The ‘SOS’ Amphora

Abstract

I Discuss here some features of the type of storage amphora dubbed ‘SOS’, a large semi-decorated container in use from the later eighth to the first half of the sixth century B.C., and found at a large number of sites around the Mediterranean and beyond. In particular, the evidence of clay analyses carried out at the British School by Richard Jones will be adduced to confirm the Attic origin of the majority of these vases, while other centres of production will be reviewed. I also treat briefly the shape and decoration of the type and the inscriptions which the vases often carry. Other scholars are working on different aspects of the SOS amphora and I have therefore restricted my comments here; similarly, I do not treat at length material which is in course of publication, leaving closer discussion of dating especially to the excavators concerned.

The ‘Sos’ Amphora: An Update

“…Stylistic classifications of SOS amphorae seem to match their chemical divisions very well – so well, in fact, that it does not seem necessary to initiate a reconsideration of the stylistic classifications discussed thoroughly by Johnston and Jones (1978, 132–5). Only a brief summary will be necessary for the purposes of this paper.…”

“…476.1). Other possible production locations for SOS amphorae include Metapontion, Sybaris, and Megara Hyblaea (Johnston and Jones 1978, 117, 127 n. 24, 118 n. 12; Jones 1986, 711). All of these locations, however, have only produced a handful of vessels that could be characterised as local products, suggesting a very limited enterprise.…”

“…Maximum diameter was more stable over time and ranged between 43 and 49 cm. The height of the foot remained 3 or 4 cm, but neck plus lip height varied between 9 and 16 cm – though most stayed within the 11 to 14 cm range (Johnston and Jones 1978, 133). Because of the variety in size, capacity was not consistent.…”

“…In comparison with Panathenaic amphorae (for which see, among others, Valavanis 1986; Descat 1993; Bentz 1998; Tiverios 2007; Johnston 2007), initially produced in the sixth century bc , little ink has been spilt over their predecessor and sole Athenian trade amphora, the so-called ‘SOS’ amphora; yet their study has much to contribute to understanding commerce in the Greek Archaic period, and in particular Athenian (and other) participation in overseas trade and colonisation. The seminal work by Johnston and Jones (1978) demonstrated that these vessels are capable of contributing rich information, if a concerted effort is undertaken to study them. Although a number of scholars have addressed SOS amphorae over the past 35 years, it has generally been in the context of excavation publications or as part of broader research questions ( e.g.…”

Mediterranean Containerization

“…In the central and western Mediterranean, imported transport jars appear almost as soon as they are archaeologically visible in their Phoenician home regions, for example in Crete, Sardinia, or at Huelva in Andalucía by the ninth century BC (González de Canales, Serrano, and Llompart 2006:17-19;Ramó n Torres 1995;Shaw 1989). In the Aegean, wine and olive oil transport containers also appear (Catling 1998;Johnston and Jones 1978) and show a similarly rapid involvement with Greek overseas trading and colonial ventures in the central and western Mediterranean. Phoenician and Greek imports quickly provided models for local containers in the west during the eighth to sixth centuries BC (Sourisseau 2011) and, however locally patchy, this wider uptake marks a crucial moment in the history of the region: when maritime-led, containerized exchange in classic regional products such as wine and olive oil becomes Mediterraneanwide, distinguishing the whole area from often less integrated economies beyond.…”