
The ceramic vessels from the insula del Menandro in Pompeii and the significance of their distribution
In: Studi e Ricerche del Parco Archeologico di Pompei: 40, 2020
DOI: 10.1400/276436
This paper uses information on ceramic vessels collated for 'The Insula of the Menander in Pompeii volume III: The finds, a contextual study' to investigate how they might have been used within and between the different houses and shops in this insula. While taking into consideration that, unless they were complete or near complete vessels or had epigraphical remains, ceramics were not paid much attention in 1930s
when this insula was excavated, I carry out comparative analyses of the quantities and distribution of the different types and forms of these
vessels to examine patterns of vessel use. I pay particular attention to the terra sigillata remains and take a material-cultural approach to develop greater understandings of the social practices of eating and drinking in Pompeian houses. In this paper I also highlight problems faced,
and possible ways forward, when re-collating Pompeian material that has been collated with different research agenda.
Parole chiave: Insula del Menandro, terra sigillata, mangiare e bere, analisi quantitative e spaziali
Keywords: Insula del Menandro, terra sigillata, eating and drinking, quantatitave and spatial analyses