Obolos 16

KORKYRA. Korkyra. Circa 400-350 BC. Hemidrachm (Silver, 15.5 mm, 2.13 g, 2 h). Amphora. Rev. K-O-P between rays of eight-rayed star; below, stylis (?). HGC 6, 47. Cf. SNG Copenhagen 158. Toned and well-centered. Nearly very fine.

From the Vineyard Collection, acquired from D. Vagi in December 1997.

The amphora was the all-purpose shipping container used by the Greeks and Romans. It was a narrow-bodied vase often with a pointed bottom and two handles, and was used for storing both liquid and dry materials during transport. They were mass produced in such quantities that it was not feasible to retain them after use, so they were often destroyed after reaching their destination. In fact, the nearly 150 meter high, one kilometer in circumference Mt. Testaccio on the banks of the Tiber in Rome is an artificial mountain made entirely from amphora fragments. Amphorae have been studied extensively and their typologies and chronologies are well-understood. Thus they are incredibly important for dating ancient shipwreck sites as well as determining the ship's point of origin.