Terra Sigillata Ware

terra sigillata ware, bright-red, polished pottery used throughout the Roman Empire from the 1st century bc to the 3rd century ad. The term means literally ware made of clay impressed with designs. Other names for the ware are Samian ware (a misnomer, since it has nothing to do with the island of Samos) and Arretine ware (which, properly speaking, should be restricted to that produced at Arretium—modern Arezzo, Italy—the original centre of production and source of the best examples). After the decline of Arretium production, terra sigillata was made in Gaul from the 1st century ad at La Graufesenque (now Millau, Fr.) and later at other Gallic centres, whence it was exported in large quantities to outlying parts of the Roman Empire, including Britain. The body of the ware was generally cast in a mold. Relief designs, taken from a wide repertory of patterns and figurative scenes, were also cast in molds (which had been impressed with stamps in the desired pattern) and then applied to the vessels. Such are the fluctuations of style in these ornaments, and so frequently are potter’s marks stamped on the vessels, that the wares provide a valuable means of dating the other archaeological material found with them. The quality of the pottery was at the outset high, considering that it was so mass-produced. There was, however, a gradual coarsening both of forms and of the decoration over the four centuries of production.