Object type
olpe
Fabric
common Punic pottery
Culture/period
Protohistory and Iberian world
Materials
pottery
Technique
wheel-thrown
Mint
Production date
-400 / -100
Current location
Exposició permanent
Archaeological site
Pla de les Tenalles
Township
Granyanella (Europa, Espanya, Catalunya, Lleida, La Segarra)
Dimensions
183 52 mm
Description
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Jug with a handle, flat base with foot ring, globular body, carinated broad shoulder, narrow cylindrical neck and small mouth with a vertical rim and slightly inward-turned lip. It displays painted decoration with three horizontal bands in the area of the shoulder.
This shape corresponds to a variant of narrow-necked jar called "olpe" that was very common in the Mediterranean world, both Greek and Punic. This jug is surely a Central Mediterranean Punic product perhaps from workshops in the area of Carthage.
An olpe is a narrow mouthed jar that, because of its special morphology, may have been used as a container of thick fluids, mainly oil and, therefore, primarily associated with a context of hygiene.
Punic examples of the same type document a constant but not very abundant presence in the archaeological record of the whole Iberian area. The chronology of production is very wide and ranges from the fifth century BC to the second century BC.
This vessel comes from the Iberian village of Plan de las Tenaza de la Mora, an unknown context, with a vague dating that should be between the fourth century BC and early second century BC. However, it is most likely, owing to its good state of preservation, that it comes from the destruction levels of the village which are dated in around 200 BC.
© Museu comarcal de l'Urgell-Tàrrega
Omeka ID
1259