Mortaria from Ancient Corinth: Form and Function

by Alexandra Villing and Elizabeth G. Pemberton

Hesperia, Volume 79, Issue 4
Page(s): 555-638
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/41012855
Year: 2010
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ABSTRACT:

As important vessels in domestic and cultic food preparation in ancient Greece, ceramic mortaria are closely intertwined with the development of culinary customs and their social setting. Examples found at Corinth show a variety of forms, particularly in the Classical period. This study presents an analysis of the morphological changes of the Corinthian examples from the Archaic through Hellenistic periods. The end of the 6th and the first half of the 5th century B.C. see the greatest developments, such as the introduction of spout, handles, and gritted interiors. The functions of mortaria are also discussed in detail, with interpretation based on the artifacts themselves, textual references, and iconographic and contextual evidence.