Starting in the final decades of the 1st century A.D., the Proconsolaris, the Roman province in north Africa, corresponding to today’s Tunisia, began a period of flourishing economic development, for several reasons, the main one being the high increase in olive crops. African oil was sold throughout the Mediterranean, and in the adjacent regions, starting from the end of the 1st to the end of the 7th century A.D. (fig. 1).

Fig. 1 - Oil amphora from Africa, known as Africana Piccola, datable around the 2nd century A.D. (Oristano, Antiquarium Arborense) (photo from Unicity S.p.A.)

The ships transported a large amount of refectory plates in their hold, made in workshops operating in the same geographical area, and also transported oil in amphorae.

This type of pottery is known as African red slip ware, and was separated into different productions over time.

The bottle here belongs to the first phase, known as African red slip ware A, that is painted with a good quality orangey-red paint; in this first production period, together with plates, cups and bowls, closed in shapes were also exported (figs. 2-4).

Fig. 2 - African red slip ware A bottle, datable to about mid 2nd century A.D. to the beginning of the 3rd century A.D. (Oristano, Antiquarium Arborense) (photo from Unicity S.p.A.)

Fig. 3 - African red slip ware A bottle, datable to about mid 2nd century A.D. to the beginning of the 3rd century A.D. (Oristano, Antiquarium Arborense) (photo from Unicity S.p.A.)

Fig. 4 - African red slip ware A bottle, datable to about mid 2nd century A.D. to the beginning of the 3rd century A.D. (Oristano, Antiquarium Arborense) (photo from Unicity S.p.A.)

The bottle, with a handle, has a dual rounded body, and the neck is divided into two sections: the lower rounded one and the upper narrow one, decorated with horizontal relief ribbing; the brim is flared.

The vase can be allocated as a Hayes 160 shape and was found in a context that existed from mid 2nd to the start of the 3rd century A.D.