Dressel amphora

This piece was found in the Roman wreck of San Ferreol in San Pedro del Pinatar (Murcia), which dates from the first century B.C. and was discovered in 1976. These Dressel-type amphorae were used for the mass export of wine in the western Mediterranean in order to supply the Roman troops and certain regions and cities such as Carthago Nova. In this case this is a fragmented object which still conserves intact its closing mechanism: a ceramic stopper over which is placed a mortar of chalk and sand (known as pozzolana), featuring three printed seals which identify the producer. The interior contains remains of the resin with which it was coated in order to isolate the ceramic paste from the liquid.