Terracotta Bowl in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, December 2008

Terracotta Bowl
Roman, Arretine ware, ca. 10-50 AD

Accession # 2002.283

This bowl is a typical example of plain Roman fineware pottery made at Arretium (modern Arezzo) in northern Italy. The vessels were mass produced and exported widely throughout the Roman world. Associated in particular with forts and other military sites, Arretine pottery was clearly very popular with soldiers serving on the frontiers of the Empire in northern Europe during the Julio-Claudian period. This bowl has in the center of the base a maker's stamp in the shape of a footprint; it reads CORNELI (of Cornelius).

Text from the Metropolitan Museum of Art label.