Beaker

Moselkeramik 'motto' beaker with white painted decoration on a glossy black slip, complete and undamaged. Lettering around the band reads 'VTERE', (meaning 'Use me') above a band of scrolls and bunches of grapes. The grapes are painted in an orange-brown. Although this beaker is 3rd century in date, it was found as an accessory vessel in an inhumation burial that dated to AD350-400. It is not uncommon to find this sort of Rhenish beaker in later burials but this example was already at least 75 years old at time of disposition which underlines the luxury status of such vessels.