Libyan Studies 42 (2011)

A local production of Mid Roman 1 amphorae

at Latrun, Cyrenaica
By Loc Mazou1 and Claudio Capelli2
of the bath complex seems to be associated with a
pottery kiln, found just to the north, although very
little material was recovered from the latter. It can
thus be proposed, with some degree of confidence,
that after the abandonment or destruction of the
heated rooms the space was reused as a dump, linked
to the functioning of the potters kiln.
Most of the local wares are characterised by
storage vessels, jugs, cooking wares and lamps.
Amongst the storage vessels found within the rich
context, one particular type of amphora stood out.
This was the Mid Roman 1 (MRA1) from John Rileys
typology (Riley 1979, 177179, figs 81.215219 and
82.220221)(Figs 26). The quality of production is
fairly second-rate, with many lumps of clay on the
external surfaces, deformed necks, and handles
with non-symmetrical rounded sections, sometimes
very roughly attached to the neck and body. They
usually have a shallow groove under the rim, which
is triangular in section. The fabrics of these amphorae appear medium-fine to the naked eye, the
colour varies between red and red-orange, and has
numerous grey or white inclusions (see C.C., infra).
Looking at the manufacture, it often shows significant variation within the same assemblage (Fig. 5)
and we also found several greenish ceramic wasters,
one example of which had a rim that had begun to
melt under the heat (Fig. 6). This type of amphora
represented more than 21% of the total quantity
of ceramics in the hot rooms of the bath complex
at Latrun, and more than 77% of the total quantity of
amphorae from the same context.

Abstract
Excavations at the village of Erythron/Latrun near Apollonia in Cyrenaica uncovered a potters rubbish dump in an
abandoned Roman bath complex, thought to be linked to
the nearby potters kiln. Common wares and lamps were
produced here and of particular note were Mid Roman 1
amphorae. These amphorae were thought to have been
produced mainly in Sicily but also North Africa, and with
the new discovery at Latrun we can now also add Cyrenaica
to the list. Archaeometric (thin section) analysis on samples
from the site confirms this theory.

Since 2009 research on the Roman and Byzantine

ceramics from the ancient town of Apollonia in Cyrenaica and the village of Erythron/Latrun (25 km east
of Apollonia, Figure 1) has been carried out within
the programme of the Mission Archologique Franaise en Libye directed by M. Andr Laronde until his
death on February 1, 2011, and thereafter by M. Vincent Michel.
The archaeological campaigns of 2009 and 2010
at Erythron/Latrun, excavated under the direction of
V. Michel, saw the clearing of the heated rooms of a
Roman bath complex, which had been abandoned
at the end of the third/beginning of the fourth century AD.
The heated rooms, whose hypocaust had been
completely removed, were filled with layers of clay
and ash that contained numerous ceramics. Most of
the material (88%) suggested the presence of a potters rubbish dump, including: unused ceramics,
lumps of clay stuck to the walls of some pieces, many
joining fragments from the same
vessel, and many overfired sherds.
According to the petrographic
analyses (see C.C., infra), the
characteristics of the fabric seem
compatible with a local production, while the imported material (12% of the same context)
is clearly distinguishable (ARS
and a few Eastern Mediterranean
amphora sherds). This ceramic
material found in the hot rooms
1 University of Poitiers, France.
2 DIP.TE.RIS., University of Genoa, Italy and
Centre Camille Jullian, MMSH-CNRS, Aix-enProvence, France.

Figure 1. Location of the Latrun site in Cyrenaica.

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L. Mazou and C. Capelli

Figure 2. Mid Roman Amphora 1: Latrun

Amphora 1a.

Figure 3. Mid Roman Amphora 1: Latrun

Amphora 1b.

The location of the production of MRA1 amphorae has been widely debated (Bonifay 2004, 146148;
Capelli and Bonifay 2007, 554). Initially considered as
an African production on account of their notable presence in Tripolitania, particularly at Leptis Magna (Panella 1973, 471), they have also been attributed to Sicilian
workshops, particularly those at Naxos in north-eastern Sicily, following the discovery of workshops producing them (Freed and Wilson 1999, 268; Malfitana
et al. 2008, 174180; Wilson 1990, 264; Wilson 2000,
361363). More recently, archaeometric analyses on
several samples recovered in Tunisia and Tripolitania as
well as in southern France have demonstrated that, for
the most part, MRA1 were produced in Sicily (Capelli
and Bonifay 2007, 554; Fontana et al. 2009). However,
some examples from Lyon suggest the existence of a
small number of workshops in North Africa, that were
producing copies of this type of amphora (Capelli and
Bonifay 2007, 554). Now the significant new discoveries at Latrun demonstrate that potters imitating MRA1
amphorae also existed in Cyrenaica.
(L.M.)

Archaeometric analyses by optical microscopy (stereomicroscopy and thin section observation under
polarizing microscope) were carried out on 30 or
so samples of MR1 amphorae and other ceramics
(MR8 amphorae and one lamp) recovered at Latrun
(Fig. 7).
The analyses demonstrated that all the studied
samples form a fairly homogeneous group in terms
of fabric composition, which can be related to a single
workshop or production centre.
The clay matrix is rich in iron oxide, with subordinate (variable) carbonate contents. The oxidation
degree is high and generally homogeneous in crosssection, which gives a red to orange macroscopic
colour to the pottery. Inclusions are abundant, but
fine grained (there is no evidence of added temper).
They are mostly composed of calcareous microfossils, rounded to angular micritic (fossiliferous) limestone fragments (up to 0.5 mm in size) and quartz
inclusions (<0.1 mm). The carbonate elements
are generally preserved or poorly dissociated (and
often visible to the naked eye as white/yellow spots),

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Latrun amphorae

which suggests relatively low firing temperatures

(<900C). Occasional components consist of ironrich clay nodules, chert fragments, plagioclase feldspar, amphibole, mica and epidote.

The raw materials used for the production are

compatible with the local/regional geology, characterised by sedimentary sequences. It is noteworthy
that the MR1 amphorae made of the possibly local
(Cyrenaican) fabric can be distinguished from the
other known productions of the same type located
in Sicily and possibly Tunisia, which are characterised by volcanic and metamorphic elements or
aeolian quartz grains respectively (Capelli and Bonifay 2007).
(C.C.)
Acknowledgements
Loic Mazou wishes to thank Pascale Ballet, Professor at the
University of Poitiers, for initially suggesting the existence
of a Cyrenaican MRA 1 production in 2009. Victoria Leitch is
gratefully acknowledged for help with the translation from
French to English.

Figure 4. Mid Roman Amphora 1: Latrun

Amphora 1, base.

Figure 5. Mid Roman Amphora 1: Latrun Amphora 1a, rims and handles.

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Figure 6. (left) Mid Roman Amphora 1: Latrun

Amphora 1a.
Figure 7. (below) Microphotographs (crossed
polars) of the fabrics of two representative MR1
amphora samples (left: 9409/cyr3; right: 9414/
cyr8).

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