Arretine

/ˈærətaɪn/ noun

Definition

A type of red pottery or ceramic ware from ancient Rome, originally made in Arretium (modern-day Arezzo, Italy).

Etymology

From Arretium, the Latin name for Arezzo. When Romans established a famous pottery workshop there around the 1st century BCE, the distinctive red ceramics became known by the city's name. The -ine suffix indicates 'of or from' a place.

Kelly Says

Arretine ware is prized by archaeologists because it's durable and distinctive—Roman traders exported it everywhere, so finding arretine pottery tells us exactly where Rome's trade networks reached.

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