Antiker Römer Töpferei Provincial Rote Ware Barbotine-Schale - 75 mm

"Ancient Roman Provincial Red Ware Barbotine Bowl

Culture / Period: Ancient Roman
Date / Period: 1st – 3rd Century A.D.
Material: Pottery
Dimensions: 79 mm
Condition: Good condition, with minor rim chips and surface wear consistent with age; decoration remains clearly visible

No shipping outside the European Union. Due to complex export regulations concerning cultural goods, this item cannot be shipped outside the EU. Please ensure you have a delivery address within the European Union before placing a bid.

Provenance information:
Object Registration ID: 71

The current owner purchased the Ancient Roman Provincial Red Ware Barbotine Bowl from a private collector, N.N., in Utrecht.
The previous owner, a private collector, N.N. from Utrecht (the Netherlands), stated that the object had been in his collection since an unknown date.
According to the previous owner, the object had previously been in a private collection in the Netherlands since the 1970s.
No further information concerning the earlier ownership history of the object is available.

Background Information:
This bowl is a well-preserved example of Roman provincial red ware, decorated in barbotine technique, in which liquid clay was applied to create raised relief decoration prior to firing. This method allowed potters to produce visually striking vessels with repeating motifs, often inspired by widely recognised Roman themes.

The exterior is decorated with a sequence of medallions framed by garland-like borders. Within these medallions are clearly rendered stylised figures, including human forms and animals. The human figures appear in active poses and may represent mythological or heroic characters, a common theme in Roman decorative arts. Some figures display attributes and gestures that are reminiscent of representations of deities, hunters, or symbolic figures associated with power and status. In addition, certain motifs suggest figures of elevated rank or importance, reflecting imagery associated with authority or high-status individuals in the Roman visual tradition. While executed in a provincial style, the iconography closely follows established Roman themes, making a mythological and symbolic interpretation highly plausible.

Such imagery was widely disseminated throughout the Roman Empire and adapted by local workshops. Provincial craftsmen translated central Roman artistic models into more simplified but expressive forms, making these motifs accessible across different regions. Rather than depicting precise narrative scenes, the decoration conveys recognisable symbolic content tied to mythology, status, and cultural identity.

In practical terms, bowls of this type were used in everyday domestic settings for serving and consuming food. However, their decorative richness indicates that they also played a role in social contexts, where presentation and display were of importance. They represent a category of ceramics that combined function with aesthetic appeal.

The production of barbotine wares reflects an organised and widespread ceramic industry within the Roman provinces. These vessels were produced in regional workshops and distributed through established trade networks. Such objects circulated widely, reaching settlements, villas, and military sites across large parts of the empire, including regions such as present-day Germany and the Netherlands.

Dating to the 1st–3rd century A.D., this bowl belongs to a period of cultural cohesion and artistic exchange within the Roman world. It illustrates how central Roman motifs—particularly those relating to mythology and status—were adopted and reinterpreted at a provincial level.

This piece provides a direct and physical link to the Roman provinces, where such vessels were part of daily life while also reflecting broader cultural ideals. It forms a tangible connection to the ancient world, in which objects of this kind combined practical use with symbolic and decorative meaning."