Samian ware

American  

noun

1. a red-glazed terracotta pottery produced in Gaul and the Moselle Valley a.d. 100–300 and copied from Arretine ware.

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Samian ware British  

noun

1. a fine earthenware pottery, reddish-brown or black in colour, found in large quantities on Roman sites

2. Also called: Arretine ware.  the earlier pottery from which this developed, an imitation of a type of Greek pottery, made during the first century _bc at Arretium

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Etymology

Origin of Samian ware

First recorded in 1835–45; after classical references to a type of pottery produced at Samos, perhaps an imitation of the red-glazed ware produced in Gaul and Italy

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Samian ware

In 1852 tesselated pavement, Samian ware, earthen urns and lamp, and other Roman vessels were found from twelve to twenty feet deep near Basing Lane, New Cannon Street.

From Old and New London Volume I by Thornbury, Walter

I found the pottery, and picked out fragments of Samian ware; the bank is from three to nine feet deep in them.

From In Troubadour-Land A Ramble in Provence and Languedoc by Baring-Gould, S. (Sabine)

Sometime, however, Theo, you should go to one of our museums and see some Samian ware, the finest of Roman clay work.

From The Story of Porcelain by Bassett, Sara Ware

Pottery in large quantities has also been found, most of it, of course, in a fragmentary condition, but some pieces, notably bowls of Samian ware, almost perfect, and dating from the first century.

From Northumberland Yesterday and To-day by Terry, Jean F. (Jean Finlay)

The great quantity of pottery found may be judged by the fact that upwards of 900 potters' stamps on Samian ware have been recorded.

From The Towns of Roman Britain by Bevan, James Oliver