Avenches – Roman Museum – Permanent Exhibition
Avenches – Roman Museum – Permanent Exhibition Avenches – Roman Museum – Permanent Exhibition
Second Floor Pottery Pottery An indispensable tool for archaeologists as regards ... ... Quantities Hundreds and even thousands of sherds come to light in every excavation. The palace Derrière La Tour for instance extended over an area of approximately 7,000 m 2 and provided more than 80,000 sherds representing approximately 20,000 vessels. ... a Means for Dating Other Finds Pottery has several traits that make it one of the most reliable chronological tools. It does not really decay and is often found in a good state of preservation by the archaeologists; even after having been buried for several thousands of years it generally shows very little change. Pottery is very susceptible to fashion trends. Since the material is fragile, the objects break easily and must, therefore, be frequently replaced. Thus, it is easy to observe the evolution of shapes and decorations over the years. Unlike objects made of glass or metal, pottery was not recycled. ... its Various Uses Pottery provides us with information about many sectors of everyday life: eating habits (kitchen and tableware), storage (storage vessels), transportation of food (amphorae), lighting (lamps), cosmetics and hygiene (perfume and ointment bottles), writing (inkwell), crafts (paint pots, crucibles, moulds and other potter’s accessories), games and toys (counters, dolls, small animals), construction (tiles, pipes, hearths, floors). An Important Contribution Towards the Understanding of Local History In the study of imported tableware on the one hand and of amphorae on the other, pottery gives us indications as regards commercial trends. Amphorae served as containers for transporting all kinds of goods (olive oil, wine, exotic fruit, fish sauce) from the Mediterranean area (Italy, Greece, North Africa, Near East). The study of pottery produced in local workshops informs us about the needs of the population, fashion trends and technological progress. Pottery tells us about the preparation of meals and eating habits, hygiene and body care, lighting and all sorts of aspects of everyday life (piggy-banks, inkwells, etc.). Sometimes pottery even supplies the names of the potters who produced it or those of the workshop owners. Graffiti found on certain vessels tell us about their contents, about writing and they give us names of the local inhabitants who marked their crockery. The study of the shapes and decorations also offers information on regional predilections and trends, which the local people were exposed to. 1 2 55 Second Floor
Second Floor Kitchen and Tableware Kitchen and Tableware (Display case 8) Upon the arrival of the Romans, the local population – while continuing to use their traditional kitchen and tableware – began to adopt new types of vessels, which were either imported or inspired by Mediterranean customs: mortaria, jugs, terra sigillata pottery. It seems that wooden vessels were not very popular and were mainly used by poorer people. Pottery, most abundant and best known thanks to numerous discoveries made practically all over Roman Switzerland, was used by everybody and at all times. Coarser tableware was mainly used by people from the lower and middle classes, while imported fine ware like terra sigillata, was rather expensive and probably bought only by the middle and upper classes. The same applies to bronze and brass objects. There is no doubt that besides gold, silver was the most valuable material. During certain periods, glass was also highly sought after and certain objects were traded at the price of silver items. 1-3. Bronze serving platters. 4-16. Silver, bronze and bone spoons. 17. Combined foldable spoon and knife with a bronze handle in the shape of a lion; the blade of the knife is missing. 18-20. Pewter, bronze and ceramic serving bowls. 21-23. Silver, glass and ceramic bowls. 24. Glass serving bowl. 25-26. Glass and ceramic serving bowls. 27-28. Glass storage vessels. 29. Glass goblet. 30. Ash wood plate. 31. Iron ladle. 32-35. Iron kitchen knives (?) with bone and bronze handles. 36-38. Handle fittings of bronze vessels. 39. Handles of a bronze pail. 40-43. Glass beakers and cup. 44-45. Earthenware and glass folded beakers. 46. Silver beaker decorated with two scenes: ship builders at work and fishermen (2). 1st century AD. 47-49. Bronze and glass perfume flasks. 48. Flask decorated with two scenes linked to the Dionysos myth (p. 57, 1). 2nd-1st centuries BC. 50-54. Glass drinking cups. 55-62. Mosaic glass vessel fragments. 63-67. Handles from bronze jugs. 1 2 56 Second Floor 8
