Pottery was an important part of daily living in ancient Rome. Romans used earthenware for most purposes including utensils, cooking pots and fine ware.
Originally Roman pottery was influenced by Etruscan and Greek style but later on established its own separate identity. Different types of pottery include:
- Amphorae: Roman amphorae were pottery jars which could be sealed and were used to carry different liquids and food items like olive oil, fish sauce and wine. These were usually large and undecorated but sturdy, well used and essential everyday pottery items.
- Coarse Ware: coarse ware pottery was mass produced, coarsely made and was used for different purposes like cooking, carrying liquids and eating (these were usually used by poorer people). Their quality was low, and they were thick enough to withstand rough use in kitchens and other places but still often broke.
- Fine Ware: this pottery was more carefully made. It was used by Romans for formal occasions and used to serve food directly on the table. It was delicate and thin, with an extremely glossy surface and some were even lead-glazed to make them look shiny. The richer you were, the more fine and ornately-made pottery you could afford.
