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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Bob L., post: 8229170, member: 56976&quot;]Not long ago, I viewed a Youtube video documenting a group of metal detectorists in the UK uncovering a huge hoard of coins. I know my thinking is skewed – and out of sync with you all - because, as I viewed the vid, I was focused more on the fragments of the shattered pot that held the coins than on the coins themselves. And that – ceramic ware fragments – is what this thread deals with.</p><p><br /></p><p>I know a lot of ancient coin collectors enjoy picking up an occasional artifact to provide some historical context for their coins. And I know that a number of you have coins that depict ancient ceramic ware that, especially in plural form, goes by all sorts of tongue-twisting names: kantharoi, amphorae, kraters (okay, that one’s not a tongue-twister), kylikes, skyphoi, lekythoi, oinochoai, etc. So, while this post is not about coins, per se, I hope you’ll bear with me.</p><p><br /></p><p>The ancient pottery I collect is from across ancient cultures in Western Asia, Europe, and even Pre-Columbian America. I enjoy it all. In addition to purchasing more-or-less intact pieces, I also sometimes pick up potsherds (sherds). Now, I know that some folks prefer the term “shard” – which, while technically not wrong, is just not as right. <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie2" alt=";)" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1446488[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>I exhibit my sherds in scattered orbits around the intact larger ceramic ware, edged weapons, and arrowheads in my display cases.</p><p><br /></p><p>Anyway, I thought I’d create a couple of posts to discuss what I perceive of as the pros and cons of sherd collecting, and to do some show-and-tell.</p><p><br /></p><p>Now, I know what you’re thinking: <i>Gawd, not another post about potsherds!</i></p><p><br /></p><p>Uh, that was a joke. I mean, really, has anyone, anywhere, ever, created a thread devoted to the collecting of (non-ostraca) potsherds before? Of course, there <i>are</i> some folks who appreciate and collect them. As examples, here’s a shoutout to v-drome and mauseus at Forum:</p><p><br /></p><p>v-drome:</p><p><a href="https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=4497" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=4497" rel="nofollow">https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=4497</a></p><p><br /></p><p>mauseus (two pages with lots of stuff, including a number of sherds):</p><p><a href="https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=642" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=642" rel="nofollow">https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=642</a></p><p><a href="https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=642&amp;page=2" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=642&amp;page=2" rel="nofollow">https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=642&amp;page=2</a></p><p><br /></p><p>And here are a couple of sherds I saw posted recently by GinoLR here at CT:</p><p><a href="https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/%C3%A9ph%C3%A8be-jpg.1420592/" class="internalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/%C3%A9ph%C3%A8be-jpg.1420592/">https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/éphèbe-jpg.1420592/</a></p><p><a href="https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/abraham-jpg.1420595/" class="internalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/abraham-jpg.1420595/">https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/abraham-jpg.1420595/</a></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b>The good:</b></p><p><br /></p><p>Sherds are fun. They provide the tactile satisfaction that many collectors crave – that same impulse, I suppose, that prompts so many of you to crack open slabs to free otherwise entombed coins.</p><p><br /></p><p>Depending on the type and condition, some sherds can be quite affordable. As in the case of the Greek amphora and the Etruscan dolium fragments I present in the next post, broken-off parts can be <b><i>considerably</i></b> cheaper than an intact larger vessel, assuming such vessels are ever even available on the market.</p><p><br /></p><p>If you’re lucky enough to snag a sherd with even minimal hand-painted decoration – even just a few stripes – then you’re the owner of a minute, hand-produced ancient painting. For me, there’s a cool factor that is associated with this. (Perhaps because I’m a painter.) While it’s neat to think about all the folks in antiquity who produced, held, spent, and saved any particular ancient coin, the fact is that the artists – the engravers – produced the dies, not the coins. With painted sherds, the artist’s hand – his direct touch – is right there. From my collection, here’s a small sherd from Olbia, with some simple, hand-painted converging lines:</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1446492[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b>The bad:</b></p><p><br /></p><p>It seems to me that, as with coins, fakery exists with pottery – including with sherds. While I am not an authority on the subject by any means, I do believe I’ve seen a number of bogus “ancient” sherds for sale. They fall into the “too good to be true” category – with absolutely no blemishes. Could some of them have been kosher? Sure. As I say, I’m no expert. But I have seen some Greek, Roman, and Pre-Columbian sherds that have given me pause.</p><p><br /></p><p>Another problem is the high potential for misattribution. I sometimes see what appear to be legitimately old pottery fragments – typically, unspectacular grayware pieces – that are listed definitively as Roman, but which could conceivably be medieval or even post-medieval. Sadly, with many sherds, it’s impossible to attribute with 100% certainty. Intuiting the overall shape of the vessel from which a sherd originated – which <i>might</i> help pin down an attribution to type, location, and/or approximate date – is, of course, often impossible with small potsherds. (Sometimes, though, the type of original vessel may be evident if the sherd is large enough – as with a few of mine.) If you’re relying on a seller’s attribution then, obviously, knowing and trusting that seller (and, implicitly, his or her sources) is vital. Personally, I will only buy sherds when I’m reasonably confident not just about their authenticity, but also about their attribution – meaning, approximate dating and location, or at least a cultural context. In addition, I seek out good provenance when it’s available.</p><p><br /></p><p>Of course, rarer types in good condition can be pricey. And, naturally, solid provenance, as from old, established collections, will of course increase value and cost.</p><p><br /></p><p>But the fact is, there is total lack of a pricing standard with these. While bargains can, thankfully, be had, prices can vary greatly between sellers, with true gouging by some.</p><p><br /></p><p>Okay, in my next post, I’ll do some show-and-tell.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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