ROMAN MORTARIUM 3rd CENTURY AD

Buff terracotta, 8 ½” diameter plus the spout. Wheel turned with stepped foot and double holes to the rim for a suspension cord. The interior with much of its original sanded surface. Used in the kitchen to grind and blend spices, these were made with a sand lining pressed into the clay before firing. This example was purchased in London in the 1980s and likely came from England as it compares in detail to an example in the City of London Museum bearing maker’s name Sollius. Excellent and exceptional as these are usually encountered damaged.