Not long ago, I viewed a Youtube video documenting a group of metal detectorists in the UK uncovering a huge hoard of coins. I know my thinking is skewed – and out of sync with you all - because, as I viewed the vid, I was focused more on the fragments of the shattered pot that held the coins than on the coins themselves. And that – ceramic ware fragments – is what this thread deals with. I know a lot of ancient coin collectors enjoy picking up an occasional artifact to provide some historical context for their coins. And I know that a number of you have coins that depict ancient ceramic ware that, especially in plural form, goes by all sorts of tongue-twisting names: kantharoi, amphorae, kraters (okay, that one’s not a tongue-twister), kylikes, skyphoi, lekythoi, oinochoai, etc. So, while this post is not about coins, per se, I hope you’ll bear with me. The ancient pottery I collect is from across ancient cultures in Western Asia, Europe, and even Pre-Columbian America. I enjoy it all. In addition to purchasing more-or-less intact pieces, I also sometimes pick up potsherds (sherds). Now, I know that some folks prefer the term “shard” – which, while technically not wrong, is just not as right. I exhibit my sherds in scattered orbits around the intact larger ceramic ware, edged weapons, and arrowheads in my display cases. Anyway, I thought I’d create a couple of posts to discuss what I perceive of as the pros and cons of sherd collecting, and to do some show-and-tell. Now, I know what you’re thinking: Gawd, not another post about potsherds! Uh, that was a joke. I mean, really, has anyone, anywhere, ever, created a thread devoted to the collecting of (non-ostraca) potsherds before? Of course, there are some folks who appreciate and collect them. As examples, here’s a shoutout to v-drome and mauseus at Forum: v-drome: https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=4497 mauseus (two pages with lots of stuff, including a number of sherds): https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=642 https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=642&page=2 And here are a couple of sherds I saw posted recently by GinoLR here at CT: https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/éphèbe-jpg.1420592/ https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/abraham-jpg.1420595/ The good: Sherds are fun. They provide the tactile satisfaction that many collectors crave – that same impulse, I suppose, that prompts so many of you to crack open slabs to free otherwise entombed coins. Depending on the type and condition, some sherds can be quite affordable. As in the case of the Greek amphora and the Etruscan dolium fragments I present in the next post, broken-off parts can be considerably cheaper than an intact larger vessel, assuming such vessels are ever even available on the market. If you’re lucky enough to snag a sherd with even minimal hand-painted decoration – even just a few stripes – then you’re the owner of a minute, hand-produced ancient painting. For me, there’s a cool factor that is associated with this. (Perhaps because I’m a painter.) While it’s neat to think about all the folks in antiquity who produced, held, spent, and saved any particular ancient coin, the fact is that the artists – the engravers – produced the dies, not the coins. With painted sherds, the artist’s hand – his direct touch – is right there. From my collection, here’s a small sherd from Olbia, with some simple, hand-painted converging lines: The bad: It seems to me that, as with coins, fakery exists with pottery – including with sherds. While I am not an authority on the subject by any means, I do believe I’ve seen a number of bogus “ancient” sherds for sale. They fall into the “too good to be true” category – with absolutely no blemishes. Could some of them have been kosher? Sure. As I say, I’m no expert. But I have seen some Greek, Roman, and Pre-Columbian sherds that have given me pause. Another problem is the high potential for misattribution. I sometimes see what appear to be legitimately old pottery fragments – typically, unspectacular grayware pieces – that are listed definitively as Roman, but which could conceivably be medieval or even post-medieval. Sadly, with many sherds, it’s impossible to attribute with 100% certainty. Intuiting the overall shape of the vessel from which a sherd originated – which might help pin down an attribution to type, location, and/or approximate date – is, of course, often impossible with small potsherds. (Sometimes, though, the type of original vessel may be evident if the sherd is large enough – as with a few of mine.) If you’re relying on a seller’s attribution then, obviously, knowing and trusting that seller (and, implicitly, his or her sources) is vital. Personally, I will only buy sherds when I’m reasonably confident not just about their authenticity, but also about their attribution – meaning, approximate dating and location, or at least a cultural context. In addition, I seek out good provenance when it’s available. Of course, rarer types in good condition can be pricey. And, naturally, solid provenance, as from old, established collections, will of course increase value and cost. But the fact is, there is total lack of a pricing standard with these. While bargains can, thankfully, be had, prices can vary greatly between sellers, with true gouging by some. Okay, in my next post, I’ll do some show-and-tell.
