🍷 Amphora

An amphora is a clay jar with two handles and a pointed base. In ancient times it was used to carry and store wine, olive oil, grain and other goods. The name comes from a Greek word meaning "carried on both sides", that is, a vessel with two handles.

The amphora was made of clay. It was shaped, fired and often coated inside with resin so that wine would not seep through the walls. The neck was plugged with a stopper and sealed. The shape suited the sea well: the pointed base let vessels be set in sand or in rows in a ship's hold, and the two handles helped in carrying.

Amphorae were the main vessels of the sea trade in wine. They were shipped by the Phoenicians, Greeks and Romans. Thousands of such vessels, found on land and on the sea floor, tell of ancient Rome and wine. The remains of amphorae help to learn where a cargo came from.

Today amphorae are becoming popular again: some winemakers use clay vessels for fermentation and ageing, valuing the gentle handling. The amphora is a kind of clay vessel for wine, related to the jug and to the Georgian qvevri.