Some Bucchero Vases from Ardea

Abstract

The objects described below were found near Ardea in Latium during the digging of a gun-position in June 1944. The site was in a valley bottom about one mile SSE of the modern town, and the area dug was an L-shaped trench two feet wide and with arms four feet and six feet long. Unfortunately military duties prevented continuous observation, but the following points are clear. Work began on the shorter arm of the trench; and there were found sherds of bucchero and of coarse wares (nos. 10, 11, 23–26, 28, 29), and a ‘red pot’ which was removed and lost. Three days later, digging was resumed and yielded first a bucchero cup (no. 15) and oinochoe (no. 9), then sherds of coarse brownish ware (no. 27), and farther on at a depth of two and a half feet two bucchero oinochoai (nos. 7, 8). Next day three bucchero amphoriskoi (nos. 12–14) were found still farther on in the same section of trench. An offset trench was then started to the right, with a depth of two and a half to three feet. In this offset were found six alabastra (nos. 1–6), all lying together, and close to them two bucchero cups (nos. 16, 17); a little beyond were two bucchero kantharoi (nos. 21, 22); nothing else had been found when orders to advance put an end to the work. Apart from the pottery no objects were observed, nor any traces of structures or of discoloration in the soil.