Mortarium with bat head

3D Model

Ceramic, Central Gaul, 150-200AD. This mortarium, a style of dish usually used for grinding or mixing foods, is made from a kind of ceramic called Samian ware. Samian was mostly made in the first two centuries AD in Gaul (an area similar to modern day France). It was used as a fine table ware that was fashionable throughout the Roman Empire. This example was made in Central Gaul sometime between 150-200AD. Samian mortaria are puzzling objects because you would not expect a vessel used for grinding to be made from a smooth table ware, but they are found regularly in this period. They may have been used for a particular kind of food that involved preparation in front of the guests. It’s also possible that they may not have been used for food at all. The bat’s head decoration on the side of this moratorium hides a spout. This allowed the contents of the mortarium to be poured neatly. Model by Historic England Geospatial Survey Team