amphora
AM-fuh-ruh
Definition
A tall, two-handled ceramic jar used in ancient times, especially by Greeks and Romans, for the storage and transportation of goods like wine or oil.
Etymology
The word originates from the Ancient Greek 'amphoreus,' a compound of 'amphi' (on both sides) and 'pherein' (to carry), referring to the vessel's characteristic two handles.
In the news
In this article, archaeologists identified the wreck by a large field of 'Dressel 1A amphorae,' which served as the cargo of the merchant ship. These vessels are critical markers for dating the shipwreck and understanding ancient trade routes.
Off the coast of Sicily this month, a fisherman named Giacomo De Mola noticed something odd on his sonar and dove in anyway — what he found was a Roman merchant ship, undisturbed on the seafloor for more than two thousand years, dating to a period w
Read the full article ↗ScienceBlog.com