ian carty ceramics ireland An amphora is a type of container of a characteristic shape and size, descending from at least as early as the Neolithic period. Amphorae were used in vast numbers for the transport and storage of various products, both liquid and dry, but mostly for wine. For the most part, however, an amphora was tableware, or sat close to the table, and was intended to be seen, and was finely decorated as such by master craftsmen Most were produced with a pointed base to allow upright storage by embedding in soft ground, such as sand. The base facilitated transport by ship, Amphorae are of great use to maritime archeologists, as they often indicate the age of a shipwreck and the geographic origin of the cargo. They are occasionally so well preserved that the original content is still present, providing information on foodstuffs and mercantile systems.
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