(Punic Age)

The term "amphora" indicates a terracotta container with a tapered or globular shape, provided with two handles, used in antiquity to transport liquid (wine, oil) or solid (wheat or other grains) foodstuffs.

The only clue of the settlement’s continuity of life from the Phoenician age to the subsequent Punic Age is given by a fragment (fig. 1) which belongs to the rim of an amphora from Chios. It may be dated to the period between the fifth century and the first half of the fourth century B.C. Inhabitation during the Punic Age is documented by more robust evidence: ancient Greek-Italic amphora fragments were found in the highest part of the cliff and in the old town of Posada (fig. 2).

These artefacts consist of parts of the enlarged and protruding rim and neck of the amphora; in one case, we still have the upper part of the neck with the attachments of the strap-shaped handles and with the clay cap still in its original position, presumably because of a subsequent reuse of the amphora (figs. 3-4). The fragments can probably be attributed to a production from southern Italy, dating back to the late fourth century and the beginning of the third century B.C.

Both the jugs from Chios and the Greek-Italic ones were used to contain and transport wine.

Fig. 1 - Fragment from a Chios amphora (from SANCIU 2012, fig. 4).

Fig. 2 - Fragments from ancient Greek-Italic amphorae (from SANCIU 2012, fig. 5).

Fig. 3 - Ancient Greek-Italic amphora with clay cap (from SANCIU 2012, fig. 5).

Fig. 4 - Greek-Italic amphora from the Ogliastra Sea (from SANCIU 2012 fig. 13).