Here are examples from my collection. While most of these may rightly be referred to as sherds, I suppose some folks would opt to refer to the more substantial pieces as, simply, “fragments”. I’m thinking here about the dolium piece, the amphora handles, and the figural blackware handle. Sherd: Mayan Honduras, possibly Ulua region Late Classic, c. 550 – 900 AD 120 mm (w) x 57 mm (h) (4.75” x 2.25”) Polychrome fragment with complex patterning. Old sticker suggests a date of c. 250 AD (Early Classic). However, based on cursory research, I believe the sherd more likely dates to the Late Classic period. Ex-NY private collection This one made my 2021 top ten list. Sherd: Greek c. 5th century BC 44 mm x 28 mm (1.75” x 1.1”) Red-figure pottery sherd depicting a winged female…Nike? Ex-Connecticut private collection Sherd: Greek c. 5th – 4th century BC 31.75 cm (w) x 20 cm (h) (12.5” x 7.87”) Upper portion of a large amphora, recovered from the Black Sea off the coast of the village of Koblevo/Kobleve in southern Ukraine, an area corresponding to Olbia in antiquity. Olbia was an important ancient Greek colony in southern Ukraine, founded in the 7th century BC, located on the northern Black Sea coast. Sherd: Greek c. 5th – 4th century BC? 21.3 cm x 13.97 cm (8.4” x 5.5”) Amphora handle, southern Ukraine, Olbia region. Sherds: Greek c. 5th century BC Calpe, Spain Greek colonial blackware potsherds. These were surface finds (by the previous owner) from 1966 at the Penyal d’lfac in Calpe, Spain. This coastal site was close to the speculated location of Alonis, a Greek settlement mentioned by ancient authors including Stephanus of Byzantium. Sherds: Greek c. 5th century BC Various sherds, some blackware; includes the neck and lip of, perhaps, a squat lekythos, and the fragmented body of a small lekythos. Ex-Connecticut private collection Sherds: Roman Left: Fragment of oil lamp discus with hind legs of a boar. Some soot and encrustations. c. 1st – 2nd century AD 57.2 mm (w) x 82.6 mm (l) (2 ¼” x 3 ¼”) Right top: Terra sigillata fragment with running hare motif. c. 1st – 2nd century AD 38 mm Right center: Terra sigillata fragment with floral motif and other decorative elements – perhaps including stylized lion’s head atop staff? c. 1st – 2nd century AD 48 mm Right bottom: Terra sigillata fragment with leaf motif. c. 1st – 2nd century AD 41 mm Sherds: Greek c. 5th century BC Sherds, most blackware, from Olbia. Sherd: Greek c. 4th century BC 13.4 cm (5.3”) Apulian figural blackware handle from a large jug, head (of Zeus?) at its base. Ex-Private collection from the 1960s Sherd: Etruscan c. 6th century BC 11.5 cm (w) x 15.9 cm (h) (4.5" x 6.25") Fragment from the shoulder of a large dolium, decorated with two registers of animals above vertical fluting. Ex-Spoelstra family collection, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Very nice collection! I haven't had the time (mostly priority) to look into getting sherds. There are a few that I had my eye on, but alas, passed due to my focus changing. I am on the hunt for a sherd depicting Hercules. In the meantime, I do have the following: Corinthian Stemmed Terracotta Dish, ca. 5th century BCE Judean Cyproit Terracotta Barrel Flask, ca. 700-475 BCE Pre-Columbian, Guatemala and Southern Mexico, Mayan Late Classic Period, Copador, (ca. 700-900 CE) Copador Polychrome Olla Pre-Columbian, Maya, Ulua Valley, Honduras (ca. 550-900 CE) Four-legged Rattle Plate/Bowl Pre-Columbian, Southern Mexico and Northern Central America, Mayan Territories, Late Classic (ca. 550-900 CE) Rattle-Legged Tripod Plate Pre-Columbian, Guatemala, Maya Late Classic Period (ca. 550-900 CE) Poison Jar
Very nice collection! I've never collected ancient pottery sherds myself, only complete vases like the Attic black-figure lekythoi and other vases I've posted, as well as Roman glass. But I've often been tempted by Roman Terra Sigillata fragments, i.e., Roman red ware pottery fragments with designs (not painted but created with molds) of animals, humans, etc. -- the most desirable fragments, of course, have complete or mostly complete figures on them. See, for example, these fragments available from Ostracon Ancient Art, an antiquities dealer located in Zurich:
Very enjoyable post! And some wonderful pieces already being sherd...I mean shared I purchased this piece as ancient Greek but know little else about it sadly: These sherds were found by our very own @bcuda over 30 years ago in Spain! The handle piece is HUGE! Making me think it was too a VERY LARGE Amphora (I'm getting thirsty just thinking about it
Very interesting! The only piece of ancient pottery I own is this 1st-century AD Roman-style oil lamp, from Jerusalem: (purchased from Zak's Antiquities) Someday I'd love to buy some older pieces. I'd especially love to have a cuneiform piece from ancient Sumer/Assyria/Babylon. But I'm leery of buying something like that without some sort of provenance, and the ones that do have it can be pretty pricey.
