Appendix 3 : African ceramics in Roman Malta : an overview

Abstract

The purpose of this short appendix is to present preliminary data gathered from a series of existing published works and more recent investigations on North African pottery from the Maltese islands (cf. Tables CLXXX-CLXXXII). In the first instance, B. Bruno's seminal work on the analysis and quantification of imported amphorae from the multi-period sanctuary to Juno at Tas-Silġ and the oil-producing villa at San Pawl Milqi remains the most comprehensive study of the islands' ancient economy. In it she details the types of imported amphorae reaching the two sites from the mid-3rd century BC to the 12th century AD. More recently, a study of three ceramic assemblages dating from the 1st century to mid-4th century AD have shed further light on the volume of African and other imported pottery to the islands in the Roman period. Lastly, important details regarding the African Red-Slipped pottery from Maltese collections can be found in J. W. Hayes' Late Roman Pottery.