Object type
basin
Fabric
Medieval reduction pottery
Culture/period
Medieval
Materials
pottery
Technique
wheel-thrown
Mint
Production date
900 / 1100
Current location
Centre Interpretació
Archaeological site
Olèrdola. Entrada recinte (sector 01)
Township
Olèrdola (Europa, Espanya, Catalunya, Barcelona, Alt Penedès)
Dimensions
173 x 347 x 347 mm
Description
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Large, open vessel with a flat bottom and walls that open outwards. Slightly bulging lip. Restored from 32 fragments, it was fired in reducing atmosphere, with well refined and compact light grey clay. Made on a fast wheel. It comes from one of the excavations carried out between 1983 and 1985 but the exact place is unknown (probably Sector 01).
These pieces are usually made in a reducing atmosphere with a grey well-refined fabric. In Olèrdola we have located some specimens fired in an oxidizing atmosphere. We know the function of these large containers, similar to those in the late Middle Ages known as launderers, with two handles for transport. Indeed, the shape is reminiscent of the basins where the laundry was done or for carrying clothes to the laundry, fountain or river. We know that high medieval basins were not meant for fire, but they could be destined for food preparation and laundry.
Basins were common elements in the repertoires of high medieval pottery in Catalonia. We can find, to name a few sites, the church of Santa María de Lavit (Torrelavit, Barcelona) (Lopez, Caixal, Fierro, 1997, p. 147, Lam. XXXI, fig. 4), the church of Santa Maria de Martorell (Martorell, Barcelona) (Navarro, Mauri, 1997) and the church of Sant Menna (Sentmenat, Barcelona), where a predominance of oxidised specimens, some of them spatulated, were found (Type SM- 5) (Rojo, Coll, Molina, 1997).
© Museu d'Arqueologia de Catalunya - Olèrdola
Omeka ID
2260