Great thread, and reminds me of all the 'sherds I have kicking around in the basement. I actually dug them out and photographed them. When I was a kid, I spent my summers in Southern Italy and often walked the ploughed fields looking for stuff. I found a ton of Greek and Roman 'sherds. You can see some terra sigillata, what looks like part of a decorated roof tile, some Roman oil lamp fragments, and some black Greek slip ware... The Northern German 'sherds I found when I spent time there were primarily Neolithic and medieval, and were rougher, and sometimes fire-blackened: Potsherds were not always discarded - they sometimes had other uses. Smaller ones were worked around the edges to serve as gaming tokens, but larger ones were also worked into rough discs and used as amphora stoppers: Lastly, I'm not sure these would qualify as "potsherds", but they are interesting. I found a few chunks of marble with traces of lettering on them which likely come from inscriptions. The larger chunk is not marble but displays a a vine-leaf pattern, while the smaller one may have been reworked as a gaming piece. These were all isolated surface finds on ploughed soil, so may have been part of fill or other material. The piece I wanted to find and post the most was one which I unfortunately was unable to locate yet. It's perhaps the most poignant artifact of its type, and is a 'sherd of black slip Greek ware with a very clear and full thumbprint on it. Even though it probably has no value artistically, it always used to remind me of the transience of human life... after 2500 years, that thumbprint is the only thing likely remaining of the potter who made it, but jarringly connects me to the ancient everyday humanity of that time.
Thank you all for the comments, information, and wonderful pottery - both intact and fragmentary - that you’ve added to the thread. Much appreciated.
I have a bowl full of pottery shards I've collected over the years, but I've never taken an image of them. Perhaps tomorrow I'll lay them out and take a pic and share.
I've had a bowl of pottery shards, and guess what? I threw them the devil out. Far be it from me to FBI this stuff back together again. As for all of you who put these works of art back together again.......carry on. You all do a lovely thing.........
Hi, the two amphorae fragments are - the one from Ukraine 6th century AD Eastern Roman, likely of Asian provenance (see for instance as an example this from Ephesos https://www.oeaw.ac.at/en/oeai/rese...rae-from-ephesos-and-a-ships-cargo-in-palamos) and the painted handle is from a Chios amphora from the 6th century BC.
For anyone who hasn't been a member for very long and/or hasn't seen these photos before, here is some of my intact ancient pottery: An Attic black-figure lekythos from ca. 525-500 BCE: Another Attic Black-figure Lekythos, ca. 525-500 BCE, pygmies hunting rooster (or rooster hunting pygmies): Corinthian aryballos, ca. 600 BCE, rooster and swan: The two Attic lekythoi together with a third one from the same period:
A couple more: A miniature Apulian net lekythos, with a second photo giving an idea of its size: South Italy, Apulian red-figure stemless cup with two handles; on either side of body, female head (Lady of Fashion), wearing sakkos [cloth hair covering], with large flower, stephane, earrings, necklace; ca. 350-325 BCE. 2 ½” (64 mm.) H x 3 ¾” (95 mm.) D x 5 ¾” (146 mm) W. Purchased 3/6/1993, Royal Athena Galleries, NYC.
@DonnaML Those pieces are breath-taking! It is amazing that something so old has been so well preserved and looks almost new. Between those and your coins, you ought to open a museum!
