Roman Oxfordshire Red Ware Beaker

Details

Oxfordshire Red Ware was a pottery style produced in the central and southern part of the Oxford Ware pottery zone then widely distributed throughout Britain during the 3rd and 4th centuries AD. 

These charming decorated vessels were wheel-thrown, trimmed and impressed with a rouletting wheel to create patterning on the pot's surface. To complete the decorative effect, Roman- British potters finished them with a red colour-coat, which some researchers believe was an attempt to emulate the finery of the iconic Samian Ware that went out of production in the early 3rd century. Finally, the pottery applied the beautiful white slip decoration to the surface, creating a stunning contrast with the red slip finish.  

These delightful beakers are likely to have been used to serve wine and would have been a common form of tableware during the period.  

One of the most beautiful and complete pieces of Oxfordshire Red Ware was a bowl found in a well at Barton Court Farm. The site of a Romano-British farmhouse where it is likely to have been placed as a votive offering in the 4th century or perhaps dropped by an absentminded citizen collecting water. 

This listing is for one beaker. 

Materials

Terracotta, reduction fired. 

Dimensions

Approx. 120mm high, 95mm diameter

Production

As with all my Museum Quality Replicas, we have made this pot, as the original would have been, entirely by hand from natural clay and using replicas of the types of tool that the ancient makers would have used. As each pot varies, you may not receive the same cup in the image, but you can be sure that your pot will be one of a kind due to the variations caused by the firing process. 

Health & Safety

This pot is a Museum Quality Replica made using the tools and techniques that ancient potters would have used during this era. As this is an unglazed pot with a porous surface, it will absorb some of the flavours during the cooking process or when used as food storage, which does add to the taste of future dishes. However, it does also mean that this pot does not meet modern Health and Safety standards, and therefore, we do not advise that you use it for cooking or storing foodstuffs. When ancient cooks used these pots, they relied on applying sufficient heat to the pot and contents to ensure that the heat killed all bacteria. Heating to over 70°C for at least 10 minutes would have killed most disease-causing bacteria, and temperatures of 100°C would do even more.  

Postage

All items are sent using a second class postal service; if you wish to have an item sent first class, please contact me for a quote. Many Thanks