthyes (cartilaginous fish) Acanthodii Osteichthyes (bony fish) Actinopterygii (ray-finned fish) Sarcopterygii (lobe-finned fish) Actinistia (coelacanths) Dipnoi (lungfish) A fish is a poikilothermic (cold-blooded) water-dwelling... The word commodity is a term with distinct meanings in business and in Marxian political economy. ... Satellite image The Mediterranean Sea is a part of the Atlantic Ocean almost completely enclosed by land, on the north by Europe, on the south by Africa, and on the east by Asia. ... (15th century - 16th century - 17th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 16th century was that century which lasted from 1501 to 1600. ... Maritime archaeology is a discipline that studies human interaction with the sea, lakes and rivers through the study of vessels, shore side facilities, cargoes and human remains. ... In British usage, a shipwreck is the remains of a ship after it has sunk or been beached as a result of a crisis at sea. ...

The word amphora is Latin, derived from the Greek amphoreus (Αμφορέας) or amphiphoreus, a compound word combining amphi- ("on both sides") plus phoreus ("carrier"), from pherein ("to carry"). Latin is an ancient Indo-European language originally spoken in the region around Rome called Latium. ...

See also

• Maritime archaeology
• Pottery of Ancient Greece
• Monte Testaccio

Maritime archaeology is a discipline that studies human interaction with the sea, lakes and rivers through the study of vessels, shore side facilities, cargoes and human remains. ... Krater (mixing bowl), 1200-1100 BC, National Archaeological Museum, Athens The pottery of ancient Greece is one of the most tangible and iconic elements of ancient Greek art. ... Monte Testaccio is a hill composed of pottery fragments coming entirely from the amphorae and diotae jars used to transport grains and liquids into Ancient Rome by the Tiber. ...

External links

• Amphora Types According to Dressel
• The amphoras project