Roman pottery was used for utilitarian purposes and widely produced throughout the empire in specialised workshops. These workshops created distinctive forms blending local and Roman decorative traditions and production styles. A broad division between ‘coarse’ and ‘fine’ ware is normally used to classify the wide range of Roman vessels. The former being used for storage and transportation purposes, while the latter is comprised of serving vessels or tableware with intricate relief or painted decorations. Fine wares were used for more formal occasions and can be distinguished by their thin walls, glossy surface and intricate decoration.
Faces decorated a variety of Roman pottery and material ware, from flagons and amphorae to urns and ink wells. The tradition spread via the Roman army, and examples have been found in military sites, domestic settings and funerary contexts across the Roman Empire. Though their exact purpose remains unclear, the faces are thought to have had military and religious associations, and to have provided protection for the contents or owner of the vessels.
