When it emerged from the ground in 1853 at West Lodge, England, the so-called Colchester Vase was immediately considered an important find due to its remarkable decorative relief depicting a battle of gladiators, which dated back to Roman Britain. . It was also believed to be a cremation vessel, having been found containing human remains. But new studies have shown that the jar was no ordinary grave item – it may represent the earliest form of sports memorabilia.
Led by researchers from museums in Colchester and Ipswich, where the artefact is located, latest tests reveal the vase was made from local clay around 160-200 AD.
They also discovered that an inscription on the vessel, spelling out the names of two gladiators featured in the frieze, had been carved into the clay before the vase was fired, not after as previously thought. The engraving was therefore a fundamental part of the design of the Colchester vase and was not added later.
The Colchester Vase. Photo: Colchester and Ipswich Museums.
“Many other artifacts that decorate gladiator scenes are mass-produced generic pieces, so now that we know the inscription was part of the original pot design, that means it’s not a generic piece” , said Glynn Davissenior curator and archaeologist at CIMS, who has also say it Guardian“It’s a commemorative piece, almost a trophy for the trophy cabinet,”
The team further believe that the vase could have been commissioned by a gladiatorial owner, trainer or sponsor, or possibly a sports fan.
“There must be an intimate connection to the deceased,” Davis added of the remains found in the ship. “They could well have sponsored the games. Or they were an absolute sports freak. For some reason they saw the fight and thought, “I want a memento of this.”
The continuous narrative frieze of the Colchester Vase features three slip-style relief scenes, all depicting arena performances. In one, two hunters fight a bear with a whip and a club; in another, the couple of gladiators, Memnon and Valentinus, confront each other; and in the last, a hunting dog pursues a hare and two stags.
The inscription that was drawn into the pot passes just under its rim and informs us that the scene marked Memnon’s ninth victory in the ring and that Valentine was part of the 30th legion of the Roman army. The two gladiators CIMS concludedcould have been “celebrated gladiators of their time”, although they were also indentured slaves.
The Colchester Vase. Photo: Colchester and Ipswich Museums.
The research team also believe that such sporting events, particularly those depicted on the vase, most likely took place in Colchester itself. Scientific tests on the clay used to make the vessel have revealed DNA links to other similar artifacts discovered at Colchester, which under Roman occupation was known as Camulodunum.
“This is the only evidence of a gladiator fight in a Roman arena actually staged in Britain,” said CIMS director Frank Hargrave. Guardian.
“It is a specific scene, it must represent a specific event. We conclude it was in Colchester, as it was made here and later buried here,” Davis continuedadding to the significance of the new study: “I would say it’s really important in terms of Roman Britain and finding real artists and real people who would have been in a battle at Colchester.”
The Colchester Vase, along with other Roman-era artifacts, will be on display at “Gladiators: A Day at the Roman Games“, an exhibition at Colchester Castle which will open on July 15.
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