Roman pottery in the collection of the German Archaeological Institute at Athens

The finds from mainland Greece, the islands and Asia Minor

Abstract

Original title: Kaiserzeitliche und spätantike Keramik in der Sammlung des Deutschen Archäologischen Instituts Athen. Die Funde des griechischen Festlandes, der Inseln und Kleinasiens

This study presents Roman pottery finds stored at the DAI Athens and collected during early explorations by German archaeologists from various sites on the Greek mainland, the islands and the western coast of Asia Minor. The sherds date from the 1^st cent. B.C. to the 7^th cent. A.D. and belong to a wide range of functional categories, including imported fine ware, local and regional tablewares, coarse and cooking ware, lamps and transport amphorae. Most of the sites they were recovered from are known from previous research, but not all of them have been investigated systematically, especially with respect to their Roman or Late Antique phases. The specific information about those sites makes the material valuable for comparison with future excavations and surveys. In addition, these sherds provide important information about the distribution of particular ceramic wares and shapes. They illustrate the existence of regional or local production and allow a broad overview of the typological and chronological characteristics for certain areas of Greece and the Aegean.