Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
Samian ware

Samian ware

9.9
Pottery made from reddish-brown clay on the Greek island of Lemnos in ancient times
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : cerámica samia
  • The museum's exhibit included several intact pieces of Samian ware from the Roman era.

Examples

  • Collectors prize Samian ware for its distinctive color and fine workmanship.

  • Archaeologists uncovered fragments of Samian ware at the site of the ancient settlement.

  • The museum has a beautiful collection of Samian ware.

  • Did you see the Samian wares on display?

  • Archaeologists uncovered fragments of Samian ware at the site of the ancient settlement.

  • Collectors prize Samian ware for its distinctive color and fine workmanship.

  • The museum's exhibit included several intact pieces of Samian ware from the Roman era.

Synonyms

Samian
vsSamian ware
  • Specialized
9.9

A fine shiny red Roman pottery often seen as bowls or plates at ancient sites

is the island-specific name for that same reddish brown pottery
terra sigillata
vsSamian ware
  • Specialized
9.9

Fine shiny red Roman pottery made from clay

is specifically the ancient reddish brown pottery made from Lemnos clay

Surface Forms

Samian ware singular
Samian wares plural

Morphology

Samian + ware

This is a straightforward adjective + noun composition: 'Samian' names a place/type associated with a specific pottery and 'ware' means manufactured goods, so a learner who knows both parts can infer it refers to pottery of the Samian type or origin. The place/type + ware pattern is cross-linguistically common, making the overall meaning directly derivable from the constituents.

Etymology

Samian ware is named after pottery made with special clay found on the Greek island of Lemnos. The clay made the pieces smooth and reddish-brown, so Samian, the place name, plus ware 'pottery' became the name for that kind of ancient pottery.