- Page 5 and 6: Ground Floor - Introduction Switzer
- Page 7 and 8: Ground Floor - Introduction Chronol
- Page 9 and 10: Ground Floor The Gallo-Roman Popula
- Page 11 and 12: Ground Floor The Gallo-Roman Popula
- Page 13 and 14: Ground Floor The Gallo-Roman Popula
- Page 15 and 16: Ground Floor The Gallo-Roman Popula
- Page 17 and 18: Ground Floor The Inscriptions portr
- Page 19 and 20: Ground Floor The Inscriptions The S
- Page 21 and 22: Ground Floor Miscellaneous 31. Lime
- Page 23 and 24: First Floor The Indigenous Populati
- Page 25 and 26: First Floor Language and Writing No
- Page 27 and 28: First Floor Weights and Measures Th
- Page 29 and 30: First Floor Theatre, Games and Musi
- Page 31 and 32: First Floor Trade and Money The Mon
- Page 33 and 34: First Floor Trade and Money Money S
- Page 35 and 36: First Floor Rome and Aventicum The
- Page 37 and 38: First Floor Rome and Aventicum The
- Page 39 and 40: First Floor Religion Roman Religion
- Page 41 and 42: First Floor Religion Roman Religion
- Page 43 and 44: First Floor Religion The Local Gods
- Page 45 and 46: First Floor From Late Antiquity to
- Page 47 and 48: Second Floor Clothes and Jewellery
- Page 49 and 50: Second Floor Body and Health Care A
- Page 51 and 52: Second Floor Textile Production 3.
- Page 53 and 54: Second Floor Gardens There were var
- Page 55: Second Floor Protective Gods of the
- Page 59 and 60: Second Floor Food The Table of the
- Page 61: Second Floor Food Types of Tablewar
Second Floor Kitchen and Tableware<br />
Kitchen and Tableware<br />
(Display case 8)<br />
Upon the arrival of the <strong>Roman</strong>s, the local population <strong>–</strong> while continuing to use their<br />
traditional kitchen and tableware <strong>–</strong> began to adopt new types of vessels, which<br />
were either imported or inspired by Mediterranean customs: mortaria, jugs, terra<br />
sigillata pottery. It seems that wooden vessels were not very popular and were<br />
mainly used by poorer people. Pottery, most abundant and best known thanks to<br />
numerous discoveries made practically all over <strong>Roman</strong> Switzerland, was used by<br />
everybody and at all times. Coarser tableware was mainly used by people from the<br />
lower and middle classes, while imported fine ware like terra sigillata, was rather<br />
expensive and probably bought only by the middle and upper classes. The same<br />
applies to bronze and brass objects. There is no doubt that besides gold, silver was<br />
the most valuable material. During certain periods, glass was also highly sought<br />
after and certain objects were traded at the price of silver items.<br />
1-3. Bronze serving platters.<br />
4-16. Silver, bronze and bone spoons.<br />
17. Combined foldable spoon and knife with a bronze handle in the shape of a lion; the<br />
blade of the knife is missing.<br />
18-20. Pewter, bronze and ceramic serving bowls.<br />
21-23. Silver, glass and ceramic bowls.<br />
24. Glass serving bowl.<br />
25-26. Glass and ceramic serving bowls.<br />
27-28. Glass storage vessels.<br />
29. Glass goblet.<br />
30. Ash wood plate.<br />
31. Iron ladle.<br />
32-35. Iron kitchen knives (?) with bone and bronze handles.<br />
36-38. Handle fittings of bronze vessels.<br />
39. Handles of a bronze pail.<br />
40-43. Glass beakers and cup.<br />
44-45. Earthenware and glass folded beakers.<br />
46. Silver beaker decorated with two scenes: ship builders at work and fishermen (2).<br />
1st century AD.<br />
47-49. Bronze and glass perfume flasks.<br />
48. Flask decorated with two scenes linked to the Dionysos myth (p. 57, 1).<br />
2nd-1st centuries BC.<br />
50-54. Glass drinking cups.<br />
55-62. Mosaic glass vessel fragments.<br />
63-67. Handles from bronze jugs.<br />
1<br />
2<br />
56<br />
Second Floor<br />
8
Change language