amphorae - ancient containerisation

[Epictetus]

I was reading an article about another ancient shipwreck being discovered and started thinking about amphorae. They were like the ancient equivalent of the shipping container, in that they could be used in various forms of transport like ships and wagons, and they were used for all sorts of goods: olives, wine, fish sauce, olive oil, dried fruits, and perhaps even grain.

But their shape is odd. It seems to me that another shape would have been a more efficient use of space. If you look at this reconstruction of how they were shipped, you can see a lot of wasted space at the top and bottom. Also, according to Wikipedia, they apparently needed a special grate to fit into because of their narrow bottom.



What am I missing? Are there some advantages to this shape that I'm not thinking of?

[Nathan Ross]

Are there some advantages to this shape that I'm not thinking of?

I would assume that the lentil/bulb shape is stronger than anything with a flattish bottom - important if you need to shift them around, stack them etc.

Actually, I'd always thought that the pointy bit at the bottom was so you could stick them upright in the sand, on a beach perhaps...

[Epictetus]

Yes, there is that. But I wonder how often they would be unloaded onto beaches? I would assume not very often, if they were going to and from urban areas with a developed infrastructure.

[Robert Vermaat]

What am I missing? Are there some advantages to this shape that I'm not thinking of?

Perhaps it's not so much about storage during transport, but about the vessel individually? How are they carried? How are they filled? A narrow top would make it easier to close it I suppose. And maybe this shape makes it easier to transport them by horse or mule?

[Nathan Ross]

But I wonder how often they would be unloaded onto beaches?

I was guessing the design might have originated in the days before docks and wharfs, when ships were dragged up and unloaded onto the beach!

Something to do with sediment, as well, maybe? Ancient wine, even oil, was probably a lot thicker and bittier than ours today. Sediment would collect in the narrow bit at the base and not get stirred up too easily when the amphora was moved - ?

[Sean Manning]

Yes, there is that. But I wonder how often they would be unloaded onto beaches? I would assume not very often, if they were going to and from urban areas with a developed infrastructure.

You might be surprised. Have a look at Casson Ships and Seamanship in the Ancient World pp. 361-363.

Similarly, I suspect that the long handles become necessary as soon as you turn the amphora on its side to pour it out. The pointed bottoms of the row above fit between the necks of the row below so not much space was wasted.

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Possibly the shape makes the easy to load onto the hull of a ship?
Like that rack in the first pic, there are ribs and the curvature of the ship to fit into
And the wasted space referee to is actually essential for grasping the amphora to pull it from the stack.

[Epictetus]

These are all very good points. Perhaps the advantages do outweigh the disadvantages.

I'll have to check out Ships and Seamanship in the Ancient World. I'm not familiar with it, but the topic fascinates me.

[Eleatic Guest]

Amphorae, and their the gravity center, can be modeled in a way that they dip into the water, that is they are self-filling vessels.

Also, with the average amphorae weighing around 27 kilo empty, they must have been transported by two people each gripping one handle. Walking side by side, it is easier to carry conical than rectangular vessels which tend to impede leg movements.

[Musivarius]

The pointed base also does make it a lot easier to pour. Imagine trying to lift and pour a heavy container where you have one hand on the handle and then the other hand has to get a grip along a flat bottom. Compare this to being able to grip a conical base.

[richard robinson]

I've enjoyed reading these musings. I had always thought that it had more to do with "this is how its always been done". Smaller pots with the same shape are excellent for cooking stews etc in, and are used in Morocco and other places to this day.

Amphorae also gave rise to the tripod industry and its always fascinated me that tripods are awarded as prizes at ancient games and can be so beautifully wrought (I am thinking Pompeii).

Don't forget also that amphorae were packed with straw between them (ancient world bubble wrap)when being transported. I imagine them as being versatile as part of the ballast on ancient maritime vessels as well. I would be interested in seeing said storage rack.
regards
richard

[PhilusEstilius]

The fact that most Amphorae held liquid contents they had to be stored verticle and the system would not just have been a board with a hole in it, but a double one of different sizes one above the other where the pot was also held at its centre area as well as at the base point to make them secure. Therefore the shape is one of common logic where with a fast turn around of trade you drop it into the hole and you lift it out.

[PhilusEstilius]

There is another interesting aspect about amphorae DID anyone ever take back the empties which is not just a crazy thought, for having lived in a town that had a Coal mining history in the north of England and a seaport there was what was always known as the Balast hill.

This was indeed where 18th century ships had come from London to the north for their coal and had to carry balast being sailing ships so was this an aspect of sailing ships of much earlier times. The amphorae would not of course be dumped as the balast was but refilled and sent back again in the ancient containerisation system.

[Musivarius]

You have Monte Testaccio in Ostio which is the estimated remains of up to 24 million broken up amphora so it does seem that they were just disposed of.

On your other note about them needing to be transported vertically if they had liquids, surely they must have had a way of sealing the ends to they could be put on their sides. It would be easier to stack a cart with them horizontally than vertically.

[richard robinson]

I asked RAT about corking bottles with cork. I learnt that they were corked with wooden stoppers. However Amphorae had a roll(?) of cork with wax?/pitch? as a sealant. How secure this was I have not as yet learnt.
Regards
richard